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How To Add Spotify Podcast Chapters (Clickable Timestamps) - SEO

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Adding Spotify Chapters (clickable timestamps) to your podcast show notes is easy and you should do it on every episode. Watch Emily’s tutorial video here.

Read more about the SEO and UX benefits of clickable Spotify timestamps for podcasts here.

Here’s what the clickable kind look like (what you want):

Example Spotify podcast chapters (clickable timestamps) which are great for SEO and UX (user experience). This is “The Game w/Alex Hormozi”, a podcast that figured out the Spotify Chapters trick earlier than most.

It’s Like Google Featured Snippets

On Google, Featured Snippets get 35.1% of all clicks. (The boxes featured at the top of search results which answer a specific question.)

Clickable timestamps are like the Featured Snippets of your podcast. They tell listeners and search engines how specific parts of your episode essentially answer a specific question.

Steps: How to add Spotify podcast chapters (linked timestamps):

  1. Using AI or a manual method, generate 8-10 timestamps for every 60 minutes of content.

  2. In your RSS feed host such as Acast, Libsyn, Podbean etc., click to edit the “episode description” (show notes).

  3. Put the timestamps on separate lines beginning with the minutes and seconds, either one or two digits for minutes and two digits for seconds, with a colon in the middle such as 4:34. BUT:

  4. Instead of just writing the time plainly like 4:34, you need to put the time in parentheses to make it clickable in Spotify (a Chapter). Like this: (4:34).

    1. Example of a clickable timestamp / chapter when written in the RSS feed episode description (back-end): (4:34) Investors who lost their password made more money

That’s it. Watch Emily’s tutorial for more details: How To Add Spotify Podcast Chapters / CLICKABLE Timestamps

Related Podcast Tip videos:

Playlist: Podcasting Tips and Gear

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This Image Mistake = 267% Less Social Media Engagement. (Marketing Tip Mini-Pod)

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Rich media banners are 267% more effective than static banners but this ad stat also applies to engagement on organic social posts (e.g. LinkedIn, X , and Facebook). This mini-pod and blog post is about something small and tactical that has a big impact on your social media efficacy.

Define what we’re talking about:

First, “rich media preview” or metadata just means that the social post’s featured image / thumbnail is grabbing information from your target link (such as a YouTube title and thumbnail, or blog post title and featured image). See the screenshots below with green check marks.

  • It happens automatically if your linked post or media asset has the metadata (title, thumbnail, description) and you share natively. YouTube always does. Blog posts usually do (up to you in settings).

  • It happens sometimes when using a scheduling tool like Buffer or Sendible.

  • It happens sometimes if the person posting chooses to attach a photo instead of letting the URL scrape metadata (native info like image and title). (Don’t attach a plain image when you could let the linked asset’s data scrape in and be rich.)

Benefits of rich media / metadata previews for outbound links on social posts:

  1. Give your audience a more reassuring and visually pleasing UX

  2. Display more information (where they’re clicking to - no surprises)

  3. Use Fitt’s Law: You’ll have a much larger target area (featured visual and clickable description vs one small text URL)

Fitt's Law is a rule that says it's easier to touch or click on bigger things that are closer to you, and harder to touch or click on smaller things that are farther away.

Results: more clicks to your target media. Example below (X post, good):

When it comes to sharing a blog post or YouTube video or article on social, you want the featured / thumbnail image to be rich media, not an attached plain image which forces the user to find the shortlink in the text of the post. That plain image style lowers the engagement rate and likelihood they will click out to your content. Here’s a clip from the podcast explaining more:

Note: this doesn't apply to zero click content, e.g. photo posts where you intend to simply upload pics and not drive traffic to a link - which is fine and intentional.

Example posts: Do This vs. Don't Do This:

A) Do this- Optimal examples:

A rich media experience, clickable featured image with metadata (title, description, target website shown)

Good LinkedIn post style for promoting a YouTube video podcast. First give the audio link (Spotify, Apple, or Podlink / Plink universal podcast menu link. THEN give the YouTube link as the final link because LinkedIn will scrape / feature metadata from the last URL.)

-Twitter example 1 (YouTube clickable preview)

-LinkedIn example 1 (YouTube clickable preview)

-LinkedIn example 2 (Two links for podcast audio and video) - Advanced tip: for a post with two links: LinkedIn favors the last URL as the clickable media so if you have a podcast, first put the audio link THEN the YouTube link so people see the more engaging clickable video thumbnail with details. Another good example (do this):

Good post style - LinkedIn: this is a caveat. Zero-click content is meant to let the user get the full scoop without clicking away. Great for photos or videos natively uploaded. Popular lately also: swipe through carousel photo style posts (like mini webinar slides).

