Optimising Podcast Episodes for SEO, AEO, and GEO
A comprehensive guide to maximising your podcast's discoverability through WordPress and Rank Math in 2025.
Understanding SEO vs AEO vs GEO in 2025
SEO: Search Engine Optimisation
Traditional practice of refining your website to rank higher on search engines like Google. Focuses on keywords, quality content, and technical best practices to increase organic traffic.
AEO: Answer Engine Optimisation
Optimising content to directly answer user questions in search results. Aims to earn featured snippets or voice assistant answers through concise, authoritative responses.
GEO: Generative Engine Optimisation
Ensuring your content is recognised and cited by AI-driven search platforms like Google's SGE, Bing Chat, and ChatGPT when composing answers for users.
The Evolution of Search
Traditional SEO
Keyword-focused optimisation for search engine rankings
Answer Engines
Direct answers in featured snippets and voice results
AI-Generated Responses
Content cited by generative AI across multiple platforms
Nearly half of searches now show AI-generated summaries. AEO and GEO don't replace SEO – they expand upon it. All three share fundamentals: understanding user intent, providing high-quality content, and establishing trust.
Why This Matters Now
50%
AI-Powered Searches
Nearly half of all searches now display AI-generated summaries
1%
Podcasts with Full Transcripts
Only 1% of podcasts provide full transcripts, creating a massive opportunity
4.36%
Traffic Increase (Per Episode)
This American Life saw this boost after adding episode transcripts
The foundation remains the same: create relevant, well-structured, authoritative content with strong SEO basics, and you'll be well-positioned for AEO and GEO success.
Setting Up WordPress & Rank Math
Since your podcast episodes are published as WordPress posts, ensure the website's basic SEO settings are in place before diving into content optimisation.
01
Activate Relevant Modules
Enable the Podcast module, Schema module, and LLMS.txt module in Rank Math's dashboard
02
Configure Sitewide Settings
Verify global settings like sitemaps and social meta. Set permalinks to post-name format
03
Choose Focus Keywords
Select primary keywords for each episode that reflect what searchers might type
04
Connect Analytics
Integrate Google Search Console and Google Analytics to monitor performance
Understanding Focus Keywords
For each podcast episode post, decide on a primary focus keyword (or keyphrase). This should reflect what a searcher might type to find that episode.
Examples include a topic or question answered in the episode, or the guest's name plus topic. Use tools like Google Trends or Rank Math's Content AI to research popular queries.
You can set multiple focus keywords with Rank Math Pro, but pick a few highly relevant terms rather than many loosely related ones. Choosing the right focus keyword gives Rank Math a "target" to optimise for.
Pro Tip
Your focus keyword should be specific enough to rank for, but broad enough to attract meaningful traffic. Think about user intent!
The Rank Math SEO Score
100%
Target Score
Aim to turn all tests green for a perfect 100/100 score
80%
Minimum Goal
At minimum, achieve 80+ to ensure solid optimisation
When editing a post in WordPress, open the Rank Math SEO panel. In the Block Editor (Gutenberg), click the Rank Math icon or Score indicator on the top-right to view recommendations.
Rank Math evaluates your post on the fly, offering suggestions to improve your score out of 100. Our aim is to turn all or most tests green for each episode post, indicating it's fully optimised.
On-Page SEO Essentials
Optimising each podcast episode post for SEO involves fine-tuning several on-page elements. Rank Math's content analysis will guide you through this process.
SEO Title
50-60 characters with focus keyword at the beginning
URL Slug
Short, descriptive, contains keyword
Meta Description
~150 characters summarising episode with keyword
Opening Paragraph
Use focus keyword in first paragraph
Crafting the Perfect SEO Title
❌ Poor Example
"Episode 15: John Doe Interview on Supply Chain Trends"
- Keyword buried in middle
- Includes unnecessary episode number
- Generic and not compelling
✅ Better Example
"Supply Chain Trends 2025 – Insights from John Doe"
- Front-loads topic keyword
- Removes filler words
- More enticing and specific
Include power words or numbers if relevant (e.g. "5 Key Trends in Supply Chain 2025") to improve click-through rate – as long as it remains accurate and not clickbait.
URL Slug Best Practices
Keep It Short
Shorter URLs tend to rank better and are more user-friendly
Include Keywords
Use your focus keyword or close variant in the slug
Remove Stop Words
Eliminate unnecessary words like "the", "and", "of"
Avoid Numbers
Don't include episode numbers that make URLs dated
Good example: /supply-chain-trends-2025
Poor example: /episode-15-podcast-interview-about-supply-chain
Meta Description Strategy
"In this episode, we talk with John Doe about 2025's top supply chain trends, covering AI in logistics, sustainability, and more."
