Troubleshooting & Common Issues

This document contains answers to common user questions and troubleshooting steps for PodSEO features. These questions and answers are optimized for chatbot search and resolution.

Keywords Not Appearing in Keyword Tracker

Problem: "When I select keywords from my list I don't see them in the keyword tracker"

Root Cause: Keywords only appear in the Keyword Tracker after you explicitly add them to your tracked list. Viewing or selecting a keyword elsewhere (for example in Show Visibility or Competitive Analysis) does not track it.

Solution — two ways to add a keyword:

From Keyword Strategy (recommended when you also want to set the tier):

1. Go to Keyword Strategy
2. Find the keywords you want to track
3. Click the "Add" button next to each keyword you want to monitor
4. Choose the keyword type: Primary (max 3), Secondary, or Monitored (no per-type limit, but all tracked keywords count towards your plan's total allowance)
5. The keywords will now appear in Keyword Tracker with performance data

Directly in Keyword Tracker:

1. Open Keyword Tracker
2. Type the keyword into the "Add keyword" field at the top of the page and click Add
3. The keyword is tracked immediately; you can change its tier later in Keyword Strategy

Key Understanding:

• Keyword Strategy = Where you manage tiers (Primary / Secondary / Monitored) and discover keywords to add
• Keyword Tracker = Where you view performance of tracked keywords, and where you can also quickly add one
• Simply viewing or selecting keywords elsewhere does not automatically track them

If keywords still don't appear after adding them:

• Refresh the page
• Data may take a short time to appear
• Check if you're viewing the correct platform filter in Keyword Tracker
• Verify you haven't exceeded your plan's keyword limits

Related Questions:

• "Keywords not showing in tracker"
• "How to add keywords to tracking"
• "I added keywords but don't see them"
• "Keywords missing from keyword tracker"
• "Selected keywords not tracked"

Problem: "My keywords show no ranking data in the tracker"

Root Cause: Either data hasn't appeared yet, platform filter issues, or keywords with no current rankings.

Solution:

1. Give It a Moment: Data may take a short time to appear after adding keywords
2. Verify Platform Filters: Ensure you're viewing the correct platform (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, etc.) in Keyword Tracker
3. Check Keyword Performance: Some keywords may not have rankings yet - this is normal for new or highly competitive terms
4. Review Time Interval: Adjust the time period filter to see if data exists for different date ranges

If problem persists:

• Contact support via Account Settings > Contact
• Provide specific keywords and timeframes for faster resolution

Understanding Feature Relationships

Problem: "I'm confused about how Keyword Strategy and Keyword Tracker work together"

Solution:

• Keyword Strategy: Your keyword management center where you:

  • Discover new keywords
  • Add keywords to track (using the "Add" button)
  • Categorize keywords as Primary, Secondary, or Monitored
  • Set your overall SEO strategy

• Keyword Tracker: Your performance monitoring dashboard where you:

  • View ranking trends over time
  • Compare performance across platforms
  • Analyze competitive positioning
  • Download performance data

Workflow: Strategy → Track → Optimize → Repeat

Key Point: You can add a keyword from either page — Keyword Tracker has an "Add keyword" field for quick additions — but tier changes (Primary / Secondary / Monitored) are managed in Keyword Strategy.

Keywords Missing from Show Visibility

Problem: "I'm looking for a specific keyword in Show Visibility but it's not showing up"

Root Cause: Show Visibility only displays keywords where your podcast currently ranks (positions 1-999+). If a keyword doesn't appear, it's most likely because your podcast doesn't rank for it yet.

Understanding What Show Visibility Shows:

• Show Visibility is a discovery tool that reveals where your podcast is ALREADY appearing in search results
• It shows your current rankings across Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and YouTube Music
• If a keyword isn't listed, your podcast hasn't achieved a ranking position for that keyword on any platform

Two Possible Reasons for Missing Keywords:

1. Your podcast doesn't rank for that keyword (by far the most common reason):

   • Your podcast hasn't yet achieved a ranking position (1-999+) for this keyword in the search results PodSEO checks
   • This is completely normal - no podcast ranks for every possible keyword
   • It means this is an opportunity for future optimization

2. The keyword isn't in PodSEO's database yet:

   • PodSEO tracks a very large set of keywords, but extremely niche or newly emerging terms might not be included yet
   • Adding the keyword in Keyword Strategy or Keyword Tracker adds it to the database and starts collecting rankings

Keep in mind that absence from Show Visibility means PodSEO has not observed a ranking for that term in the results it collects; it is not proof that your show never appears for it in every country or every variation of the query. If you rank for a related phrasing, Show Visibility will list that phrasing instead.