B) Don't do this: Not optimal examples:

A jpg or png is attached and that preview image that isn't clickable to open the media. User has to find the link to click inside the post text. Less engaging when seen in a feed.

-LinkedIn example 1 (way too many tags which hurts the post algo if tagged people or companies don't engage, and difficult to visually find the actual target URL)

-LinkedIn example 2 (nice post but image is static and not rich media/clickable to the target URL)

Follow on Instagram: @beetlemoment

Archetypes in storytelling are recurring characters, symbols, or themes that represent universal ideas and emotions, making stories relatable and impactful to audiences. They’re like blueprints that help create characters and plots we instantly

Rate / review / subscribe to Voice Marketing with Emily Binder (mini-pod)

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Podcast Mic Review: Shure SM7B vs Shure MV7. Plus Riverside + Descript Promo Links

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Which podcast microphone should you buy? Watch Emily’s review below of two of the most popular and beloved podcast mics: Shure SM7B vs Shure MV7.

Shure SM7B vs Shure MV7 Full Review, Sound Comparison, and Gear Setup Tips

Part 1: The Two Best Podcast Mics

Mic 1: Shure SM7B (the gold standard, the Thriller mic)

  • Price point: $399

  • XLR microphone

  • Additional gear required:

    • Add gain with Cloudlfiter

    • Audio interface / pre-amp: Scarlet Focusrite (the Solo is fine for a single person recording, get the duo for two people)

    • Boom arm

    • Two XLR cables

    • Get an Anker dongle, trust me

Shop it: Full SM7B gear list on Amazon here

Everything you need to sound great on the Shure SM7B - shop our gear list

Mic 2: Shure MV7: The SM7B’s little brother

  • Price point: $249

  • USB or XLR microphone

  • Design is less sexy but still fine

  • Portable and simple: plug-and-play single USB (or XLR option) with no extra gear needed

  • Sounds good (not great like SM7B) but many podcasters like Bethenny Frankel use it

  • Great for travel e.g. bring to your hotel room and record on the go

  • Buy the one that comes with a tripod or we prefer the look of a boom arm (here’s the only bundle you need). Note: Any regular boom arm you buy will be standard size and fit standard mics like either of these so don’t worry about compatibility

Shop it: Full MV7 gear list on Amazon here (either get the option with tripod OR the boom arm; buy the plain mic if you already have a stand):

Mic chosen. Now let's record and edit with the BEST user-friendly podcast tools for beginners or advanced!

Part 2: The Two Best Tools/Apps for Podcast Recording & Editing

Riverside lets you easily record quality audio or video remotely. Share and edit clips. AI tools included.

Tool 1: Video / audio podcast recording with Riverside.fm

Riverside is your online studio for high-quality podcast and video recording and editing. Powered by AI, built for human conversations.

Invite your guest to meet in your virtual studio. Screenshare, present slides or charts, have multiple guests. Recordings are stored in the cloud and can be exported for fine editing, or use the built-in AI to create Magic Clips quickly sized for social media (vertical, horizontal, square, and YouTube size).

Hear how it sounds:

This is a podcast episode that we produced for Satovsky Asset Management (see case study for Wisdom, Wealth, and Wellness podcast). Jon interviewed the legendary investor Joel Greenblatt in a remote Riverside video recording (2 guests and 1 silent producer on the call).

Hear it: Play on Apple or Spotify.

See it: YouTube video below or watch a Short here

Sign up with this Riverside promo link for a discount.

Tool 2: Easy audio / video editing with Descript

Edit audio or video like a Word doc. Get a professional output without the learning curve. Try Descript with our promo link.

Descript lets you edit audio or video like a Word doc. People who use it are typically huge fans. It is not quite as granular as FinalCut or more complex tools but is much easier to learn and use. If you are using iMovie, stop and go to Descript - promise. It’s so easy it feels illegal. HT Mitch Joel for the original Descript tip a couple years back.

Copy, cut and paste text from the transcript and the output follows. This is so. much. better. than. iMovie. This is the fastest magic-feeling editing you'll ever do.

Create vertical video clips, Reels, Shorts, and YouTube videos or audiograms using templates. You can also record directly into Descript which is great for “talking head” videos or vlogs, or solo podcasts.

The voice dub AI feature lets you magically fix mistakes in recorded speech by dubbing over a speaker.

