(2023) How To Choose The Perfect Podcast Name
There are a lot of things to think about when naming your podcast. It needs to be catchy and memorable, but also easy to spell and say. You shouldn't use any words related to the brand you're trying to promote because people will be more likely to tune out.
So how do you choose the perfect podcast name? At Cleanvoice, an AI tool to instantly remove podcast filler sounds, here are a few tips.
Short summary
Here are some key consideration that will help you choose the perfect podcast name:
- Keep it short (around 4 words).
- Include high-traffic keywords.
- Make it relatable for your audience.
- Make sure it's available as a username on social media platforms.
- Choose a name that fits your brand or personality.
1. Think About The Audience
Marketing a podcast is just like marketing any other kind of product—it's all about understanding your audience and connecting with them! Picking a great name can go a long way towards accomplishing this. For instance, StartUp by Gimlet is, as you may have guessed, a podcast on entrepreneurship. Concise, clear, and right on the money.
When you're starting to brainstorm podcast names, it's helpful to come up with a listener persona—similar to an ideal customer profile (ICP) in marketing. Essentially, you want to come up with a general picture of the people who will eventually love your podcast.
Ask yourself questions, like:
- What demographic is your podcast aimed at?
- What are the interests of your audience?
- What passions do you share with your audience?
Answering questions like these will hopefully leave you with a pretty good idea of who your target listener is. That will make it a ton easier to brainstorm names that will appeal to them.
2. Keep It Short and Sweet
The ideal podcast name is short and sweet. You don't want to overwhelm potential listeners with a long, complicated title. Ideally, it should be easy to remember and spell.
While there isn't a hard-and-fast rule to follow when it comes to length, it's often helpful to benchmark your ideas. According to an analysis of 658,957 podcast names from Pacific Content, the most popular podcast name length is 16 characters.
If you're wondering what that looking like in practice, that's the exact same length as the sentence: how long is that? So… not very long at all!
3. Use the Right Keywords
When people are searching for podcasts without a specific show in mind, they typically use keywords to find what they're looking for. That's why SEO should be a key consideration when you're naming your podcast. For example, if you’re show is about food or you have an episode about food, better include the word somewhere in the title and description so that it can show up when people are searching with food-related queries!
Make sure your podcast name includes some of the most popular keywords related to your topic. This will help potential listeners find your show when they're browsing iTunes, Spotify, or Google.
If you need help figuring out which keywords to target, we recommend using a keyword research tool like Ahrefs, Semrush, or Wordstream. You be able to browse lists of keywords ranked by monthly search volume (MSV), competition, and ranking difficulty.
Pro Tip: Fitting all the keywords you want to hit into your podcast name may not always be viable. If that's the case, try coming up with a keyword-dense subtitle!
4. Avoid Copying Others
Contrary to popular belief, there's nothing stopping you from taking the exact same name as your favorite podcast. Unless the show's name is trademarked (and not many are), you're free to use it in its entirety or borrow your favorite elements.
However, we would definitely not recommend it. Copying a name or coming up with one that's similar is a recipe for disaster. You're setting yourself up for competition with a podcast that's already established and committing to sharing your organic traffic until someone changes their name.
So, while it may be tempting to borrow or tweak an existing name, it'll only hurt you in the long run. Instead, take your time and come up with something original!
5. Make It Stand Out
In a world where there are literally thousands of podcasts competing for air-time, it's important to come up with a name that stands out and sets you apart. This can be tough, but it's definitely not impossible.
Humor is a great way to do this. In the podcast space, it's incredibly common to turn your podcast name into an inside joke that will appeal to your ideal listener (e.g., Pod Save The Queen).!
Alternatively, you can go for a podcast name with a bit of mystery. The podcasts 99% Invisible and The Moth are great examples of this approach. It's impossible to tell what the shows are about from the names alone, and that alone can lead people to listen. However, the downside of this approach is that people who like descriptive names might be scared off (more on that below).
6. Be Descriptive
Above, we mentioned that not everyone will respond to a mysterious podcast name. Well, if you want to appeal to those people, why not go for a descriptive one?
While not a requirement, giving your podcast that communicates key information to listeners is a great (albeit safe) naming strategy. It helps avoid any potential misunderstandings and ensure that people know what they're signing up for.
7. Be Prepared for Unwanted Attention
Unfortunately, not everyone will love your podcast name. There's a chance that you could end up with some unwanted attention from people who don't appreciate your sense of humor or choice of words.
Be prepared for this by having a Plan B in case things go south. This could involve coming up with a list of alternate names, or using a more generic name that doesn't give away too much about the show.
8. Check Social Media Availability
Before you finalize your podcast name, it's always a good idea to check social media availability. This will help prevent any potential issues down the road.
For example, if you want to use the name "The XYZ Show", but someone else has already claimed the Twitter handle, you might have a problem if you ever want a Twitter account of your own. Plus, this might lead to confusion when listeners search for you.
To avoid this, we recommend using a name checking tool to screen your ideas. Two of our favorites are:
You can use either of these tools to get a quick overview of the availability of your podcast name on popular platforms and websites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Reddit.
9. Think About Your Brand
Every podcast has a "brand", regardless of whether it's connected to the corporate world in any way. Yes, even the self-produced podcast you host from your friend's basement.
Your podcast's brand is the sum of a ton of different elements—your hosting style, tone, production, stories, social media personality, visuals, et cetera. If you want to create a cohesive experience for listeners, it's important that your name fits into this equation.
If you're in the early stages of developing your podcast, it's important to think about what you eventually want your podcast's brand to be. Is the show funny and irreverent? Serious and educational? Intimate and conversational? Do you only want to stick to one genre or topic, or do you want to expand your scope? Once you have a general idea, start looking for a name that reflects these values.
10. Be Prepared for Change
Even if you think of the perfect podcast name and rush to claim it, there's always a chance that you'll change your mind down the road. This is normal—especially if you're still in the early stages of developing your show.
If this happens, don't worry—you can always change your podcast name without too much trouble. Just make sure you update all of your branding materials (logo, website, social media profiles, etc.) and let your listeners know about the change well in advance.
11. Get Feedback from Friends and Family
One of the best ways to get feedback on your podcast name is by asking your friends and family for their opinion. This will give you a good sense of whether the name is catchy and memorable.
It's also a good idea to get feedback from people who aren't familiar with your topic. This will help you gauge how well the name will resonate with a general audience.
12. Be Patient
Choosing the perfect podcast name can take time, so don't be afraid to experiment with different ideas until you find one that's perfect for you. Just remember to keep the tips in this article in mind, and you'll be on your way to picking a name that's perfect for your podcast.
13. Have Fun with It!
If this piece of advice cliché? Maybe. With that being said, we truly believe that no podcast name is great unless the creators are excited about it.
If you're a host, your podcast is a reflection of your personality and the name you pick should, too. So have some fun with it! Brainstorm a list of potential names, get creative, and most importantly, choose something you'll be happy with for the long haul.
Wrapping Up
A great podcast name can help you connect with your audience and set your show apart from the rest. Keep these tips in mind when brainstorming ideas, and you'll be on your way to finding the perfect name for your podcast!
If you're looking for more inspiration, scroll back up to the top of the page and have some fun with Cleanvoice AI's Podcast Name Generator.
Once you've landed on the perfect name, check out our blog to learn more about how our automated filler sound reduction tool can help take your podcast to the next level.