Write a meta description of approximately 150 characters that summarises the episode and includes the focus keyword naturally. This description should entice searchers to click by highlighting the value of the episode.
Rank Math checks that the meta description isn't missing and that it contains the focus keyword. If well-crafted, your keyword will be bolded in search results, increasing relevance and visibility.
Content Structure & Headings
Structure the show notes or post content with clear headings (H2, H3) that reflect the topics discussed. Include keywords or related phrases in some subheadings.
1
H1: Main Title
One per page, contains primary keyword
2
H2: Major Sections
Break content into logical sections with keyword variants
3
H3: Subsections
Further divide content for scannability
4
H4: Minor Points
Use in narrow spaces like columns
AEO Tip: Consider phrasing some headings as questions that the episode answers (e.g. "How is AI improving supply chain efficiency?") to capture featured snippets.
Keyword Density Guidelines
1.5%
Optimal Range
Aim for 1-1.5% keyword density throughout content
2.5%
Warning Threshold
Over 2.5% density triggers warnings and harms readability
In a 1,000-word article, that means roughly 10-15 mentions of the keyword. Do not stuff the keyword excessively. Instead, use synonyms and related terms as well.
For example, if the keyword is "supply chain trends 2025," also mention "logistics innovations in 2025" or "future of supply chains" in the text. This makes the content more comprehensive whilst maintaining natural readability.
Image Optimisation
Include at least one relevant image in the post (e.g. podcast cover art, guest photo, or descriptive graphic).
Set the alt text for images to something descriptive that includes the focus keyword or variant.
Good example: "John Doe discusses 2025 supply chain trends on podcast"
Poor example: "podcast_episode15_image"
Alt text helps visually impaired users and gives search engines more context. Rank Math passes the "image alt" test when it finds the primary keyword in an image's alt attribute.
Internal Linking Strategy
Link to Related Episodes
Connect to past episodes covering similar topics with descriptive anchor text
Link to Category Pages
Connect to your main podcast page or topic category hubs
Distribute Link Equity
Internal linking helps distribute authority around your site
Keep Users Engaged
Relevant internal links keep visitors on your site longer
Add a few internal links from the episode's show notes to other relevant pages on your site. For example: "We touched on AI in logistics in a previous episode – check out Episode 10 on Autonomous Warehousing for more."
External Linking Best Practices
Include at least one or two external links to high-authority sources that are relevant to something mentioned in the episode.
Link to reports or tools your guest references
Cite statistics with links to original sources
Reference industry authorities (gov, edu, established publications)
Ensure at least one link is "follow" (not nofollow) for trusted sources
Linking out to credible sites shows you've done research and adds context for readers. It also looks natural to search engines – real content cites others.
Content Length & Quality
Minimum 600 Words
Aim for substantial show notes content, ideally much more if possible
Fully Explain Key Points
Show notes should provide value even without listening to audio
Break Up Text
Use bullet points, quotes, and highlights to improve readability
Longer, in-depth content tends to rank better, as long as it stays relevant. Use your podcast transcripts or detailed summaries to your advantage.
Rank Math's content readability section assesses paragraph length and complexity. Maintain good grammar and clarity – Google rewards content that satisfies user queries, and well-written text does that better.
Comprehensive Show Notes
Treat the show notes like a mini blog article accompanying the podcast. At minimum, include these essential elements:
1
Episode Summary
A few paragraphs summarising key themes and findings of the conversation
2
Guest Introduction
Short bio about who they are and why they're an authority on the topic
3
Key Points with Timestamps
List major questions or topics covered, possibly with timestamps for easy navigation
4
Links & Resources
Include any relevant links discussed in the episode (tools, articles, definitions)
5
Call-to-Action
Invite readers to subscribe, leave comments, or join your newsletter
The Power of Transcripts
1%
Current Adoption
Only 1% of podcasts provide transcripts
4.36%
Traffic Boost
This American Life's increase after adding transcripts
If you have a transcript, publish it on the page (or at least a substantial excerpt). Transcripts are a goldmine for SEO because they turn your audio content into indexable text.
You can post the full transcript – perhaps behind a collapsible section if extremely long – and that will flood the page with relevant terms and context that search engines love.
Structured Formatting for Engagement
Use Bold & Italics
Emphasise key terms to help catch a skimmer's eye
Lists & Tables
Use numbered lists for steps and tables for data – these formats get picked up as featured snippets
Pull Quotes
Highlight compelling statements from your guest to enrich the text
Make the show notes easy to read and scannable. Think of them as content marketing for your podcast – you want them to be as valuable as a standalone article.
Multimedia & Engagement Elements
Embed the podcast audio player at an obvious spot (usually top of the post) so visitors can play the episode directly. This keeps people on the page longer – time on page can be a positive signal.
