Guide to Naming Your Podcast

The name of your podcast carries a lot of weight. For the “I love what I heard, I gotta find this show” folks, if it’s too complex, they might give up the hunt. For the “I’m browsing for a new show” people, will it inspire the browser to actually listen? If they do listen, will their expectations from your name match the content? Will they love saying it out loud so they want to share it with friends?

So coming up with the right name for your podcast can be challenging. Today I’ll offer some loose rules for naming your podcast and wrap it up with how to search to make sure you’ve got a unique name.

Loose Rules for Naming Your Podcast

I say loose because podcasts are a creative work; just because these rules play well with the search engines doesn’t mean the sky will go dark if you break one. Just keep the listener experience in mind, for both new ones and long time fans.

1. Keep it short
   1. There’s only so many characters a podcast app can squeeze onto a phone screen without it scrolling for hours. And it’ll just be easier to find.
2. Keep it fun and memorable
   1. This serves two purposes: to catch listener’s eye and actually click on you, or to make it easier for fans to share you.
3. Lean into the clout of your organization or people
   1. If your ministry or church already has a community, lean into the clout of that name. People searching for you will stumble across the podcast then. If you have multiple shows, you can set them up under an Apple Podcast channel (which I write about here).
4. Avoid location naming
   1. The latest RSS standard supports location information, with city name or geographical coordinates. This means you can benefit from the SEO without having to put it in your title. Yah metadata!
5. Avoid the word “podcast”
   1. It’s redundant. Particularly because people listen in a podcast app. They know it’s a podcast. Save the title space for other words. For social graphics and non-podcast platforms, insert podcast everywhere!
6. Avoid copying any other media names
   1. Don’t create confusion for searching listeners. If they don’t have a direct link and they’re trying to search from memory, make it obvious which one is yours. “Which one is it…? Eh, I’ll find it later” [Proceeds to forget and not listen to your podcast]

Where to Check for Podcast Names

1. Podcast Directories – Apple, Spotify, Podcast Index
   1. Search the name. If another podcast comes up with the same name, double check they are actually still actively posting. As long as they’re not trademarked, I’d say it’s fair game to use the name.
2. YouTube – YouTube
   1. While YouTube is slowly morphing into a podcast directory, it’s still a good place to search for other creators who might already have your desired name.
3. Domain Names – Namecheap, GoDaddy
   1. If you ever want to make a website for your podcast, you should double check that’s available too. Even if you don’t build the website, it’s a good idea to purchase to domain and lock it down until you’re ready. You can also just use a page on your existing website.
4. Social Media – Instagram, Facebook, Twitter
   1. Double check usernames are free if you’re going to build a podcast account from scratch, check groups or communities for similar names, (don’t overlook just using your existing accounts though).
5. Trademark Association – https://tmsearch.uspto.gov/search/search-information
   1. It’s probably not worth the hassle for you to trademark your own podcast but there may be others already using the name you have in mind. If someone else has it, don’t use it and don’t get sued.