As much as we may dislike the idea, being highly ranked in podcast charts and rated well can significantly increase visibility and help cultivate a broader audience, resulting in gaining new listeners. 

In essence, top-ranked podcasts ultimately receive more positive returns for their efforts in expanding their listener base. The act of promoting and increasing recognition through being ranked as the leading product or service.

The idea of how podcast rankings can increase your credibility and attract new listeners, especially those who are browsing for a new podcast and may not be aware of the quality of your show. 

By achieving a high rank, you can increase the chances of enticing a beginner listener to give your show a listen. We will define and emphasize the significance of top charts and rankings. 

Additionally, we will provide strategies for achieving a high-ranking position for your podcast in a swift manner.

TL;DR

  • Podcast rankings Compare your podcast’s current popularity and rating with other podcasts in your country or category to determine how well it is doing.
  • Achieving a high ranking can be very beneficial as it helps to increase awareness, expand your audience, and reap the rewards of natural marketing efforts.
  • It is not possible to accurately predict how to increase your position on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. of success. However, there are a limited number of actions you can take to increase the likelihood of achieving your desired outcome.

What are podcast rankings?

Podcast rankings serve as a popularity meter that evaluates and ranks the top-performing podcasts within a specific category and timeframe. 

Every chart varies depending on underlying factors, but commonly include metrics like downloads, plays, subscriptions along with reviews and ratings. 

For content producers, these rankings offer insight into their progress relative to others in the industry; while listeners can use them to locate worthwhile podcasts. 

All in all, podcast ranking is a significant measure within the medium that benefits both creators and audiences greatly. The essence of your podcast’s ranking.

Podcast rankings are significant gauges of popularity and success when viewed from the perspective of a podcaster. They also play a vital role in expanding your audience and increasing the visibility of your show.

As a listener, the charts are a wonderful representation of the currently trending podcast shows and serve as an excellent means to uncover fresh podcasts.

Why are the rankings of your podcast important for your show?

As mentioned earlier, podcast rankings hold immense significance in enhancing the fame of your show, expanding its reach and increasing its listenership. 

Therefore, it is crucial to acknowledge the importance of these rankings. Below are a few reasons why you should value podcast rankings.

More exposure & discoverability 

Podcasts that are ranked at the top experience more visibility and are easier to find, allowing them to expand their listener base. 

Being featured in the top charts is an extremely valuable method of persuading those who are searching through the most popular podcasts to listen to yours.

Stand out from the crowd 

The world of podcasting can be quite packed, particularly because anyone can create one. To distinguish yourself and maintain a competitive advantage, it’s a good idea to rank high in the charts.

Boosted credibility 

When podcasts are ranked high, they automatically receive a passive endorsement which enhances their credibility and makes them more appealing to potential listeners. This can significantly increase the perceived value of the podcast.

Organic marketing 

Podcast rankings serve as excellent means of organic marketing. However, it is essential to note that you should not solely rely on them, and continue with your own marketing strategies. 

Nevertheless, ranking high on charts can aid in making the most of organic outreach opportunities.

Monetization opportunities 

While not essential to secure financial gains from advertising deals, podcasts that are ranked highly are more likely to draw in sponsors and partners due to their popularity, larger audience and the expanded reach that comes with being at the top of the charts.

Podcast ranking charts

It is important to know that there are various charts ranking podcasts.

Apple Podcast Charts 

The charts of Apple podcasts carry a lot of significance for listeners because it showcases the most popular content on the platform. 

As per Apple, their charts provide a constantly changing perspective on the preferred content by their audience.

Several charts are available on Apple Podcasts that you should be familiar with:

  • Top Shows and Top Episodes. The charts are arranged according to the market and are regularly refreshed multiple times a day. The chart includes rankings up to the 200th position. The audience can choose to filter by specific categories or view all categories as a whole.
  • Top Subscriber Shows. Assessing the order of programs that provide additional perks solely for their members.
  • Top Subscriber Channels. Grouping the subscriptions of channels that offer two or more shows.

Spotify Podcast Charts 

Spotify updates its podcast charts on a daily basis and has a total of three distinct charts.

  • Top Podcasts This shows the leading 200 podcasts in a particular location.
  • Top Episodes This relates to the most sought-after top 200 episodes that are currently popular in a specific location.
  • Trending podcasts This provides information on the newest patterns in listening and emerging podcasts.
  • Top podcasts This pertains to a specific classification where the 50 most highly rated podcasts fall under.

Chartable 

Chartable charts, which are considered the first of their kind in the podcast industry. Chartable compiles information from various platforms to create these rankings, allowing listeners to see what podcasts are currently popular on a global scale. 

The charts created by Chartable focus on specific countries and music genres.

Ways To Ensure That Your Podcast Is Highly Ranked On Charts

While every podcaster may aspire to reach the highest rank, it can be challenging to determine the path to success. Although there is no guaranteed method, there are a few strategies you can implement to enhance your standing.

General tips 

Before we get into advice that is specific to certain platforms, here are some tips that are relevant to all situations.