Audio Player
Primary playback option at top of post
YouTube Embed
If you publish video versions, embed for additional discovery
Comment Section
Ask open-ended questions to encourage discussion
Social Sharing
Include buttons for easy sharing across platforms
Understanding Schema Markup
Structured data (Schema markup) gives search engines explicit clues about the type of content on your page. For a podcast site, Podcast schema is incredibly valuable.
Rank Math SEO Pro includes a dedicated Podcast Schema module that automatically adds the correct PodcastSeries and PodcastEpisode schema to your pages.
This markup helps Google and other platforms understand that your posts are podcast episodes, with details like episode title, description, podcast name, host, and audio file URL.
Rich Results
Proper schema can enable rich search results with cover art, episode title, and a play button directly in Google search.
Configuring Podcast Schema
Enable Podcast Module
Ensure the Podcast module in Rank Math is activated in your dashboard
Fill in Details
Complete all fields: podcast name, description, owner name/email, category, explicit content flag
Episode Schema
For each episode post, ensure episode number, season, and audio file URL are present
Validate Schema
Test pages using Google's Rich Results Test or Schema Markup Validator
Rank Math generates a Google-compliant RSS feed and schema that meet requirements for Google Podcasts and other platforms. The plugin handles the technical JSON-LD in the page's source code automatically.
Additional Schema Types
FAQ Schema
Add Q&A sections to capture featured snippets and voice queries
Person Schema
Include structured data for hosts and guests to establish authority
Organisation Schema
Set up site-wide schema with your podcast/company name and logo
If you add a "Frequently Asked Questions" section in your show notes, you can wrap those Q&A pairs in FAQ schema. Rank Math makes this easy with the FAQ Block.
FAQ schema can make your search listing show expandable questions and answers underneath, which is a big chunk of SERP real estate and a direct AEO tactic.
Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO)
AEO is about positioning your content to be the direct answer to user queries. When someone asks a question in Google or to a voice assistant, you want your site to provide that answer.
Identify Questions
What questions does your episode content answer?
Provide Direct Answers
Give concise 1-3 sentence answers immediately after questions
Use Structured Formats
Lists, steps, and tables for easy information extraction
Optimise for Voice
Natural language that sounds good when spoken aloud
Identifying Common Questions
Think about the questions your episode content can answer. These could be explicit questions asked during the interview, or implied questions the topic addresses.
Use tools like AnswerThePublic or Google's "People Also Ask" box to find popular questions around your topic.
Once identified, incorporate those questions as headings or subheadings in your show notes, and answer them succinctly in the text below.
Both AEO and GEO start with comprehensive question coverage – covering the who, what, where, when, why, and how of your topic.
Crafting Direct Answers
Question Format
"How does blockchain improve supply chain transparency?"
Direct Answer
Blockchain improves supply chain transparency by creating an immutable ledger of all transactions. Every stakeholder can verify data in real time, which reduces fraud and errors.
When you pose a question in the content (like an H2 that is a question), follow it with a concise answer in 1-3 sentences immediately after, before diving into details.
This mimics the format of many featured snippets. Google often takes the first 40-60 words after a question as snippet material if it's well-structured.
Structured Formatting for AEO
1
Bulleted Lists
For unordered ideas or multiple items that don't require sequence
2
Numbered Lists
For how-to questions or anything involving sequential steps
3
Tables
For comparing things or providing data in an organised format
For example, "What are the steps to implement AI in supply chain?" could be answered with a quick numbered list: 1. Assess needs, 2. Clean your data, 3. Pilot a project, etc.
Google loves lists for "How to…" queries and often features them. The goal is to make information extraction easy – clear, scannable content is more likely to be pulled into an answer box.
E-E-A-T: The Foundation of Trust
1
2
3
4
1
Trust
2
Authority
3
Experience
4
Expertise
Answer boxes often come from content that Google deems highly trustworthy. Demonstrate Expertise, Experience, Authority, and Trust in your content:
- Add author bylines showing credentials
- Cite facts and stats with reliable sources
- Quote experts (your guest is likely an expert)
- Ensure information is accurate and up-to-date
Voice Search Optimisation
Many AEO principles overlap with voice search optimisation. Voice queries are often longer and phrased conversationally.
"Hey Google, how can blockchain improve supply chain transparency?"
"What are the main benefits of AI in logistics?"
"Tell me about supply chain trends for 2025"
By having natural-language questions in your content with succinct answers, you become a candidate for voice assistants. Read your answers aloud to ensure they sound natural when spoken.
Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO)
GEO focuses on how content is consumed by AI-driven tools and search experiences. With the rise of large language models and AI chatbots in search, we must consider how our content can be discovered and accurately represented by these systems.