Try the best, easiest editing software with this Descript promo link.

Hear Emily’s latest mini-pod:

Instagram @beetlemoment

This post was first published on September 28, 2023. Updated March 11, 2024.

Don't Do Marketing; Be Marketable (5-Minute Video Podcast)

Maybe you’re overcomplicating all of this. So many tactics. So many channels to keep up with.

None of it matters if you’re not marketable. Watch 5-minute video podcast:

Emily Binder’s mini-podcast episode: “Don’t Do Marketing, Be Marketable (Threads dead, baby?)” aired 8/25/2023.

—> 1-click play the audio in your favorite podcast app

Show notes:

Threads burned bright for two weeks then DAU were down over 80%.

Twitter's rebrand to X wiped out ~$4 billion in brand equity. RIP the bird.

Point: All marketing is one of three things:

  1. Branding

  2. PR

  3. Direct response

Everything else is just tactics. This concept from Bob Knorpp is so key.

I go over the #1 marketing mistake I see brands make (this is the "marketable" concept via Samantha Russell).

Success has less to do with tactics like social media or advertising; it's about whether you know why your business exists. Call it a north star, a reason for being. The rest will follow.

Links mentioned:

Follow Samantha Russell on LinkedIn

Bob Knorpp's podcast: The Beancast

Mini-pod YouTube playlist: youtube.com/emilybinder

My favorite podcast tools:

  • Riverside is the best way to record an audio or video podcast.

  • Descript is the BEST tool to easily edit audio or video like a Word doc. You will never go back.

Watch a clip on Instagram | follow @beetlemoment for more

“Voice Marketing with Emily Binder” podcast home page and most popular episodes playlist: emilybinder.com/podcast

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Emily Binder's Top Three Podcast Tips (Videos)

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Get your podcast or Flash Briefing / WealthVoice Alexa skill up and running with these three must-know starter tips. Voice marketing expert Emily Binder covers the best microphone options for beginners to advanced, the top marketing mistake many podcasters make, and the number one podcast SEO tip.

1) Podcast Microphone: 3 Best Mics (Review)

Get the perfect microphone for your podcast whether you're a beginner or advanced. Emily reviews three great choices (one is free: your phone!). This 7-minute video includes the famous Shure SM7B. Whether you choose Blue Yeti or Shure, ALL the equipment you'll need is linked in the YouTube description or here:

A) Blue Yeti, the top USB mic in the world. The Blue Yeti Amazon Idea List includes:

  1. Blue Yeti USB mic

  2. Boom arm / desk clamp with pop filter

  3. Extra USB cable (have 1 as a backup)

B) Shure SM7B podcast microphone bundle (everything you need).

2) Avoid the #1 Mistake: A Better Way to Share Your Podcast on Social Media

“Don’t make this common mistake when sharing your podcast on social media! Here's a free solution that I use for my podcasts and suggest to all my clients. A universal podcast link. Get your show's 1-click Plink link: https://beetlemoment.com/plink

It’s a single podcast smart link and it will cover your bases for all the major podcast apps. This way you don’t alienate any audience and get the benefit of one simple CTA in your social posts. Sharing your podcast on social media is a key way to grow your audience, so don't make the mistake of sharing only the Apple Podcasts or Spotify or show notes page link!” -Emily

Get your podcast Plink link.

 

3) Top Podcast SEO Tip: Your Episode Descriptions

“This is my number one tip to get SEO value out of every podcast episode. It's so simple and effective. Google search will scrape keywords but especially outbound links (hyperlinks) that have rich anchor text (keywords that make up the hyperlink).

This means your podcast episodes can outrank blog posts, especially for unique search terms relevant to your brand or business. I show you an example of how my search for ‘onramp invest alexa quick link’ turned up a four-month old Spotify podcast episode I had done where I used similar text in a hyperlink in that episode's description.” - Emily

Subscribe Free to the Mini Podcast: Voice Marketing with Emily Binder

Best Easy Podcast SEO Tip: Descriptions

This is our number one tip to get SEO value out of every podcast episode. It's so simple and effective. Google search will scrape keywords but especially outbound links (hyperlinks) that have rich anchor text (keywords that make up the hyperlink). This means your podcast episodes can outrank blog posts, especially for unique search terms relevant to your brand or business.

In this video, Emily shows you an example of how a search for "onramp invest alexa quick link" turned up a four-month old Spotify podcast episode where she used similar text in a hyperlink in that episode's description.

