Craft Compelling Podcast Names That Engage Listeners

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Paige Nordstrom

Published September 4, 2024
/ Updated September 25, 2024
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Published September 4, 2024
/ Updated September 25, 2024

So you’re eager to kickstart your podcast but first need to decide on the name.  Although this is no easy decision, we’re here to guide you so that your podcast name packs a punch and drives clicks.

A strong podcast title, similarly to a headline, is crucial when attracting new listeners. Your podcast name should entice viewers to learn more and demand their attention.

Your podcast name decides your ultimate discoverability and audience engagement. If your podcast name is overly confusing, extremely long, or bland, your engagement may pay the price.

There is an unspoken dual role that your podcast name plays a role in. Representing your content and pulling in potential listeners. After this blog post, your podcast name will do both.

Importance Of Strong Podcast Names

Why does your podcast name matter? In a nutshell, it stands as your very first impression, a viewer’s first glimpse into your podcast. After reading just your podcast name, viewers should feel the need to learn more.

Here’s what a powerful podcast name can do for you:

  • Capture Attention: Compelling titles help you stand out among millions of podcasts. It’s crucial to craft an emotional headline, one that tugs their future behaviors. A name that grabs attention despite all of the other podcasts available. Give your podcast name that extra boost with power words that drive engagement.
  • Reflect Content: Take a beat to define your content. What does it look like? How does it serve your listeners?

Your podcast name should accurately reflect the podcast’s theme or episode content.

  • Improve SEO and Discoverability: It’s important to create a podcast name that is bound to reach your viewers. Personalized and tailored to their liking. Well-crafted headlines improve searchability and SEO rankings.
  • Perfect The First Impression: Podcast names serve as your first impression, and it’s long lasting.

A first impression is everything. Especially in today’s digital age where things are moving fast. In order to stop a viewer’s scroll and direct their attention, your name needs some “umph”.

Follow these best practices, as well as a template that will give your podcast name the zing and pep it needs to stand out.

Best Practices To Create Podcast Names

You’re ready to begin crafting your podcast name, one that will stick and stand the test of time. In order to create the perfect podcast name that suits you, take a peek at these best practices that’ll help get you there.

  • Reflect On Your Podcast’s Content and Purpose
  • Keep It Short And Memorable
  • Incorporate SEO Keywords
  • Be Unique And Original
  • Ensure Easy Pronunciation And Spelling
  • Consider Future Growth
  • Test Your Name

Reflect Your Podcast’s Content And Purpose

Let’s begin by revisiting your roots for a moment, the very beginning of the idea of your podcast:

  • Why did you start this podcast?
  • For who?
  • What do you want your target audience to get out of this?
  • What makes your podcast stand out?

The name you land on should convey the podcast’s theme, subject matter, or target audience. Relevance ensures your podcast is unique to YOU and only YOU. So start by defining your podcast’s content and purpose.

Keep It Short And Memorable

In reality, you have seconds to grab a viewer’s attention. A shorter name is easier to remember, spell, and search for. That way, in the milliseconds a viewer decides to revisit your podcast, it’s at the forefront of their mind.

Do:

  • Aim for 2-4 words
  • Use simple, clear language.

Incorporate Keywords For SEO

When viewers are searching for podcasts, it’s natural for searchers to use buzzwords relating to that topic. Include relevant keywords that help with discoverability on podcast platforms and search engines.

  • Research keywords related to your podcast’s content.
  • Integrate them naturally into the name.

Be Unique And Original

A striking podcast name will help to stick in the viewers brain. Choose a unique name to avoid confusion with other podcasts and stand out in a crowded market. Believe it or not, there are millions of podcasts named the exact same thing.

Take the less beaten path and your podcast will be discovered!

  • Research existing podcast names
  • Aim for originality and avoid clichés

Ensure It’s Easy To Pronounce And Spell

A name that’s difficult to pronounce or spell can deter potential listeners. Using jargon listeners may not understand or creating hard to spell acronyms just to shorten things up, doesn’t always mean it’s more effective.

  • Say the name out loud and get feedback from others.
  • Avoid complex words or unusual spellings.

Consider Future Growth

Your podcast name needs the ability for growth with your content!

Plan for future growth that your podcast name can keep up with. Choose a name that allows for potential expansion of topics or formats.

  • Avoid overly specific names if you plan to diversify content. (Don’t put your podcast in a box!)

Test Your Name

Test the name with potential listeners or peers for valuable feedback. Consider A/B testing, where you can compare two different podcast names and see which one resonates best.

  • Conduct surveys or focus groups.
  • Gauge reactions and adjust accordingly.

15 Examples of Podcast Names

Your podcast name holds great power. It’s how people will find your content, share your insights, and remember your name above all else.

To get your creative juices flowing, here’s 15 exceptional podcast names, ones we have deemed top-notch and proved their success.

1. The Joe Rogan Experience

With a name big enough as Joe Rogan’s, your podcast name can quite literally be your own name. As a well-known comedian, all Joe needed to do to win over his podcast fan base was to add the word “experience”.

It’s a small touch, but it alludes to the idea that listeners will get the full scoop, unfiltered, raw side of Joe Rogan. Exactly what they came for; The Joe Rogan Experience.

2. The Diary Of A CEO

Would you read a CEO’s diary? If given the chance and considering it exists, most of us would say yes. That’s why this podcast name strikes on its own. It verbalizes what people wish they could read.

