🤔What Does Your Podcast's Title Really Say?

How to make sure your podcast's most important information isn't getting in the way of your marketing

Hi hello! Wil here!

It seems silly to say that the first thing almost anyone knows about your podcast is its title, but it’s true — and that means, of course, that your title is so, so important. Titles are hard. I outsourced . . . now that I’m thinking about it, I think I’ve outsourced almost every single podcast title for shows I’ve worked on to someone else on the team. I get it! It’s hard!

But your title might be getting in the way of your marketing, or even just your audience finding your show. Let’s talk about it.

❗PLEASE: We know it’s a podcast

Before I even go into what makes a title good or bad, let me just starts here: we know it’s a podcast oh my god I promise you don’t need to tell us it’s a podcast I promise I promise I promise I prommy.

You do not need to include the following words or structures in your title. It is not 2013 anymore. In fact, if you do use them on any new podcast you create henceforth, know that I am bullying you in my heart about it, unless you’re Jamie Loftus, in which case you’ve frankly won the rights to do whatever you want.

• Podcast (e.g. “The [X] Podcast”)

• Cast (e.g. “The [X] Cast”)

• Pod (e.g. “The [X] Pod”)

• Mic (e.g. “[X] on the Mic”)

Stop including these in your show art too, but that’s another conversation altogether. Let me know in the comments if you want me to address that sooner rather than later!

✅What makes a good title

A good podcast title should be clear and concise. I am not immune to witty wordplay (Reasonably Sound, a podcast about sound; Weight for It, a podcast about weight stigma — congrats on those Ambies!). I also really love thematic titles (The Heart, a show about love and romance and identity and intimacy; Small Victories, a fiction podcast with a messy protagonist trying her very best, mostly).

Your audience should know what your podcast is about, or what the vibe of the podcast is, based on the title alone. Your show art, trailer, and other promotional assets are great — but most people will hear a title and judge very quickly whether or not they get it.

❌What makes a bad title

I am NOT going to actually bully any podcasts here that I think have bad titles. Please also do not in the comments. Being mean is mean.

Unless your podcast is excessively long as a wink-at-the-camera joke (Finally! A Show, aka Finally! A Show About Women That Isn’t Just a Thinly-Veiled Aspirational Nightmare), you should try to keep your title around 3 words — 5 maximum. If you find yourself trying to explain your show in full in its title, you are doing too much.

Your title might also be too clever for its own good. If your wordplay is too convoluted — if it relies on capitalization or other formatting to be understood — it’s going to get in your way. If it’s too deep a reference for people to immediately understand, it’s going to get in your way.

And, of course, if your title doesn’t say something about your podcast’s topic, it’s going to get in your way! Your audience should not have to listen to an episode to understand what your podcast is about. Your title should at least hint at it immediately.

❓How to tell if yours is good or bad

Ask!

Send your title to a few friends and ask them what they think the podcast is about. Send your title to some colleagues in the industry too. Send your title to people who are part of your demographic and see if it gels.

Don’t forget that you don’t have to take every piece of advice you get; I once had someone say they hated the title of my podcast Scoring Magic because they think the word “magic” (the podcast was literally about sound designing magic sounds in fiction) is stupid. Not all feedback is worth your time to implement, but it’ll likely be worth your time to receive.

You should also be sure to do some cursory market research to make sure your podcast’s title hasn’t already been taken! I know in my heart of hearts you know this and will do this. I believe in you.

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⭐ More Magic

• Alert alert, new episode of our podcast Feed the Queue! This time, we’re highlighting podcasts by, for, and with women of Women’s History Month!

• Upcoming panel in NYC on audio fiction! Please please please go in my stead if you can!

🔎 From the Desk of Tink

I am so thrilled that Tink is working with Arts Educators Save the World, because they DO!!! In a landscape of funding for non-STEM education decreasing and decreasing and decreasing, this podcast is set on explaining why art education is so vital. Hosted by Erica Rosenfeld Halverson, Professor of Curriculum & Instruction at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and author of How the Arts Can Save Education, this podcast will make you remember why art is one of the cornerstones of what makes us human. Go listen and fill your heart with art.

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Hey also . . . go listen to the “No Title” episode of The Allusionist. And happy early Trans Day of Staying In and Having a Nice Snack.

Shreya returns next week with more podcast marketing magic! ✨

<3 Wil 🦇