47. How to name your podcast episodes

Have you ever wondered why some podcast episodes get clicked on while others get scrolled past?

In this episode, I’m breaking down how to create episode titles that make your audience stop the scroll and press play.

You’ll learn why short, clear titles always win over long and confusing ones, how to use numbers and power words to grab attention, and why questions so good. I also share why adding your guest’s name at the end (not the start!) can make all the difference.

By the end of this episode, you’ll have everything you need to write episode titles that work for you, not against you.

Have you nailed your episode titles yet? Send me a DM on Instagram @podcast.support.services and let’s chat.

SHOW NOTES: https://podcastsupportservices.com.au/47-how-to-name-your-podcast-episodes/

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Transcript

This transcript was created using Headliner. It has been copied and pasted but not proofread or edited, so it may contain errors or inaccuracies.

Welcome to Podcasting for Business Owners. If you’re thinking of launching a podcast

Laura: Welcome to Podcasting for Business Owners. I’m Your host, Laura McCrae, a podcast consultant, educator, and self confessed podcast nerd. If you’re thinking of launching a podcast or want to grow the one you have, you’re in the right place. Hold on to your headphones and let’s go. Hello and M. Welcome back to Podcasting for Business Owners, the podcast that helps you share your story, lead your industry, and grow your network through podcasting. I’m your host, Laura McCrae, here to make sure podcasting feels simple, strategic, and that it works for your business.

Keep your episode title short because your titles are what makes people click

Today, we’re talking about episode titles because your titles are what makes someone decide to press play or keep scrolling. We’re all in scroll mode these days and you’ve only got a second or two to grab attention, so let’s make sure these words count. My first tip is to keep your episode title short. Short titles are easier to scan, easier to read, and are, uh, way more likely to be seen in full on your podcast apps. Longer titles get cut off at the end, so you need to make it clear what your podcast episode is about at the beginning of your title. So try to fit the hook in the keywords each into your first 60 characters. Here’s an example of a title that’s too long. What I learnt from taking a break, the lessons that came with that, and, um, why? I think you might need one too. So that’s way too long. You’ve lost them. Here’s a better way to keep it what taking a break taught me about my business. The second title is better because it’s shorter and easier to scan. The first one is over 20 words long. That’s too much for most podcast apps. The apps will just cut off your title before your listener even finishes reading the title. The second one is short and snappy, and it’s just eight words. And it gets to the point straight away. The second title also puts value up front. The original title has the main point buried in the middle. The main point was lessons from taking a break. In the shorter version, the hook is the title, and that’s what makes someone click. The second one is also clearer. The first one tries too much. It talks about personal experiences, the lessons, and gives advice to the listener all in one go. The second one focuses on one clear idea. This episode is about what you can learn from taking a break. Also, the second one sounds more confident. Long, wordy titles can come across a bit unsure, like you’re trying to cover all bases. The shorter one sounds direct and intentional. It tells the listener this episode has something useful for you. And, um, please, please, please don’t try to be clever with your podcast titles. I know it’s tempting, but clarity always wins. If people don’t understand what the episode is about in a split second, they’re going to just keep scrolling. Use plain, simple language. Describe what they’ll get out of listening. That’s what makes people click. So there was this podcast episode called Spinning Plates and Spilled Tea. When I heard this, maybe I have little imagination, but I literally just pictured spinning plates and spilled tea. But in fact, the episode was about balancing business life without burning out. So in my opinion, they should have just called the title Balancing Business Life without Burning Out. At least you’d know exactly what the podcast episode was about then. Something m that’s really common these days since the rise of AI is to put a colon in the middle of a title. Whenever I see this, I know that the title’s been created by AI because in the real world we don’t put colons in titles. I’m pretty sure only since AI became so popular that we started to do this. Also, I find when a title has a colon in it, it generally means it’s a long title that needs to be broken up into two sections. I have no qualms at all with using AI to create podcast titles, but my recommendation to you is that when you prompt your AI tool like ChatGPT to come up with podcast episode ideas, ask it specifically not to use a colon.

