How to Rank Higher on Apple Podcasts (Data‑Backed Guide)
I’ve been going to podcast conferences for over a decade, and nearly every one has a session on podcast SEO or ranking higher in the charts. I’ve always been skeptical of these sessions because, while traditional SEO is well-studied, there hasn’t been much research into how podcast rankings work.
That uncertainty opened the door for people to claim they’d “cracked the code” and sell their secrets, most of which turned out to be snake oil.
Now, we’re finally getting credible insights into the Apple Podcasts algorithm, with real case studies, anecdotes, and documentation from Apple shedding light on how the system really works.
What is podcast SEO?
When people talk about “podcast SEO,” they’re usually describing two very different things.
Sometimes they mean podcast app optimization, where you try to rank higher inside Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other listening apps. Other times, they’re talking about traditional SEO for your podcast website, where you’re trying to rank in Google.
Both approaches can help more listeners discover your show, but since they work in different ways, we will focus on how you can improve your rankings in Apple Podcasts search.
How do listeners find shows in Apple Podcasts?
Apple Podcasts is the largest podcast listening app, so it’s one of the best places for listeners to find new shows.
Apple Podcasts has three ways people can stumble across your show:
- Search results: Episodes and podcasts ranked by listener searches.
- Top Charts: Algorithmic rankings of popular shows and episodes.
- New & Noteworthy: Picks from the Apple Podcasts editorial team.
Each of these paths works differently, and that’s where a lot of the myths about “gaming the system” come from. Let’s take a look at them one at a time.
How does Apple Podcasts search work?
Search is the most common place people find new podcasts in Apple Podcasts. In a listener survey, The Podcast Host found that 70% of people use search instead of other discovery avenues.
In 2022, Apple revealed the main factors it uses to rank these results.
Some of the main factors that Apple Podcasts uses to order your Search results include:
- Metadata: this includes the show name, channel name, and episode title
- Popularity: podcasts with large followers and plays in Apple Podcasts
- User Behavior: podcasts with high engagement, such as those that are played or followed from search results
Source: Search on Apple Podcasts
1. Metadata
Metadata is the text information about your podcast that isn’t the audio itself, like your show name, channel name, and episode titles.
For years, people argued about exactly what metadata Apple indexed. That got cleared up in 2021 when Mark Steadman and James Cridland did a detailed study showing Apple uses podcast name, episode titles, and the author tag.
Since then, I can confirm that Apple also indexes channel names from my searches.
Focus on optimizing these fields for Apple Podcasts:
- Podcast title
- Episode titles
- Author tag
- Channel name
Practically, that means you should focus on including a keyword in your podcast name and writing specific, keyword-rich titles for your episodes. Make sure the titles still reflect the podcast content and don’t waste this space on generic names, emojis, or episode numbers.
2. Popularity
Apple prioritizes shows that already have a lot of followers and plays. The idea is that popular podcasts are more likely to be of high quality.
One way to boost your popularity is with Apple’s Smart Banners.
Pacific Content ran an experiment with Smart Banners on a client’s site and saw a huge jump in Apple Podcasts followers. Driving additional traffic to Apple Podcasts will not only help you convert website traffic into followers, but will boost your rankings in Apple Podcasts charts.
If your podcast is hosted on Buzzsprout, we will automatically include the Smart Banner on your website. If you’re using your own site, Apple makes it easy to add with a single line of code. Just replace the zeros with your Apple Podcasts ID and include this code in your podcast website’s header.
<meta name="apple-itunes-app" content="app-id=0000000000">
3. User Behavior
This is the most ambiguous of the three factors, but I believe we have circumstantial evidence of what this might entail. Apple says your rankings improve when “more listeners engage with your new shows and episodes.” The inclusion of “new” here suggests, to me, that recent activity matters more than old data.
Engagement could mean follows, downloads, or how many people click on your show after searching. Apple shares some of these metrics in Podcasts Connect: listeners, plays, and engaged listeners, so I’d imagine that same data is being used in the search algorithm.
To capture user behavior, promote new episodes right after launch to get early engagement.
MYTH: “You need tons of 5-star reviews to rank higher.”
While ratings and reviews are still valuable for people, Apple Podcasts has explicitly stated that ratings and reviews are not used to rank podcasts in its app.
Source: Search on Apple Podcasts
Key takeaways
Three actionable SEO strategies to rank higher in Apple Podcasts Search:
Include relevant keywords
Apple Podcasts considers your show name, episode titles, author tag, and channel name when determining what to display in search results.
Consider what your podcast audience might search for in Apple Podcasts and see if there are ways to include those terms in your titles since they do not index your show notes.
If you want help with keyword research, I recommend the Ahrefs Keyword Generator to see which terms have the largest search volume.
If you’re worried that your title is too basic, take an SEO tip from Parcast and just name your podcast after the top keyword in your niche. They have shows called "Superstitions", "Serial Killers", "Unsolved Murders", and "Mythology." This works because potential listeners know exactly what they’re getting when they see the podcast in search.