The Description for your podcast episodes has big SEO potential for getting your content ranked in Google search.

The Description for your podcast episodes has big SEO potential for getting your content ranked in Google search.

Wondering what microphone is best for your podcast?

Check out Emily Binder’s podcast microphone review and setup video covering three great podcast mics:

  1. Your smartphone (yes really) - perfect for a mini podcast or quick WealthVoice broadcast on Alexa

  2. Blue Yeti USB Mic

  3. Shure SM7B

Want help with your podcast marketing?

Are you subscribed to Voice Marketing with Emily Binder? What are you waiting for?! Get marketing and business insights and tips twice a week in under 3 minutes.

Also available as an Alexa Flash Briefing (enable Voice Marketing here).

In-Car Voice Assistants and Billboards - What's Next for OOH

Voice assistants in the connected car could be a boon for billboard advertising.

How many people use voice assistants in the car?

Total in-car voice assistant users in the U.S. is almost 130 million with 83.8 million active monthly (as of January 2020).

  • This total reflects a 13.7% rise in users from September 2018 to January 2020 and is more than 45% higher than the number of smart speaker owners.

  • About 51% of U.S. adults have used a voice assistant while driving and about one-third have become monthly users. (Via Cerence and Voicebot, 2020)

Are billboards still effective?

  • 37% of drivers report looking at an outdoor ad each or most of the time they pass one (Arbitron National In-Car Study, 2009)

    • 58% learned about an event or restaurant they were interested in attending by viewing a roadside billboard.

  • Billboard advertising is big money, accounting for $40 billion of global advertising expenditure since 2000 – a figure that is expected to increase by at least 7.6% by 2022.

  • 71% of surveyed individuals in the U.S. recently shared that they feel billboard ads stand out more in comparison to online advertisements

Billboards and Effective Short Messaging

First, remember that billboards should have about five words or less.

What’s next for OOH (Out of Home) and voice marketing?

Billboards whose primary aim is branding probably won’t change much. If they’re a mix of branding and DR that is location based, here’s what could happen. Take McDonald’s for example. Their 2018 Cannes award-winning ad campaign where the Golden Arches were cleverly cropped to create direction arrows is perfect as-is. There’s no reason to add a voice command to the billboard unless it would allow pre-order, faster window pickup, or increase the average cart size (which it could). (Remember, the only reason to use voice is when it makes the customer’s life easier or more convenient — not just to check a box.)

“Follow the Arches” Campaign: McDonald’s Creative Billboard. McDonald’s built these billboards to show drivers the closest restaurants. The Golden Arches were cleverly cropped to create direction arrows. This smart minimalist approach won the O…

“Follow the Arches” Campaign: McDonald’s Creative Billboard. McDonald’s built these billboards to show drivers the closest restaurants. The Golden Arches were cleverly cropped to create direction arrows. This smart minimalist approach won the Outdoor Grand Prix award at Cannes in 2018.

But for the billboards whose aim is direct response (DR): You’re going to see a change from featuring URLs (and hopefully we’re done wasting four characters on “www.”). It will change to a voice-based hint or command, like, “Ask Alexa to order White Claw.” And Alexa will be accessible in the car. It may be Siri or Google. Or we’ll get to that agnostic point where we have a symbol for “Ask” like we currently realize the @ symbol means it’s a social handle on all networks. Example: “Follow us @beetlemoment” - we don’t need to tell you this means Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn - it’s implied. Voice will have that too. Maybe it’ll be a talk bubble symbol instead of the at sign.

Prediction: Within 2-4 years: instead of putting a URL on a billboard, advertisers will display instructions to ask the in-car voice assistant for more information, directions to a location, or to purchase the item right then (perhaps with a discount). This will be done hands-free.

Billboards should have the fewest words possible to convey a simple message that is legible from afar.

Billboards should have the fewest words possible to convey a simple message that is legible from afar.

Then people will get so used to using voice that the instructions won’t have to be spelled out at all. Over-instructing people would be like saying today, “Pick up your phone and type a search for our brand then tap on the underlined blue text to access the hyperlink.”

In short, effective advertising moves to where people are (i.e. on Instagram, or looking at billboards but using Alexa Auto or Siri / Apple Watch). The ad’s goal is to make it convenient for the audience to understand the message or act. It makes AIDA happen.

Follow @beetlemoment on IG:

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Tips: Marketing Your Alexa Skill with a Voice Hub Page - Industry Examples

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What should you put on your Alexa Skill landing page or voice experience information page? You have to educate your audience on how to use something new, like an Alexa Skill or Google Action.

