How To Improve Your Apple Podcasts Search Rankings

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Dec 28, 2025, 5:00 AM

how to improve your apple podcasts search rankings

If you’re a podcaster then you know how tricky it is for your show to pop up in Apple podcasts search rankings, when you type in keywords related to your show. Hell, For our podcast, CLIPPED, we frequently search for our episode titles or related phrases using the Apple Podcasts search bar, only to be disappointed by the search results. What good is podcasting if nobody can find your show? If you’re a podcast host and you’re feeling frustrated, imagine what your listeners are experiencing daily. People around the globe are searching for episodes and content like yours, only to be met with search results that miss the mark or fail to meet their needs. I’ve been going to podcast conferences for over a decade, and nearly every one has a session on podcast SEO or ranking higher in the charts.

I’ve always been skeptical of these sessions because, while traditional SEO is well-studied, there hasn’t been much research into how podcast rankings work. That uncertainty opened the door for people to claim they’d “cracked the code” and sell their secrets, most of which turned out to be snake oil. Now, we’re finally getting credible insights into the Apple Podcasts algorithm, with real case studies, anecdotes, and documentation from Apple shedding light on how the system really works. When people talk about “podcast SEO,” they’re usually describing two very different things. Sometimes they mean podcast app optimization, where you try to rank higher inside Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other listening apps. Other times, they’re talking about traditional SEO for your podcast website, where you’re trying to rank in Google.

Apple Podcasts remains one of the most popular listening platforms, offering millions of listeners access to diverse shows daily. To stand out, fine-tuning your content for Apple Podcasts SEO is critical. 🌟 Apple Podcasts SEO (Search Engine Optimization) involves tailoring your podcast’s metadata and strategy to improve its ranking within Apple Podcasts’ search results. By implementing effective optimization techniques, you can make your show more visible and draw in more listeners. 📈

In this guide, we’ll reveal actionable strategies to help you optimize for Apple Podcasts SEO, leveraging exclusive insights from our study of over 7.6 million podcast episodes. Ready to maximize your reach? Let’s get started! 🚀 SEO typically refers to optimizing web content for visibility on search engines like Google. For podcasters, this concept translates into PSO (Podcast Search Optimization), which focuses on making your podcast discoverable on listening platforms.

Apple Podcasts SEO emphasizes strategic use of keywords in your show’s title, descriptions, and episodes to align with how users search for content.🎙️ Have you ever wondered how some podcasts rank at the top of Apple Podcasts, while others get buried? Today, I’m sharing the secret to ranking on Apple Podcasts, so you can get more visibility, downloads, and listeners for your show. But before we dive into the strategies, let’s first talk about how Apple Podcasts actually ranks shows because it’s NOT just about downloads. New Subscriber Activity: The more people subscribing in a short period, the higher your ranking. Listener Engagement: Ratings, reviews, and how long people listen to your episodes matter.

Podcast SEO is a crucial key to growing your show. How do I know? Well, all of the podcasts I work on rank, and many of them rank the highest in their specific niche. How’d we do it? I’m going to tell you, so you can repeat it for your podcast, too. I’ve spent the entirety of my career in SEO and podcasting.

The first portion was working at a lean SEO agency strategizing new content production for our clients. The second portion was working with podcast networks to target their shows to the right audience. I’ve succeeded and failed in numerous ways at both, but one thing I was always dead set on: driving traffic/new listeners and increasing reach. You can do the same. Here’s how. SEO stands for “Search Engine Optimization” and is traditionally a term used for ranking on Google.

Nowadays, SEO for podcasts means ranking on Google, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and more. The higher you rank in a podcast platform, YouTube, or Google, the higher chance you have to gain a new listener interested in your niche. More searchers seeing your show means more listeners, more people hearing your story, your advice, and your message. This also means more listeners for higher revenue via advertising. {{(blog10_fetch_all_live_blogs.data.blog_mode[0].created_date / 1000).toDate().formatDate('MMM dd, yyyy')}} {{blog10_fetch_all_live_blogs.data.blog_mode[0].short_description}}

{{(created_date / 1000).toDate().formatDate('MMM dd, yyyy')}} by Sarah Lockwood | Jun 9, 2025 | Podcasting Tips As the podcasting world grows more crowded, getting discovered has become one of the biggest challenges for creators. Even with great content, many shows struggle to reach new audiences simply because they aren’t ranking well in podcast directories. When it comes to growing your podcast, showing up where listeners are searching is key. Whether someone is browsing Apple Podcasts or typing keywords into Spotify, your visibility in these directories plays a huge role in whether your show gets clicked—or missed entirely.

Improving your podcast’s visibility in platforms like Apple Podcasts or Spotify isn’t about gaming the algorithm, it’s about understanding how those platforms work and aligning your strategy accordingly. In this post, we’ll walk you through what podcast directories are, why rankings matter, and simple, proven tips to help your show rise above the noise. A podcast directory is a platform where listeners can search for, subscribe to, and stream podcasts. These platforms pull from your RSS feed (usually hosted by your podcast host) to deliver your episodes to listeners. by Dan Portik | May 22, 2025 | Blogs | 0 comments Unlocking Podcast SEO: How to Optimize Episodes for Google and Apple Rankings

Podcasts have exploded in popularity, but with over 2 million active shows competing for listeners, simply hitting “publish” isn’t enough. To stand out on platforms like Google Podcasts and Apple Podcasts, you need a tailored SEO strategy that addresses both web search engines and podcast directories. In this guide, we’ll walk through actionable steps to optimize your episodes so they rank higher, attract more listeners, and drive engagement. Effective podcast SEO starts the same way as any content: with keyword research. Identify terms your audience is already searching for—tools like Google Keyword Planner or Moz’s Keyword Explorer can help find topics with solid search volume and manageable competition. Once you have a list:

By weaving these naturally into metadata, you signal relevance to both Google and Apple’s search algorithms (Google for Developers). Podcasting has experienced a surge in popularity, evolving from a niche hobby into a massive global industry. However, with millions of shows available on Apple and Spotify, simply hitting "record" isn't enough anymore. To stand out in a crowded market, you need a plan. This is where podcast marketing comes in. It is the engine that drives listeners to your content, turning casual browsers into loyal subscribers.

In this guide, we will walk you through the essential steps to build your audience and make your voice heard. In simple terms, podcast marketing is the strategic process of promoting your show to attract new listeners and retain existing ones. It encompasses everything from social media promotion and SEO to paid advertising and community building. Many beginners confuse content creation with marketing. Creation is the art of producing the episode—recording, editing, and polishing the audio. Marketing is the business of getting people to press play.

You can have the best audio quality in the world, but without marketing for podcasts, your show remains a hidden gem. Key Benefits of a Strong Marketing Strategy:

How To Improve Your Apple Podcasts Search Rankings

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