AI-Powered Search
Google's SGE, Bing Chat, ChatGPT browsing, and voice assistants with AI
Trusted Sources
Ensuring your site becomes a trusted source for AI-generated answers
Citations & Attribution
Getting properly cited when AI systems compose answers
Building Authority for AI
AI models like ChatGPT or Bard "decide" which sources to trust based on signals similar to Google's ranking factors. If your site has authority in your niche, it's more likely to be referenced by AI.
Earn Quality Backlinks
Get links from reputable websites, news articles, industry blogs, and academic sources
Consistent Branding
Use your podcast name and personal/brand name consistently across the web
Entity Optimisation
Clearly define entities (people, show, company) in a way AI can recognise
Knowledge Panels
Claim and verify knowledge panels for your podcast or host if available
Introducing llms.txt
An llms.txt file is a cutting-edge tactic specifically for GEO. It's a new (currently unofficial) standard designed to guide AI crawlers to your most important content.
Similar to a sitemap or an enhanced "guide" for AI, you place an llms.txt file at your site's root (e.g., letstalksupplychain.com/llms.txt).
Within this Markdown-formatted file, you can provide a brief overview of your site/podcast and a curated list of key URLs you want AI to pay attention to.
What Goes in llms.txt?
1
Site Overview
Brief description of your podcast and what it covers
2
Curated URLs
List of your best episodes, cornerstone articles, and FAQ pages
3
Context & Commentary
Optional notes about each URL (e.g., "Episode 50 – covers definition of blockchain in supply chain")
When an AI tries to answer a user question involving your domain or topic, it will check llms.txt and see exactly which pages you suggest it should read. This helps the AI get correct and relevant information.
Rank Math Pro has introduced support for llms.txt through the LLMS module. Configure which post types or categories to include right from the WordPress dashboard.
Being the Source of Truth for AI
When AI platforms generate answers, they sometimes cite sources (e.g., Bing Chat footnotes sources, Google SGE shows source links). Our job is to seed the AI with correct information that's traceable to us.
Include facts and figures that are likely to be used in answers
Use distinctive phrasing for key points or definitions
Keep content up-to-date – AI may favour recent information
Monitor AI mentions using emerging tools or manual testing
Multi-Platform AI Optimisation
Google SGE
Search Generative Experience with AI-powered summaries
Bing Chat
Microsoft's AI-powered search assistant
ChatGPT
Browsing capabilities with web search integration
Perplexity.ai
AI-powered answer engine with source citations
GEO isn't just about Google. Ensure your site is indexed in Bing (use Bing Webmaster Tools) and consider providing expertise on platforms where AI pulls from, like industry forums or professional networks.
Preparing for Zero-Click Searches
The Challenge
AI often gives answers without users clicking through. Google's SGE might show a synthesised paragraph from several sources, and users may not click your link since they got the answer already.
The Strategy
Prioritise branding in your content. If AI cites sources, having your site name clearly associated with expertise builds awareness even without clicks.
Brand Mentions
Value in "According to Let's Talk Supply Chain..." citations
Provide Depth
Offer extras like downloadable resources to encourage click-through
Target Strategic Queries
Focus on queries less likely to be fully answered by AI summaries
The Unified Approach
SEO Foundation
Keywords, quality content, technical best practices
AEO Tactics
Direct answers, structured formats, FAQ schema
GEO Strategies
Authority building, llms.txt, AI-friendly content
E-E-A-T
Expertise, experience, authority, trust
User Focus
Serving user needs above all else
Remember: focus on experience, authority, and trust. If you consistently produce expert content, demonstrate real experience, and build authority, your content will naturally rise to the top.
Your 90-Minute Action Plan
1
Minutes 0-5: Setup Review
Show Rank Math modules are activated and configured correctly
2
Minutes 5-45: On-Page Optimisation
Work through one episode post, optimising title, URL, meta, headings, keywords, images, and links
3
Minutes 45-60: Content Enhancement
Add comprehensive show notes, transcript excerpts, and structured Q&A sections
4
Minutes 60-75: Schema & AEO
Configure podcast schema, add FAQ sections, and implement direct answer formats
5
Minutes 75-90: GEO Setup
Review llms.txt module and review authority-building opportunities
Key Takeaways
SEO, AEO, and GEO Work Together
They're not separate strategies – they build upon the same foundation of quality, user-focused content
Rank Math Guides the Way
Use the plugin's scoring system to ensure all on-page elements are optimised
Transcripts Are Gold
Only 1% of podcasts use them – this is your competitive advantage
Answer Questions Directly
Structure content to provide clear, concise answers for both humans and AI
Build Authority
Focus on E-E-A-T principles to become a trusted source for search engines and AI
Stay Current
The landscape is evolving – keep learning and adapting your strategy
By implementing these strategies, you'll position your podcast for maximum discoverability across traditional search, voice assistants, and AI-powered platforms. The future of search is here – are you ready?