Your voice hub page is the perfect place to showcase any voice marketing you’re doing, whether it’s an Alexa Skill, Google Action, Flash Briefing, or podcast.

Why you need a voice hub page:

You’ve heard of the Marketing Rule of Seven: it typically it takes seven exposures to incite a purchase or new behavior in someone. Clear messaging and a single hub page explaining a new service is key to adoption when it comes to new technology like voice.

Imagine you post on social, send an email, tell someone verbally, and then post a few more times on Instagram or Twitter about your Alexa Skill. You will need to “Link in bio!” your audience about seven times til they finally act. Make sure when they do, you have the clear actionable info for them to enable your voice experience or subscribe to your podcast wherever they listen.

Amazon Alexa still has about 70% market share for smart speakers but Google Home products are catching up. Watch Emily Binder’s 60-Second Definition of Voice Marketing

Amazon Alexa has about 70% market share for smart speakers and the number one category for requested content is music, news, and weather (including podcasts). Watch Emily Binder’s 60-Second Definition of Voice Marketing

alexa-skill-uber-request-ride-command.png

Uber was an early adopter of ordering a rideshare through Alexa. They feature these commands to educate users on how to get a ride using Alexa.

We rounded up several good examples of voice hub pages from different industries. These should inspire you to create your own page that serves as a home for your voice app(s) whether it’s an Alexa Skill, Google Action, both, or other. Whatever you have going on related to smart speakers and/or podcasts or flash briefings, you need a hub page. You should throw your podcast subscribe widget in there too (like right below). If you want a tool to make sharing your podcast easy and 1-click, check out Plink.

We picked pages that make it clear to a new user how to access and use the voice experience. They don’t have to be super stylized or complex. Simple works.

Key components of your voice marketing hub page:

TD Ameritrade’s voice hub page features an effective button to enable their Alexa Skill. The green button is eye catching and the simple button text “Ask Alexa” lets users know where the button will take them: the Alexa Skill page on Amazon.

TD Ameritrade’s voice hub page features an effective button to enable their Alexa Skill. The green button is eye catching and the simple button text “Ask Alexa” lets users know where the button will take them: the Alexa Skill page on Amazon.

  1. Clear buttons to enable the voice app (links are good too, but make sure you include a colored button with a 1-3 word CTA that the eye is drawn to, such as “Enable on Alexa”)

    1. Feature your Alexa Quick Link for 1-click skill enablement from any device (example: Plancorp Perspective - Alexa Quick Link)

  2. Sample commands or phrases to navigate the voice app, such as “Alexa, ask Onramp Invest for the latest update.”

  3. Pleasing graphics (smart speaker stock photography or branded graphics using non-photograph imagery)

  4. Bonus tip: Create and embed a Spotify playlist of your or your team’s podcast appearances: watch video below to learn how.

Example Spotify podcast playlist embedded:

Learn how to create and embed a Spotify podcast playlist to promote your content:

This is such an underutilized marketing tool!

Plancorp, an RIA (Registered Investment Advisor) with over $4 billion AUM (assets under management) built their custom Alexa app with WealthVoice. Plancorp Perspective’s voice hub page makes it easy for clients to enable the skill with their Alexa Q…

Plancorp, an RIA (Registered Investment Advisor) with over $4 billion AUM (assets under management) built their custom Alexa Skill with WealthVoice. Plancorp Perspective’s voice hub page makes it easy for clients to enable the skill with their Alexa Quick Link. Suggested commands make it easy for clients to interact with their voice experience and get hands-free updates.

💄Beauty:

📰 News:


Note on language: In online marketing, a landing page, sometimes known as a "lead capture page", "single property page", "static page" or a "destination page", is a single web page that appears in response to clicking on an organic search result, marketing promotion, marketing email, or an online ad. What you want to create is a regular page on your website, but we know people often call these “landing pages” so that’s why it’s in the title. You get it.

How to create your own Alexa Skill and send hands-free updates:

Want to create a custom branded Alexa Skill like this and send your audience voice updates anytime? Request an invite to WealthVoice. It’s a voice CMS (content management system) and we can build skills for any industry. It’s like Wix or Squarespace, but for Alexa skills. Watch demo video.

Learn more about our voice marketing and podcasting services:

Get briefed!

Five minutes, twice a week. Subscribe free for marketing and business updates on Voice Marketing with Emily Binder. It’s a mini-podcast and an Alexa Flash Briefing.

Insta: @beetlemoment