Questions are a great way to draw your listeners in to your podcast

Now let’s talk about making your titles clickable, because even if your content is great, it won’t matter if no one presses Play Questions are a great way to draw your listeners in. They trigger curiosity and make people want to find the answer. They could be questions that your listeners ask you. Here’s some examples that I’ve used. So episode number 39 for me was called how long should a podcast episode be? This is a question I get asked often and therefore I thought it would be a good title for a podcast episode. Another question I get asked a lot I used for episode 16,

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which are, ah, called rebrand your podcast or start a new one. Questions work best when they tap into something your audience is already wondering or worrying about. Keep them simple and make sure they clearly relate to the episode’s content. Numbers are great when it comes to structure and scannability. People love knowing what to expect. It makes the episode feel easy to digest. Here’s some I’ve used so episode number nine I called it three things you need to know before launching your podcast and episode number 40. I ah, called Five Tips for Naming your podcast so people find it. I don’t know what the logic is around it. Apparently 3 and 5 are good numbers to start a title with. There’s some psychological thing around that, and I don’t claim to know what that’s about, but I know that 3 and 5 are good numbers to start a title with. Numbers give a clear takeaway and show that you’re not going to waffle too.

Your title should tell your audience what they’ll get from the episode

Now let’s talk power words. Power words like best, easiest and essential or quick can grab attention fast. Just be careful not to overuse them because no one wants to feel like they’re being sold to make sure they’re valuable. So example again I used in episode number 18. I called this Easy growth hacks for your podcast. Another couple of episode titles I plan to do in the future. There’s going to be one called the best ways to repurpose your podcast content and another one I’ve got planned the easiest way to plan a month of episode. So here I’m using the words easy, best and easiest. And like I said, quick is another good one too. Avoid anything that sounds like clickbait, for example, the secret trick no one tells you. It might get clicks, but if the content doesn’t deliver, you’ll lose trust fast. Your title should tell your audience what they’ll get from the episode in a way that feels useful and relevant. Now, when it comes to interview episodes, unless your guest is a household name like Oprah Winfrey, always lead with value and then add their name. So instead of a title like John Smith on branding, you’d say something like why consistent branding matters with John Smith. So you put John Smith’s name at the end of the title so that your listeners know what the episode is about first, then who the guest is. The content is more important than the guest. And when it comes to episode numbers, just use them in your titles if they help. Some apps don’t love them. Apple prefers that you don’t put your episode number in your title, as they put episode numbers up for you anyway. But not all apps do this. Spotify doesn’t. I definitely don’t think you should write the word episode or even EP as this is a waste of valuable space. So for example, you wouldn’t write episode one and then your title or EP one and then your title. But I do think it’s okay to write the number at the beginning with a dot and then the title. So it would be one dot and then your title. The reason I think this is okay is because it comes in handy if you ever want to refer back to an episode so I can say on this episode, listen back to episode 40 when where I talk about five tips for naming your podcast so people can find it. You’ll be able to find it quicker because you know the episode number is number 40, rather than just giving you a title that is harder to find. If you’re someone that does seasons, then keep it as short as possible too. So at the beginning of your title. If it’s Season 2 Episode 6, abbreviate it to S2E6. Don’t write Season 2 Episode 6. It’s a waste of space.

Use these tips to help you launch your next podcast

So now a quick recap. Keep your title short and clear. Put keywords at the beginning. Be clear and not clever. Use questions, numbers or helpful power words. Guest names go last and episode numbers are optional but helpful. Your title’s only job is to get the click. If this helped you, please share it with a friend or DM me on Instagram or Facebook at Podcast Support Services. I’d love to hear what you’re calling your next episode. And if you’ve got a podcast idea that’s been sitting on your to do list for way too long, or if you’re mid launch and um, feeling a bit all over the place, then check out the Podcast Launch Programme. It’s a self paced online course that gives you everything you need to go from idea to launch with clear steps and simple systems. You’ll find the link in the Show Notes. Thanks for listening and speak to you again next week. If you found value in this podcast, please leave. A five star rating and a review would be even better. Your support shows that this is a good show which will attract high profile guests and in turn deliver greater value to you. This podcast is produced

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and edited by me. Don’t waste your time on editing. Let me help you with your podcast. Check out the links in the show notes to get in touch.

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