How to Write Episode Titles That Get Clicks

Titles are 90% of your discovery. The naming patterns that drive plays across directories and social.

The landscape

When it comes to the title patterns that actually convert impressions to plays, the details matter. Here's what the evidence and practitioner experience point to:

• Searchable beats clever in directory contexts: 'How to negotiate a raise in 2026' outranks 'The Ask' for discovery — the title is a query match.
• The specificity principle: specific numbers, names and outcomes outperform abstractions ('7 mistakes' > 'common mistakes'; '£10k' > 'more money').

What actually works

When it comes to the title patterns that actually convert impressions to plays, the details matter. Here's what the evidence and practitioner experience point to:

• Curiosity gap works but has limits: 'The one thing nobody tells you' needs the content to actually deliver — bait titles train listeners to distrust your titles.
• Front-load the keyword — directory displays truncate around 40–60 characters; the searchable term must survive truncation.

Putting it into practice

When it comes to the title patterns that actually convert impressions to plays, the details matter. Here's what the evidence and practitioner experience point to:

• A/B test via your own channels: title two similar episodes differently and compare completion + downloads over a month.
• AI suggestions are a solid starting point — generate 10 variants and pick/edit; the volume of options is the value.

Key takeaways

• Searchable beats clever in directory contexts: 'How to negotiate a raise in 2026' outranks 'The Ask' for discovery — the title is a query match.
• Front-load the keyword — directory displays truncate around 40–60 characters; the searchable term must survive truncation.
• AI suggestions are a solid starting point — generate 10 variants and pick/edit; the volume of options is the value.

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