Promote your Apple Podcasts link
Promoting your Apple Podcasts link helps to drive more followers and plays inside the app. The more listeners you send directly to Apple Podcasts, the stronger your search performance will be.
An easy way to do this is by adding an Apple Smart Banner to your website, which encourages iOS visitors to follow your show with one tap.
You can also use ads that point to Apple Podcasts or use Apple Podcasts Marketing Tools to promote your show on social media.
Keep listeners engaged
Apple rewards podcasts that people play, follow, and stick with through the end of episodes. That means creating content that encourages full listens and reminding your audience to hit Follow inside Apple Podcasts.
This isn’t just good for ranking on Apple Podcasts, it’s going to help you create the best podcast episodes possible. Look at your playthrough in Apple Podcasts Connect to find where listeners drop off. Listen back to these portions and brainstorm a few ideas on how to improve.
Top Charts: How They Work
Apple Podcasts charts are algorithmically driven and are influenced by overall performance and momentum.
In June 2023, Apple confirmed that its charts algorithm uses a “mix of listening, follows, and completion rate” to determine the top shows and top podcast episodes.
While the exact algorithm cannot be shared to protect its integrity, the charts measure a mix of the following:
- Listening: When listeners are engaging with episodes, it’s an indicator of content popularity.
- Follows: When listeners follow a show to receive new episodes, it’s an indicator of their intent to listen.
- Completion Rate: When listeners complete episodes, it’s an indicator of content quality.
Source: Apple Podcasts Charts
The charts are highly influenced by momentum, so 100 followers gained in a single day is actually better than 100 followers gained over the course of a month. It's why you can see smaller shows pass established podcasts on the Apple Podcasts charts.
Charts are also segmented by country and category, so there isn't a single global ranking or even a single chart for history podcasts. Instead, there are unique charts for the top History podcasts for the US, GB, and hundreds of other countries or regions.
Practical Tips
- Pick a less competitive category if you want to chart more easily.
- Encourage listeners to Follow your show within the first 24–48 hours of release to build momentum.
- Edit your episodes to improve completion rates since Apple rewards shows that keep people listening until the end.
CASE STUDY: How Buzzcast shot up the podcast charts
The most popular episode of my podcast, Buzzcast, is The Day Podcasts Stopped. It’s an episode about how Buzzsprout was the victim of a prolonged DDoS attack in 2021.
The episode helped our podcast chart for quite a while because it nailed all three factors. It was timely, highly relevant to our audience, and listeners stayed engaged all the way through.
New & Noteworthy
New & Noteworthy is editorial content that is hand-picked by Apple Podcasts team of editors. If you want to be included, you'll want to prepare your podcast and then request that it be included.
How to Get Featured in New & Noteworthy
Apple looks for polished shows with professional cover art, clean metadata, and strong episodes. If you think your podcast is a good fit, I’d recommend reading our blog on the best strategy on how to get featured in Apple Podcasts’ New & Noteworthy.
MYTH: "Apple Podcasts only features shows from big studios"
While big studios with a strong track record are often highlighted, we’ve seen a lot of independent podcasters get featured. The key is putting your best foot forward by creating a great show and following Apple Podcasts tips to get featured.
You can also watch this video we did with Kris Emerson, the host of Excel Still More, where he shared exactly what he did to get his show featured.
Once your podcast is ready, you’ll fill out the Apple Podcasts promotion form to request that your show be included.
What happens if you’re featured?
We’ve been fortunate enough to have interviewed quite a few podcasters who have been featured in New & Noteworthy.
My main takeaway is that featured podcasts get a huge increase in downloads, but it doesn’t always mean long-term success. Here are three case studies from our YouTube channel:
- Inclusion led to a 30% bump in their downloads
- Inclusion leads to a bump that appears to be sustained
- Most shows drop back after the spike, unless the content was exceptional
The X Factor, as Elsie Escobar puts it, is whether your content can hook the new listeners and keeps them coming back. Apple Podcasts will get you a lot of exposure, but that doesn’t equate to long-term growth unless they keep coming back.
Wrapping it up
When it comes to Apple Podcasts, most of the results come down to three features: clear metadata with a focus on keywords, early follows and plays right after release, and strong listener engagement.
Knowing those three factors, here’s the action plan I recommend:
- Choose specific, keyword-aligned titles for both your podcast and episodes that help your target audience (and Apple) understand what each episode is about.
- Promote each new episode hard at launch to build momentum, and add Smart Banners to your site so it’s easy for listeners to follow you on Apple Podcasts.
- If you’ve got a polished show, don’t hesitate to pitch Apple’s editorial team for a feature. And most importantly, keep your episodes compelling.
Focus on those core areas, and you’ll be ahead of 80% of podcasters who are still chasing outdated SEO tricks.
Last updated: October 2025. This guide reflects Apple Podcasts’ most recent documentation and our latest experiments. If you spot new data, share it, and we’ll fact-check it to update this post.
Alban Brooke
Alban Brooke has worked in podcast marketing and SEO for 10+ years at Buzzsprout, helping thousands of podcasters grow their audiences. He is the cohost of Buzzcast and has spoken at Podcast Movement and Podfest on podcasting strategies.