Viewers can see that this podcast digs deeper into the mind of a CEO, exposing truths, busting myths, and giving you a taste of their thoughts.

3. Cancelled

Remember our best practice to keep it short and memorable? That’s exactly what these two influencers did with their podcast name. By targeting a keyword for SEO and avoiding any fluff words, “Cancelled” stands as an infamous podcast name.

It hints to the drama listeners are craving, and it’s short and sweet so you can’t forget it.

4. Kill Tony

Immediately, viewers are hooked. It’s simple enough where viewers can make their guesses about what sort of content they will consume here. The catch: the only way to know more is to dig in and read about it.

Viewers will come to find out that Kill Tony is hosted by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, famous for his roast comedy. He invites other comedians to roast him without holding back. Hence “Kill Tony”.

A podcast name that hints to a deeper meaning has the potential to draw in interest and engagement.

5. Pod Save America

You can imagine with a bold podcast name such as this one, it’s bound to turn heads. Viewers can’t help but check out the content within this podcast, featuring insights from former Obama staffers.

Viewers appreciate podcast names that cut to the chase. They won’t forget a podcast name that says it exactly how it is.

6. Huberman Lab

Hearing Huberman Lab, you can assume you’re on the brink of scientific or medical findings. You’d be right. Huberman Lab focuses on neuroscience; how our brain works and how it impacts our behaviors, perceptions, and health.

Instead of a title that regurgitates the definition of neuroscience, Dr. Andrew Huberman twists the meaning and pulls viewers in for more.

Pro Tip: He considered his future growth here! Avoiding the label of neuroscience, allows him to branch out and define “Huberman Lab” as whatever type of content his heart wants to create!

7. Rotten Mango

A podcast name like “Rotten Mango” walks the line perfectly between being unique and original, while avoiding confusing phrasing. It’s just interesting enough for viewers to wonder, “What is this podcast about?”

At the same time, once they find out they won’t easily forget a title like Rotten Mango.

Talk about unique!

8. Crime Junkie

A podcast with their target audience as the name tends to attract just the right people. That’s right, it’s calling all crime junkies! Crime lovers know that thye have found their rightful place in the podcast world, and it’s more than easy to remember and search for.

Well done, Crime Junkie.

9. SmartLess

A fun play on words can be enough to bring new listeners on board. Not only does it give your brand a sprinkle of personality, but it provides viewers with the idea that your podcast has a twist.

Just like SmartLess, a podcast where celebrities discuss popular topics from different perspectives, diving into common misconceptions, stereotypes, various ways of thinking, etc.

Although the discussions are powerful, open-minded, and invigorating, they just may leave you feeling uncertain and perhaps a little ‘less smart’ or SmartLess.

10. Giggly Squad

Easy going podcast names like “Giggly Squad” are the exact comic relief and freeing titles that get listeners to tune in. You know what you’re in for when you join the Giggly Squad.

This podcast name cuts right to the chase, but we love it even more because it doubles as a chance to connect with their fan base. Now, from this point forward, they can refer to their loyal listeners, as their “Giggly Squad.”

Which only makes someone want to join more.

11. Prof. G Markets

The podcast name, “Prof G. Markets” is a spinoff from the award winning podcast, “Prof. G Pod”. Using a name as a spinoff can re-attract any listeners that tuned into the original, starting you off with a strong fan base from the get-go.

Prof. G Markets exudes credibility with authoritative keywords like “professor” and “markets”. Through the use of keywords, listeners feel secure in knowing the information they’ll consume about stocks, money, and capitalism is trustworthy.

12. Up First

When viewers are in search of the top news, they want the podcast that has it hot and ready, “up first” if you will. Up first ensures they are releasing pressing stories right as they come out.

Not only are they genuinely up first to receive the information, (it airs at 6:30 a.m.), but listeners can also depend on the most popular stories week in and week out, before other podcasts cover it.

Forget about second-hand stories when Up first already has it laid out for you!

13. Modern Wisdom

A podcast name with the inclusiveness of the keyword “modern” reassures listeners that their information remains relevant and up-to-date. Viewers want concrete content that they can trust, “Modern Wisdom” speaks to that point specifically.

14. The President’s Daily Brief

Ever wondered what the day-to-day life of the president looks like? Us too.

Titling their podcast something that people have wished to see draws them in and promises insightful information. Tuning into the President’s Daily Brief is exactly what the viewers want to see and the podcast name speaks volumes to it.

15. The Tucker Carlson Show

Much like The Ben Shapiro Show and plenty of other podcasts with the word “show” at the end of their name, The Tucker Carlson Show has mastered the idea that listeners will get the “full scoop”.

“The [fill in name] Show” podcast name promises listeners it’s their one-stop-shop for everything that has to do with the man/woman of the hour.

In the end, the significance of podcast names is prominent in listener attraction and retention. It’s what defines your podcast as yours and sets you apart from the competition.

Creating your podcast name with these best practices is the perfect way to begin your journey, but that also doesn’t mean you need to shy away from experimentation.

It’s encouraged for podcast creators to try on different title ideas and analyze their impact. You never know what podcast name will end up being the winner. It may surprise you!

Lastly, because your podcast is on the path to huge success, don’t neglect to consider your growth. Continue to refine and update your podcast names as needed. Maintain alignment with evolving content and audience preference, and your podcast will be golden.

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