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SEO Podcast Recommendations: The Smartest Voices in SEO (So You Don’t Have To Listen To Dross)

Graham HolmesSeptember 14, 20267 min read
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SEO Podcast Recommendations: The Smartest Voices in SEO (So You Don’t Have To Listen To Dross)

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Ever tried searching for a decent SEO podcast and ended up wading through hours of sales pitches and recycled tips? Yeah, me too. If you want SEO podcasts that are genuinely useful—think real tactics, not just 'hustle harder' nonsense—you’re in precisely the right place. This guide rounds up the best SEO podcast recommendations for SEOs, marketers, content creators, and the odd curious blogger. Plus, I’ll show you how to squeeze every last drop of value out of each episode (including how to wrangle transcripts for your own content). Let’s get your ears working harder.

The Best SEO Podcasts (No Filler, Just Value)

Here’s what most people miss: A decent SEO podcast isn’t just background noise while you make coffee. The right show lands you ahead of Google’s next curveball and lets you poach tactics from the sharpest minds in the business. Here are my top picks:

Podcast NameHostsStyleBest For
Authority HackerGael Breton, Mark WebsterActionable, funSite owners, affiliate marketers
Search Off The RecordGoogle Search TeamBehind-the-scenesIn-the-weeds SEOs
Experts On The WireDan ShureDeep-dive interviewsContent & technical SEO fans
The Recipe For SEO SuccessKate ToonAccessible, practicalSmall business & freelancers
The SEO RantMordy ObersteinOpinionated, sharpIndustry news, rants & laughs
Edge of the WebErin SparksNews, interviewsAgencies, digital marketers

And because no list is complete without a cheeky wildcard: give 'Crawling Mondays' by Aleyda Solis a try. It’s like a roundtable of SEO's smartest, but with fewer PowerPoint slides and more actual useable advice.

How to Choose an SEO Podcast (And Actually Learn Something)

Bet you didn’t realise: not all podcasts are created equal. Some are like a strong cup of coffee—sharp, energising, and you’re buzzing with ideas. Others are more like decaf, and not in a good way. Here’s how to pick the right ones for your goals:

  • Check the Hosts’ Backgrounds: Real operators give real tactics. If they’ve never ranked anything beyond their own name, be wary.
  • Episode Format: Do you want deep-dives, quick tips, interviews, or roundtables? (Pro tip: Mix formats to avoid brain-melt.)
  • Recency: SEO moves fast. A podcast last updated in 2017 is about as helpful as a pager in 2024.
  • Actionability: Look for shows with clear takeaways—if you’re not scribbling notes, you’re wasting time.
  • Worked Example: Using Podcast Transcripts for SEO

    Let’s say you’ve just listened to a killer episode of ‘Experts On The Wire’ about internal linking strategies. Great. But audio is like a cake at a party—gone before you know it. You want a transcript for:

  • Quoting expert insights in your blog posts
  • Repurposing tips for social or email
  • Boosting your own site’s SEO with fresh, keyword-rich content
  • Here’s how to do it:*
  • Get the Audio: Download the episode or grab the link.
  • Transcribe It: Use a tool like Otter.ai or Descript (free and paid tiers). Let’s say the episode is 45 minutes—that’s roughly 7,000-8,000 words (that’s about 14-16 pages of A4, or 5.5-6.5 pages of US Letter).
  • Edit for Clarity: Remove waffle, tighten up sentences. (Pro tip: Use KeywordNumbers’ free word counter to keep posts punchy and within your target length.)
  • SEO Optimise: Sprinkle in target keywords (naturally, please), add headings, and check for readability.
  • Fun fact:* Google’s crawling bots love meaty, relevant content. But don’t just slap the raw transcript up—tidy it up first, or you’ll rank for “um” and “er.”
  • Tools to Supercharge Your Podcast SEO

    If you’re running your own podcast or even just transcribing episodes for content, these free tools from KeywordNumbers will save your bacon:

  • Word Counter: For checking transcript length and keeping your show notes snappy.
  • Character Counter: Perfect for social media snippets or meta descriptions.
  • Readability Checker: Because no one wants to read a transcript that feels like an exam paper.
  • Questions People Are Actually Asking

    How much does SEO cost per month?