Produce great content 

It is obvious that having a high ranking depends on creating valuable content that people will be interested in. If you can produce an exceptional podcast, the majority of the work is already complete.

Regarding podcasting, the key factors that determine its quality are the ability to captivate listeners and the level of production sophistication. If one can excel in these aspects, they will surely pave their way towards success.

Work consistently 

Producing and publishing content regularly can improve your likelihood of achieving a better search engine ranking. 

This is because doing so increases the probability of building a faithful audience, which in turn can further enhance your momentum towards growth and expansion.

Enhance the notes, cover art and description of your episode titles.

Essentially, successful podcasts are those that cater well to their audience and pay attention to every little aspect of their show. It is important to ensure that all the extra features and elements of your podcast are executed perfectly, leaving no room for errors or mishaps. 

Opportunity is key. To exemplify, it is vital to guarantee that your podcast episodes and descriptions provide an exact and succinct depiction of their content. 

It is essential to ensure that your cover art is attention-grabbing and desirable, as opposed to something that may be overlooked among the multitude of other podcasts.

Make sure you get your category right

To ensure that your podcast appears under the most appropriate category and competes with similar shows in rankings, it is important to carefully tag it, considering that many charts and rankings are specific to particular categories.

Motivate your audience to assess and provide feedback on your podcast.

Encouraging your audience to provide feedback on your podcast is beneficial. Request them to leave reviews and rate the show. To gain momentum, you could also offer simple incentives.

Tips on ranking on Apple Podcast Charts

Play to the algorithm 

To improve your position on Apple podcasts, it is important to grasp the algorithm and take advantage of it. As per Apple’s instruction, the ratings consider a combination of:

  • Listening. What is the number of individuals who are tuning in to your podcast?
  • Follows. If your audience is loyal to your program, it indicates to Apple that they are enjoying the content and desire more.
  • Completion Rate.If a significant number of viewers stop watching your episodes midway, it indicates to Apple that the quality of your content may not be up to par.

Apple considers both the number of subscribers and their level of involvement with your exclusive subscriber episodes when identifying the top shows and channels.

Remember that ratings, reviews, and shares do not have a direct influence.

Many factors do not necessarily determine the high ranking of podcasts on Apple Podcasts charts, despite popular belief. While a podcast with many positive reviews, ratings and shares may seem more likely to rank highly, 

Apple denies any direct correlation between them. Rather, the company suggests that there are other factors at play in determining a podcast’s chart position. 

Numerous factors can impact whether new audiences tune in to your podcast, which can ultimately impact its ranking on the charts.

Do not attempt to deceive or manipulate the system.

While it may seem appealing to manipulate the algorithm and make your podcast appear more valuable, Apple does not support modifying podcasts solely for the purpose of achieving a higher ranking.

Here are some suggestions for increasing your ranking on Spotify’s Podcast Charts.

The Spotify podcast charts are based on the number of listeners and their level of involvement with the podcast. In other words, the more successful the podcast is, the higher its ranking will be. 

However, getting your podcast onto the Spotify Podcast Charts can prove to be a difficult task.

The Top Podcasts Chart considers both the number of individual listeners and the overall number of followers as significant factors. 

Meanwhile, when assessing the Top Episodes, Spotify takes into account recent changes in listening habits such as audience growth and size.

Focus on growing your audience 

A major factor in building up your listenership on Spotify if you want to improve your ranking.

 The platform emphasizes that the more people who listen to your podcast on their app, the greater likelihood you’ll have of achieving high chart placement. 

That’s why it’s essential to dedicate significant effort towards cultivating a sizable audience if you’re hoping to elevate your position. Dedicate effort to market and advertise, and spread your podcast across various platforms.

Tips on ranking on Chartable 

To have the opportunity to be ranked on Chartable, you must first select the opt-in option on your account. Then, concentrate on expanding your listener base across all of your listening platforms in order to have a shot at achieving a high ranking on Chartable’s weekly charts.

What popular podcasts are ranking? 

Checking out the current highly ranked podcasts is beneficial. Our team has compiled a list of the most well-liked podcasts, and it’s also worth examining which podcasts had the highest listenership in 2022.

Top 10 Podcast Rankings in 2023

Given that podcast charts are inherently dynamic and variable, here is an overview of the top 10 most widely listened to podcasts as of the conclusion of 2022 and moving into 2023:

  1. The Joe Rogan Experience
  2. Crime Junkie
  3. The Daily 
  4. This American Life 
  5. The Ben Shapiro Show 
  6. Stuff You Should Know 
  7. My Favorite Murder 
  8. Morbid: A True Crime Podcast
  9. Dateline NBC
  10. Office Ladies  

FAQs on Podcast rankings:

What is the number 1 ranked podcast?

It’s possible that you’ve already concluded it, but the Joe Rogan Experience has been given the highest spot as the most popularly heard podcast worldwide.

How do you find the rating of a podcast?

You can carry out this task manually by going to the relevant listening platform (such as Apple Podcasts), navigating to your podcast category, and locating your ranking.

Another option would be to visit Chartable and search for your podcast’s title in order to determine your current ranking.