When people search for a podcast to listen to, they check the top shows on the charts, and it is evident that podcasts with higher ranks get more listeners. You should regularly review your podcast rankings to see if your marketing and promotional strategies work correctly or you need to improve them. If your podcast climbs the rankings over time, you can ensure that your efforts are in the right direction.
In 2019, Apple divided iTunes into separate parts for TV, podcast, and music content. So, all podcasts can be found in their Apple Podcast app. Not all podcasters, especially newbies, know how to find their podcast ranks. In this article, the Podcastle team will show you how to check your podcast rankings and how you can improve them.
Where can you check your podcast rankings?
You can check your podcast rankings in three ways: Apple Podcasts, Chartable, and Podkit.
1. Apple Podcasts
Apple Podcasts is the most in-demand podcast platform. While checking your podcast rankings, you should know that the actual ranks in Apple are rankings, reviews, and ratings. All these three elements are vital, and they all work together to grow your podcast.
Rating is the stars that show how people rated your podcast. The number of people who order your podcast is what matters. The more people rate and review your show, the higher will be the ranking of your podcast.
Reviews are the statements written by the listeners about your podcast. The popularity of your show depends on the number of people who reviewed your podcast.
The ranking shows the position which occupies your show in its category. You must know your podcast category and check the top podcasts in that category. The shows at the top of the chart indeed have more subscriptions than those at the bottom.
For searching your podcast rankings in Apple Podcast, you should log in to your desktop application and find your category. If your podcast is already popular, you can directly go to the top charts. The first chart will show the top episodes and podcasts in your country.
Podcharts is also a very flexible tool that monitors Apple’s chart rankings. It shows your current podcast rankings and rank changes over time. This is a perfect way to track the effectiveness of your show promotion.
2. Chartable
Chartable is a SaaS (Software as a Service) tool that collects all your reviews, rating, and rankings into one platform. Chartable tracks the records of different podcast directories regularly. It monitors the orders on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You need to find your podcast rankings in the main and subcategories that you are listed. First, you should select your country so that Chartable can display your podcast ranking in your region. It is possible to see your current position and its performance over time. The green arrow shows your improvements, and the red arrow- your podcast ranking decrease.
3. Podkite
Podkite is another handy tool for podcast rankings. The Podkite team collects all your podcast reviews and ratings in one place and even emails you a report each week to keep you updated.
Podkite collects the rankings on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. With the help of Podkite’s analytics prefix, it is possible to get insights on your podcast’s download numbers and see the data across different charts. Podkite correlates websites and downloads activities to give you updates about conversion rates of campaigns.
Using their source API, you will be able to determine if a website visitor came from a podcast listener. Creating and sharing podcast short-links on a channel or an episode level is also possible. Podkite provides click analytics to see which marketing channels work best.
How to boost your podcast rankings?
Let’s check below what steps you can take to boost your podcast rankings.
1. Use Right Keywords
While publishing an episode, for example, Apple Podcast allows using twelve keywords. You can use your guest’s name and position and describe the episode with a few high-ranking words. To find those words, you can use Semrush, which is an excellent tool for searching keywords.
2. Create Great Content
Great content will rise to the top via word of mouth. If a listener is excited and shares his feelings with another three listeners, you will get a load of downloads very fast. This will lead to even more ratings, reviews, downloads, subscriptions, and ultimately higher rankings.
3. Encourage the Listeners to Subscribe
The big thing a listener can do is to subscribe to your show. It is more important than downloading or streaming the podcast. It would help if you promoted your podcast's subscription at every opportunity. At the end of your show, it is like a call to action. Always ask to subscribe, review, and rate your show. Ask them to subscribe whenever anyone comes to you or writes that they like your show.
4. Keep Short the Show Titles
While searching for a podcast, the listener writes only a few words. It is vital to describe your show pleasantly and shortly, using the first two, three words. Your show's title is the first thing that can attract the listener's attention.
5. Be Consistent
You will gain your listeners' trust if you keep consistency in publishing time and other factors. In this way, you will collect a loyal audience that will wait for your promised episodes, subscribe, rate and review, and download your episodes. So, your podcast rankings will improve immensely over time.
It is not a secret that high-ranking podcasts build a larger audience and get more downloads and subscriptions. But you shouldn't focus only on podcast rankings. Great content is the crucial factor of your success that will attract new listeners, and your podcast rankings will automatically rise.
How are podcasts ranked?
Podcasts are typically ranked or rated in several ways, and the ranking can vary depending on the platform or source. Here are some common factors and methods used for ranking podcasts:
1) Listener Reviews and Ratings: Many podcast platforms, like Apple Podcasts, allow listeners to rate and review podcasts. Podcasts with higher ratings and positive reviews often rank higher in search results and recommendations.
2) Subscriber Count: The number of subscribers or followers a podcast has can influence its ranking. More subscribers can indicate a podcast's popularity and relevance.
3) Downloads and Listens: Podcast platforms track the number of downloads and listens for each episode. Podcasts with higher download and listen counts may receive better visibility on the platform.
4) Engagement and Interactions: Metrics such as likes, shares, and comments on social media or the podcast platform can also affect a podcast's ranking. High engagement suggests an active and dedicated audience.
5) Consistency and Frequency: Podcasts that release episodes on a regular schedule and maintain a consistent quality tend to perform better in rankings. Podcast algorithms often reward consistency.
6) Algorithmic Recommendations: Many podcast platforms use recommendation algorithms that suggest podcasts to users based on their listening history and preferences. Getting recommended by these algorithms can significantly boost a podcast's visibility.
Do you want to start your podcast?
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