    SEO budgets are all over the map. For freelancers or small businesses, you might pay anywhere from £200/$250 to £1,500/$2,000+ per month for a basic package. Agencies often charge more—sometimes upwards of £3,000/$4,000 per month for robust, ongoing work. The right price depends on your goals, competition, and how much you’re willing to DIY. Remember: good SEO is rarely cheap, and cheap SEO is rarely good.

    How much is SEO per month?

    See above—expect to invest a minimum of a few hundred pounds/dollars each month for any meaningful results. If someone’s offering “page 1 in a week” for less than your weekly coffee spend, run. Fast.

    How to get podcast transcripts for SEO?

    Use a transcription tool (like Otter.ai or Descript) to turn your podcast audio into text. Once you’ve checked for accuracy, edit the transcript for readability and SEO value—add headings, include relevant keywords, and break up long paragraphs. Don’t forget to check length using a word counter—ideal show notes are usually 500-1,500 words, but longer, cleaned-up transcripts can work well for blog posts.

    How to choose a podcast topic?

    Brainstorm topics that sit at the intersection of what you know, what your audience cares about, and what’s not already been done to death. Check keyword demand with a tool like KeywordNumbers’ keyword search volume tool and see what questions people are actually asking. If you’re not excited to talk about it, your listeners won’t be excited to listen—no exceptions for “but mine’s really good.”

    Are SEO podcasts good for beginners?

    Absolutely—just pick ones that don’t assume you can recite Google’s Quality Rater Guidelines from memory. ‘The Recipe For SEO Success’ and ‘Authority Hacker’ are particularly friendly to beginners, with plenty of actionable takeaways and minimal jargon.

    Can listening to SEO podcasts replace formal training?

    Not quite. Podcasts are brilliant for staying up to date and picking up practical tips, but if you want to get your hands dirty with technical audits or international SEO, you’ll still need structured courses or hands-on experience. Think of podcasts as the seasoning, not the main meal.

    Do SEO podcasts cover the latest Google updates?

    The best shows do. ‘Search Off the Record’ is literally run by Google’s own search team, so you’ll get news straight from the horse’s mouth (or, more accurately, the algorithm’s mouth). Most top-tier podcasts will analyse updates and their impact within days of a rollout.

    How do I promote my own SEO podcast?

    Start with the basics: optimise your episode descriptions using a character counter, create keyword-rich show notes, and share clips on social media. Consider guesting on other relevant podcasts and syndicate your show on every platform possible—Apple, Spotify, Google Podcasts, the works. Consistency (and a touch of wit) wins.

    Conclusion: Listen, Learn, and Level Up

    SEO podcasts are like having a panel of experts in your back pocket—minus the awkward small talk. Pick the right shows, use transcripts to multiply your content, and tap into KeywordNumbers’ free tools to keep everything sharp. Now, grab your headphones and get smarter (the painless way).

    Free tools to put this into practice

    Reading is one thing — testing your own pages is what moves the needle. Here are the free KeywordNumbers tools that pair best with this guide:

  • Keyword Search Volume Checker — see estimated monthly searches, trends and seasonality for any keyword.
  • AI Keyword Ideas — generate fresh, related keyword ideas around your topic in seconds.
  • Keyword Density Checker — check how often your target terms appear so your content reads naturally.
  • Page Speed Analyser — test how fast a page loads and see exactly what is slowing it down.
  • Meta Tag Analyser — audit every meta tag on a page in one click.
  • Every one of our free SEO tools is genuinely free to use, with no sign-up required.

    Free ebook: The Free SEO Stack

    Keyword research without paying for Ahrefs — the complete guide. Read it online or download the PDF.

    • Which free tools replace Ahrefs, SEMrush & Moz
    • Step-by-step keyword research workflow
    • How to find content gaps without paying a penny
    • The exact stack KeywordNumbers is built on

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