How to rebrand your podcast

I don’t know if it’s the changing weather or some kind of New Year’s Resolution hangover, but there’s a feeling of change in the air.

I say this with emphasis because I’m fresh off the rebranding of my podcast and, as I learned in the many conversations I had leading up to this major shift in my brand’s creative landscape, many other podcasters and creators are feeling like making vital changes to their podcasts as well.

Whether it’s a facelift with the name, a fresh redesign to their cover art, or a total 180 in content direction altogether, creators at various stages of their podcasting journey have reached the proverbial fork in the road, anxiously wondering whether to stay the course or venture down the road not yet traveled.

Undoubtedly, there’s something satisfying about making a change that better serves your purpose. It brings clarity to your efforts and keeps your mission front of mind.

But sometimes, there’s that annoying little voice inside, doing its best to throw you off kilter: “Is this the right move? Am I going to kill my progress? Will my audience still show up?”

If you’ve reached a point where you find yourself questioning whether your current podcast name hinders your visibility, relays the wrong message, or simply doesn’t serve your purpose, this feature’s for you.

My story

Here’s why I decided to make this crucial shift with my podcast, how I made it happen, and what you should be thinking about if you decide to venture down the same path.

Back in 2023, I rebranded the name of my business to Bombtrack Media. This was a tactical move that brought forth a total shift in business offerings, messaging, and philosophies. As I moved through the rebranding process, I knew I’d be launching a fresh podcast to accompany the new direction of my brand..

When I landed on Bombtrack Media as my company name, it was no more than 10 seconds later that I proudly exclaimed, “My podcast can be called Let’s Blow This Up! It’s the perfect complement to my brand name!!”

And it was. As I learned from branding expert Alexandra Watkins, author of Hello My Name Is Awesome, the more branding spinoffs your name can spawn, the more memorable your name becomes.

So staying true to this axiom, my list of spinoffs grew and took shape nicely:

• My podcast is called “Let’s Blow This Up
• My audience will be called “The Bomb Squad”
• My podcast studio will be dubbed “The Bomb Shelter”
• My content will be EXPLOSIVE!
• My service offerings can be named TNT or Dynamite

You get the picture.

So I launched Bombtrack Media, I launched Let’s Blow This Up, and away we went.

As I began growing the brand, I knew I made the right decision with changing the name as a whole. But as time went on, something started to bug me about Let’s Blow This Up.

I was so fixated on having a podcast name that connected to my brand name, I never considered anything else. And while Let’s Blow This Up served THAT purpose, it failed miserably in the one department that mattered most: visibility.

The content found within Let’s Blow This Up focused on various aspects of podcasting: strategy, marketing, production, editing, etc.

But could you learn that by looking at the name alone? Nope.

If you were in search of a podcast to help you elevate your podcasting efforts, are you going to Apple Podcasts or Spotify and entering ‘let’s blow this up’ or something similar to ‘podcasts about podcasting?’ Obviously the latter.

So I started digging into Podcast SEO on a much deeper level and learned rather quickly I had what can only be described as a visibility clusterf*ck on my hands.

• A show name that made my podcast hard to find in organic search
• A show description that wasn’t SEO-friendly
• To my credit, I did have SEO-driven episode titles, but they weren’t nearly as strong because the first two points were absent
• Absolutely no presence in podcast search engines for the most relevant terms regarding my show (podcasting, etc)

The pivot

My discoveries, combined with advice I’d received from other podcast professionals and through breakout sessions at Podfest, was enough to light the fire of change within me: and make me pivot.

And after a few weeks of focused, painstaking work, the rebrand officially went into effect. Podcasting Strategy Simplified was born!

Now, I’m a realistic guy and know I won’t experience huge results overnight.

But I can say with full certainty that since making this vital change, the vibe around my podcast (and my brand) has changed significantly.

• Feedback has been outstanding.
• There’s no more confusion around what the show’s about (‘Podcasting Strategy Simplified’ is as on-the-nose as it gets).
• New episodes have been built with total clarity.
• The new name relates to what I do within Bombtrack Media 100%.

And another big win? The much-needed updates brought forth a rebrand in myself, personally and professionally. These essential moves have put everything I’m doing on a much clearer path and, ultimately, have rejuvenated my focus and mindset for my overall brand mission.

The entire experience has been win-win!

But what about you and your podcast?

Have you been questioning whether your podcast name, podcast description, episode titles, show notes, and/or overall content direction is on point?

As I said a few moments ago, you’re not alone. I can say the following with complete confidence: don’t ignore the voice in your head pushing you towards a change IF YOU FEEL YOUR CURRENT DIRECTIVES AREN’T SERVING YOUR GREATER PURPOSE!

If rebranding is something you’ve been contemplating, it’s important to make your changes wisely, strategically, and for the right reasons. The following are items you need to consider and utilize as you move towards changing things up with your podcast:

• Look very closely at the name of your show and ask yourself whether it speaks to your mission, as well as if it positions you to be discovered on podcast apps for your niche. Do a quick search on the most common AND the most specific keywords and phrases in your niche and see if your show populates.

• Do not get hung up on “sunk costs” - meaning if you feel like you’ll lose complete traction because of all the effort you’ve put in thus far. If your show name is not aligned with the direction you want to go, there’s no point in digging deeper into that hole.

• Focus on clear communication with your audience and let them know what’s happening with your show. If you clearly explain what’s to come and your content continues to align with their reasons for showing up to listen/watch, a name change will not chase them away. This will also alleviate those “sunk cost” feelings you may be experiencing.

• As you choose your new name, focus on the three key items that will drive more positive Podcast SEO: a powerful, on-point show name, an SEO-friendly show description, and engaging, hook-driven episode titles. Make these three aspects clear, attention-grabbing, and intriguing to boost discoverability and increase the number of people who press play.

• When it comes to your name, go with something direct versus something “cute.” While Let’s Blow This Up was a name I loved (and still do), it wasn’t serving my greater purpose. Straightforwardness and discoverability with your new name will get you a lot more mileage.

• Use your podcast rebrand as an opportunity to look at EVERYTHING across your digital footprint and adjust where necessary. Do not make your podcast look like its own separate fiefdom - it should align with your brand 100% across the board.

• Make a list of all the platforms you’ll need to update. I speak from experience…as you move into execution, you’ll discover things you missed (I forgot to update my email signature, which, for 5 days, featured a dead link and the wrong show name).

• Don’t expect things to instantly transform. It will take time and focused effort for your changes to begin taking shape.

I plan to monitor my results over the next several months now that things are in full swing with Podcasting Strategy Simplified. But here’s a small win that proves I’m on the right track:

After one week of having the rebrand in motion, I received an email telling me that Podcasting Strategy Simplified hit the Goodpods charts in the Podcasting category at #58. Again, small win…but Let’s Blow This Up never made that type of breakthrough.

Podcast SEO matters, my friend.

And small wins will compound into big ones if you give them the respect they deserve.

I’ll wrap up with this: Don’t let rebranding your podcast intimidate you. Yes, there are several steps that lay in front of you to make it happen. But the work you put in today will serve your podcasting initiatives for years to come!

Think about the big picture and do what’s right for your long-term growth and sustainability.

Happy rebranding!