Solution Steps:

1. Go to Keyword Strategy
2. Search for or manually add the keyword you want to track
3. Click the "Add" button to add it to your tracking list
4. Choose keyword type: Primary (max 3), Secondary, or Monitored
5. The keyword will now be monitored in Keyword Tracker

What Happens Next:

• If the keyword wasn't in the database, it's now added and being tracked
• You can monitor it in Keyword Tracker to see when your podcast starts ranking
• Once your podcast achieves a ranking for that keyword (on any platform), it will appear in Show Visibility

Key Understanding:

• Show Visibility = Shows where you're ALREADY ranking (discovery tool)
• Keyword Strategy = Where you add keywords you WANT to rank for (planning tool)
• Keyword Tracker = Shows performance trends for keywords you're tracking (monitoring tool)

Related Questions:

• "Keyword not in Show Visibility"
• "Missing keywords from visibility"
• "Can't find my keyword in rankings"
• "Why isn't my keyword showing"
• "Keyword doesn't appear in Show Visibility"
• "How to add keywords to Show Visibility"

Understanding Keyword Metrics Display

Problem: "What do the volume, popularity, and difficulty indicators mean in Keyword Tracker?"

Solution: The Keyword Tracker displays three key metrics with distinct visual representations:

Keyword Volume:

• Display: Green progress bar in the "Vol." column
• Meaning: Estimated monthly search volume for the keyword
• Visual Guide: Longer bar = higher search volume
• Scale: Values are scaled for visual comparison across keywords

Keyword Popularity:

• Display: Blue progress bar with percentage value in the "Pop." column
• Meaning: How often people search for this keyword on the selected platform (0-100%)
• Visual Guide: Higher percentage and longer blue bar = more popular on that platform
• Example: "85%" with corresponding blue bar width

Keyword Difficulty:

• Display: Circular gauge with color-coded difficulty levels in the "Diff." column
• Meaning: How competitive this keyword is (0-10 scale, with higher scores meaning more competition)
• Color Guide:
  • Green: Easy competition (scores under 5.5)
  • Light Green: Moderate-Easy competition (5.5-7.0)
  • Orange: Moderate-Hard competition (7.1-8.0)
  • Red: Very Hard competition (8.1-10.0)

Important Notes:

• All three metrics are sortable - click column headers to sort by volume, popularity, or difficulty
• Data may show "Loading..." for new keywords
• Data may take a short time to appear after adding keywords to tracking

Related Questions:

• "How to read keyword difficulty colors"
• "What does keyword volume bar mean"
• "Understanding popularity percentage"
• "Keyword metrics not loading"
• "How competitive is my keyword"

Getting Featured on Apple Podcasts

Problem: "How do I get my podcast featured on Apple Podcasts?"

Solution: Apple Podcasts provides an official process for requesting editorial features through their feature request system.

Official Apple Feature Request Process:

1. Prerequisites: Your podcast must already be live on Apple Podcasts
2. Timing: Submit requests at least 2 weeks in advance of your desired feature date
3. Submission: Use Apple's official feature request form
4. Follow-up: If not selected, wait 6-8 weeks before resubmitting

What Apple Looks For:

• Fresh perspectives and unique content angles
• Unforgettable stories that resonate with audiences
• Stimulating conversations on relevant topics
• Insights on niche or topical issues
• Clear benefits for Apple Podcasts subscribers

Optimizing Your Feature Request:

• Compelling Subject Line: Create an engaging subject line that captures attention
• Brief Synopsis: Write a concise description highlighting what makes your content unique
• Format Description: Clearly explain your podcast format and structure
• Host/Guest Background: Provide relevant information about hosts and featured guests
• Marketing Plan: Include details about your promotional strategy
• Audience Appeal: Explain subscriber benefits and audience appeal

Special Artwork Requirements: Apple requires feature-specific artwork following their official template:

• Must be visually distinct from regular show artwork
• Cannot include network or sponsor logos
• Should be intriguing and representative of content
• Must comply with Apple's design standards

Metadata Best Practices:

• Keep episode titles brief and focused on core topics
• Avoid including episode numbers in titles
• Create intriguing titles that encourage listening
• Ensure all metadata meets Apple's quality standards

Strategic Timing Tips:

• Request a Monday feature date (Apple's planning cycle is built around Mondays) and submit at least two weeks before that date
• Align with social media and marketing campaigns
• Consider news cycle relevance
• Have multiple episodes available when requesting features

Complete Guide: For detailed optimization strategies, visit Apple's official guide for promotion requests.

Related Questions:

• "Apple Podcasts feature request"
• "How to submit to Apple editorial"
• "Apple Podcasts New & Noteworthy"
• "Getting featured on Apple"
• "Apple Podcasts promotion guidelines"
• "Editorial submission process"

Search Score and Visibility Changes

Problem: "My search score went down. Why is that?"

Root Cause: A drop in search score indicates that your podcast's overall visibility across multiple ranking factors has declined.

