Ready for some real talk? There are over 250 podcasts with the name ‘real talk’. I’m sure it seemed like a perfect name to the podcaster at the time. But here’s the thing – what the hell does that even mean? What kind of real talk? Real for who? About what?
This is a nothing name. Sorry, I just need to deliver some real talk here. But all is not lost because there’s a little something called the tagline and in this episode, I’m going to help you figure out if your podcast needs one, what you should be including in that tagline, and how to turn it into an important part of your podcast SEO strategy.
Are You Really Tapping into the Power of the Podcast Tagline?
And, if you already have a tagline – keep reading (or listen to this episode) to make sure it’s as powerful as it can be.
First things first… what is a podcast tagline? It’s quite simply an extension of your podcast title. You might think of it as a subtitle because it often follows a colon or a dash. Think, 2001: A Space Odyssey. Or, Morbid: A True Crime Podcast.
Your podcast tagline can help your podcast in 3 key ways:
1. Give the title context.
You may not think that your title can be miss construed but that’s because you know the context. You know that digging deeper is about academic research but without context it could be about self-help, genealogy, archeology, gardening, building a well… So, use that tagline to clarify your title and give it context.
2. Identify your niche.
Your tagline is a great place to let your ideal listener know that this show is for THEM. Add an audience identifier in your tagline like marketing tips for kid-preneurs, or survival guide for moms with kids on the spectrum. You know they’re going to feel like you just tapped them on the shoulder and said right this way when they read that right? By the way, if you haven’t niched your podcast down… listen to episode 93, episode 92, and episode 37.
3. Boost your SEO.
Adding keywords to your tagline will massively help people who are looking for a show just like yours actually find your show. A lot of people look for new podcasts using search terms. If they aren’t using your name or your podcast name in the search bar, will they find your show? Add those terms they’re searching in your tagline to give it a fighting chance of being found.
And the best news about updating or adding a podcast tagline? It’s easy! You don’t have to redo your artwork or re-record your intro, you can just change it through your podcast host (like Libsyn, Podbean, or Transistor)
Caution – I see a lot of podcasters who use their name as their tagline. Remember all those podcasts with the name Real Talk? An even larger number of podcast are called ‘Real Talk with… the hosts name’ Sometimes, it’s just the first name like Kimmy or Daniel and sometimes it’s their whole name. Before you go down this path – think of the three things the tagline should be doing for you – giving the title context, identifying your niche, and improving your SEO. Unless you are a celebrity and people are literally googling your name, adding ‘with Suzy’ or ‘Josh’ isn’t taking full advantage of the power of the tagline. Plus your name goes in the author field of your show settings in your podcast host which is cataloged and searchable, so don’t use that valuable title real estate with your name.
Here’s the big question – does your podcast need a tagline? Ask yourself these three questions:
- Could the name alone be misconstrued or misunderstood as to what it’s about without a tagline?
- Is it clear who your show is for and what they get out of listening without a tagline?
- Would your show be found by someone googling the subject matter of your show?
The answers will tell you if a tagline would help your show get found by more of your ideal listeners. So, what will your new tagline be? Before you dive in, make sure you know who you’re show is for, how it aligns with your business, and why someone would listen. Those things will help you create a super-charged tagline. All of these things are part of our Podcast Tune-up process – getting clarity on your podcast’s purpose and making sure it has a name and tagline that will attract potential customers. Take the next step in having a podcast that serves you, your business, and your ideal listener. Get instant access to the Podcast Tune-Up right away.
Shout out to Podnews for this article on the most common podcast names of 2021.
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