On Apple Podcasts, being seen means being heard. With 50% of listeners discovering new podcasts by browsing their app, optimizing your visibility is essential. Thanks to the app’s four main tabs—Home, Browse, Library, and Search—you can maximize your chances of being discovered. Here’s how to use them strategically to attract more listeners. 🚀
Why Your Podcast’s Visibility Inside Listening Apps Matters
When we talk about growing an audience, we often think about social media promotion, collaborations, or communication campaigns. But there’s one often-overlooked lever: optimizing your visibility directly within listening platforms.
According to a 2024 study by The Podcast Host, 50% of listeners discover new podcasts by navigating their listening app. In other words, if your show doesn’t appear in the right places, you might be missing out on a huge audience.
At Ausha, we recommend a four-step strategy inspired by the four main tabs of Apple Podcasts. Why? Because each tab represents a unique opportunity to improve your visibility and attract more listeners.
Apple Podcasts has four main tabs located at the bottom of the app:
- Home
- Browse
- Library
- Search
In this article, you’ll learn how to leverage each tab to boost your visibility. Ready to optimize your presence on Apple Podcasts? Let’s go! 🚀
Tab #1: Get Featured on the “Home” Tab with Editorial Recommendations
When a user opens Apple Podcasts, they immediately land on the Home tab, or “Listen Now” in English. This section features:
- Recently played or queued podcasts
- Recommendations based on listening habits
- A curated selection of popular podcasts
- Apple’s editorial picks
Getting featured here means maximum visibility among listeners as soon as they open the app.
How to Get Featured in These Recommendations?
Apple Podcasts regularly highlights shows through editorial selections. Unlike what you might think, this isn’t purely algorithm-driven—there’s an editorial team that handpicks podcasts to showcase.
The good news? You can submit your podcast for consideration by filling out a dedicated form.
📌 Good to know: Apple places high importance on visuals. A professional, eye-catching cover, well-designed promotional assets, and a strong brand identity can be key factors in getting selected.
➡️ Submit your podcast for editorial promotion here and make sure your visual identity is polished before sending your request.
Tab #2: Reach the Top of the Charts with the “Browse” Tab
The second tab on Apple Podcasts, “Browse”, is entirely dedicated to charts and trending content. This is where you’ll find:
- The most popular podcasts at the moment
- The top episodes based on plays and engagement
- Rankings by category and subcategory
The more your podcast appears here, the higher your chances of being discovered by new listeners.
How to Climb the Charts?
Apple Podcasts rankings are based on several factors:
- Recent plays (spikes in listens over a short period have a strong impact)
- Engagement rate (subscriptions, full listens, interactions)
- Ratings and reviews left by listeners
In other words, to maximize your chances of ranking higher:
- Encourage your audience to rate and review your podcast
- Increase subscriptions by reminding listeners to follow your show at the end of each episode
- Boost your audience over a short period by launching a promo campaign or announcing a highly anticipated episode
Track Your Ranking in Real Time
If you want to optimize your strategy, you need to monitor your position in the charts regularly. That’s where Ausha Charts comes in—a completely free tool that lets you track your ranking on Apple Podcasts by country, category, and platform.
💡 Actionable Tip: Check Ausha Charts to see where you stand and analyze trends from top-performing podcasts in your category.
Tab #3: Maximize Subscriber Engagement with the “Library” Tab
Unlike the previous tabs, this one is more personal. It gathers podcasts that the user has already listened to or subscribed to.
I get it—this might seem like the tab where you have the least control. But don’t let that fool you—you can still make an impact!
Why Is This Important?
Because the more subscribers you have, the more Apple Podcasts sees your show as engaging and relevant. And that can help boost your visibility in the other tabs.
How to Encourage Listeners to Subscribe?
Subscribing is a simple but crucial action. The challenge? Many listeners don’t think about it on their own. It’s up to you to remind them!
To do this, at the beginning and end of each episode, encourage your audience to subscribe to your show so they receive notifications and find your podcast easily in their Library.
Here’s how you can prompt subscriptions in a clear and direct way:
- Don’t miss any future episodes—subscribe now on your favorite listening platform!
- A new episode drops every Wednesday—subscribe to make sure you don’t miss it!
Want to create a sense of exclusivity? Try:
- Join the subscriber community and never miss a new release!
- The best tips are coming in future episodes… Subscribe now so you don’t miss out!
Or, to foster engagement and connection with your audience, say:
- Your support makes all the difference—a simple subscription is a huge boost for the podcast!
- Still here? That means you’re enjoying it! Subscribe so we can stay connected!
💡 Actionable Tip: Add a call to subscribe at the beginning and end of every episode to maximize audience engagement.
Tab #4: Optimize Your Discoverability with the “Search” Tab
Last but definitely not least: the Search tab. When a user looks for a new podcast, they typically type a keyword into the search bar. If your podcast is well-optimized, it has a better chance of appearing in the results—and being discovered.
How to Optimize Your Search Ranking on Apple Podcasts?
Podcast search engine optimization is called PSO (Podcast Search Optimization). The goal is to strategically integrate high-value keywords into:
- Your podcast title and episode titles
- Your podcast description
- Your tags and metadata
The key is to select keywords your audience is actively searching for—ones with a high search volume but moderate competition.
The PSO Control Panel: The Ultimate Tool for Search Ranking Analysis
At Ausha, we’ve developed the PSO Control Panel, a tool that helps you analyze your podcast’s search performance and optimize your metadata to rank higher in search results.
With the PSO Control Panel, you can:
- Identify the most relevant keywords for your podcast—focus on high-volume keywords with lower competition 🔑
- Optimize your metadata even further with the PSO Checker 🎯
- Track your ranking over time on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, with separate views for each keyword and platform 📈
- Adapt your strategy based on store rankings in different countries 🌍
- Monitor competitors by accessing the top 100 search results for each target keyword and tracking your ranking in real time 👀
💡 Actionable Tip: Make a list of 20 relevant keywords, analyze their presence on Apple Podcasts, and strategically integrate them into your titles and descriptions.
🔚 Conclusion: Take Action and Boost Your Podcast’s Discoverability!
As you’ve seen, visibility on Apple Podcasts isn’t random. Each tab in the app is a key opportunity to introduce your podcast to new listeners.
🚀 In summary, here’s what you can start doing today:
✔️ Request editorial promotion to appear on the Home tab
✔️ Track and improve your ranking with Ausha Charts to gain visibility in Browse
✔️ Encourage subscriptions consistently so your podcast stays in listeners’ Library
✔️ Optimize your metadata with the PSO Control Panel to rank higher in Search results
💡 Remember: The easier your podcast is to find, the more listens you’ll get!
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