What the Visibility Score Measures: Your visibility score combines three weighted components:

• Chart Rankings (highest weight): Positions in platform charts. Entering or leaving a chart causes the largest score swings.
• Editorial Features (highest weight): Appearances in curated collections and editorial recommendations. Gaining or losing a feature has a similar impact to chart changes.
• Search Score (moderate weight): How many keywords you rank for and at what positions. This is your baseline organic visibility and changes gradually.

Episode recency and publishing consistency act as an adjustment that can nudge your overall score up or down, rather than as a separate weighted component.

Common Causes of Score Decline (from most to least impactful):

1. Chart ranking decline: Dropped out of or fell in platform charts
2. Editorial feature loss: No longer featured in curated collections
3. Lost keyword rankings: Your podcast stopped ranking for keywords it previously ranked for
4. Ranking position drops: Same keywords but at lower positions (e.g., dropped from #15 to #35)
5. Competitor improvements: Other podcasts improved their rankings for keywords you compete for
6. Publishing gaps: Inconsistent episode releases reducing your recency and consistency adjustment
7. Algorithm updates: Platform ranking algorithms changed, affecting your visibility

Solution Steps:

1. Review Chart Rankings: Check Chart Rankings to see if you've dropped from any charts
2. Check Editorial Presence: Review if you've lost any editorial placements
3. Check Show Visibility: Review which specific keywords saw ranking declines
4. Analyze recent changes: Look at any metadata, title, or description changes you made recently
5. Review competitor performance: Check if competitors gained ground on your target keywords
6. Optimize underperforming content: Update titles and descriptions for episodes ranking poorly
7. Maintain publishing schedule: Ensure consistent episode releases

Key Understanding: Dramatic score changes are usually caused by chart or editorial shifts. Gradual changes typically reflect search score movements from keyword ranking changes.

Related Questions:

• "Why did my visibility rank drop"
• "Search score decreased"
• "Lost keyword rankings"
• "Podcast visibility declining"
• "Rankings went down"

Opening a Podcast Email Link With the Wrong Account

Problem: "I clicked a link in a PodSEO email about my podcast, but I can't see the podcast"

Root Cause: Links in podcast emails open the podcast for the account that received the email. If you sign in with a different login, that account doesn't have access to the podcast.

What you may see:

• "Create a new account?" — You chose Sign in with Google with a Google account that isn't registered with PodSEO yet. Creating a new account here won't give you access to the podcast from the email. Choose Sign in with a different account and pick the Google account (or email address) that received the email.
• "Check your account" — You're already signed in, but with an account that doesn't have access to this podcast. The page shows which inbox the link was sent to (partially hidden for privacy). Choose Sign out and switch accounts, then sign in with that account.

Solution Steps:

1. Check which email address received the PodSEO email.
2. Sign out of PodSEO if you're signed in with a different account.
3. Open the link again and sign in with the account that received it — by email code, password, or Google.
4. If you work in a team, make sure you've switched to the organization account that has access to the podcast. See Teams and Organizations.

Related Questions:

• "Email link says check your account"
• "Podcast unavailable with this account"
• "Sign in with Google created a new account"
• "Wrong account when opening a podcast email"

Connecting Your YouTube Channel

Problem: "I can't connect my YouTube channel" or "It says no YouTube channel is associated with my Google account"

Root Cause: PodSEO connects the YouTube channel owned by the Google account you choose during sign-in. If that account has no channel (for example, a personal Gmail while the channel belongs to a different account or a Brand Account), the connection can't complete.

What you may see:

• "No YouTube channel is associated with the Google account you chose." You picked a Google account without a channel.
• "YouTube connection failed. Please try again or contact support." Something else interrupted the sign-in, for example closing the Google window before approving.

Solution Steps:

1. Open YouTube Studio and check which Google account (or Brand Account) owns your podcast's channel.
2. In PodSEO, click Connect YouTube again, either on the YouTube page or in Social Publishing.
3. In Google's account chooser, pick that account and approve the permissions.
4. If you don't have a channel yet, create one at youtube.com first, then connect.
5. In an organization, only Admins and Owners can connect accounts. Other members will see a note asking an account admin to do it.

Problem: "My channel is connected but the YouTube page shows no data"

Solution Steps:

1. Make sure you clicked Activate Insights on the YouTube page. Connecting the channel and activating Insights are separate steps.
2. After activating, the first import usually takes a few minutes. The page shows Importing your channel until it's done.
3. If you see Not much data from your channel yet, your channel had fewer than about 100 views in the last 90 days. YouTube doesn't report searches or traffic sources for channels that small yet, but you can still match videos to episodes.
4. If you see Reconnect YouTube to keep your insights up to date, Google no longer accepts the connection. Click Reconnect YouTube and sign in with the account that owns the channel.

See YouTube Insights for the full guide.

Related Questions:

• "YouTube connection failed"
• "No YouTube channel associated with this Google account"
• "Wrong Google account connected"
• "YouTube Insights empty"
• "How do I connect my YouTube channel"