The Podcast Keyword Research Guide: Find Topics Your Audience Actually Searches For
The Podcast Keyword Research Guide: Find Topics Your Audience Actually Searches For
Keyword research isn't just for bloggers. It works for podcasts too. When you understand what people type into search engines, you can create episodes they'll actually find.
Let's break down how to do this.
What Keyword Research Actually Does for You
Keyword research helps in several ways:
Shows you what people actually want. You stop guessing what topics matter and start knowing. The data tells you exactly what your audience searches for.
Reveals how people phrase their questions. You might call it "financial planning" but your audience searches for "how to save money on one income." Use their words, not yours.
Uncovers topics you wouldn't think of. Keyword tools suggest related searches you'd never consider. These often become your best episodes.
Helps you compete smarter. You'll see which topics have too much competition and which ones are wide open. Go where others aren't.
Prioritizes your content calendar. When you see search volumes, you know which episodes to create first. Make content people actually want instead of content that sits unwatched.
Improves your discoverability. Using the right keywords in titles and descriptions means your podcast shows up when people search. More searches means more listeners.
Identifies trending topics early. Keyword tools show rising interest in topics before they peak. Create content early and ride the wave.
Helps you understand intent. Different keywords reveal different needs. "Best podcast mic" means someone's ready to buy. "How does a podcast mic work" means they're still learning. You can create episodes for both.
The bottom line: keyword research takes the guesswork out of content creation. You make what people search for, not what you think they might want.
How to Analyze What Your Competitors Are Doing
Your competitors already did some of the work. Look at what's working for them.
Find the top 5 podcasts in your niche. Look at their most popular episodes (usually the ones with the most reviews or downloads if that data is public). Want to sharpen your targeting even further? Read more about Understanding Your Audience: Key Insights for Tailoring Your Marketing Strategy in 2026.
Here's the best overall search engine for podcasts:
- Listen Notes: Great for building lists fast
- Podchaser: Perfect for finding niche-specific shows
- Apple Podcasts Search: Find similar podcasts through “You Might Also Like”
Read their episode titles and descriptions. What keywords do they use? Write them down.
Check their show notes. Many successful podcasters include detailed show notes with relevant keywords, which helps their episodes appear in search results.
But don't just copy what they do. Look for what they're missing. If everyone talks about "email marketing basics" but no one covers "email marketing for coaches," that's your opportunity.
Use a tool like BuzzSumo to see which podcast episodes get shared the most on social media and Site Explorer to see which keywords are bringing traffic to their website.
Long-Tail vs. Short-Tail Keywords
Short-tail keywords are broad. Think "marketing" or "fitness." Millions of people search for these, but millions of podcasts compete for them too.
Long-tail keywords are specific. "Email marketing for real estate agents" or "strength training for runners over 40." Fewer people search for these, but they're easier to rank for. And the people who find you are more likely to stick around because you're talking directly to them.
According to data from DataForSEO and Ahrefs 91.8% of all search queries are long tail keywords. Despite that, long-tail keywords together account for a small portion (~3.3%) of total search volume.
For podcasts, long-tail keywords work better. Here's why:
Short-tail keywords are too competitive. You're fighting against every major podcast and website. Long-tail keywords let you stand out. Someone searching for "podcast equipment" might find anyone. Someone searching for "best podcast microphone under $100 for home recording" has a specific need. If your episode answers that exact question, they'll listen.
Long-tail keywords also tell you more about intent. "Productivity" could mean anything. "Productivity tips for parents working from home" tells you exactly what someone needs.
Start with short-tail keywords to brainstorm topics. Then drill down into long-tail variations for your actual episode titles and descriptions.
How to Find Long-Tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords - being more specific and less competitive - can significantly strengthen your marketing content strategy and help you rank higher within relevant niches in the podcasting industry. Because of this, keywords play a important role in podcast SEO, forming the foundation of an effective Podcast Search Optimization (PSO) strategy.
You can use keyword research tools like Moz Keyword Explorer, Semrush, Ahrefs, or Google Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest to generate a list of words and phrases.
Seasonal Keyword Opportunities
Some topics spike at certain times of the year. If you plan ahead, you can catch these waves.
Tax-related searches explode in March and April. Fitness content peaks in January. Holiday gift guides take off in November.
Use Google Trends to see when interest in your topics rises. Type in a keyword and look at the graph. If you see a pattern, plan your content calendar around it.
Create episodes 4-6 weeks before the spike hits. It takes time for search engines and podcast apps to index your content. If you publish your "New Year's resolutions" episode on January 1st, you're already late.
Some seasonal opportunities aren't obvious. "Back to school productivity" matters in August and September. "Summer business slowdown" is a thing in June and July for B2B topics.
Look at your own analytics too. You might notice patterns specific to your audience. Maybe your listeners search for certain topics at unexpected times.
Building Your Keyword Bank
Don't just research keywords when you need episode ideas. Build a system.
Create a spreadsheet with these columns:
- Keyword
- Search volume
- Competition level
- Related questions
- Episode idea
- Priority
Every time you find a good keyword, add it to your bank. When you're planning content, you'll have a list ready.
Mark keywords by priority:
- High priority: Good search volume, low competition, very relevant to your audience
- Medium priority: Decent numbers but higher competition
- Low priority: Interesting but low search volume or not central to your main topic
Review your keyword bank monthly. Some topics become more or less relevant over time.
Final Thoughts
You don't need to master everything at once. Pick one tool. Spend an hour finding 10 good keywords. Plan your next three episodes around them. See what happens.
Good keyword research isn't complicated. It just takes consistency. The podcasters who win aren't the ones with the fanciest tools. They're the ones who actually do the research and use what they find.
Your audience is searching for answers right now. Give them what they're looking for.
