How To Get Your Podcast Added To IMDb: A Boost To Credibility and Visibility
If you ask Alexa “Who is Isaac Mashman?” she will reply with a bunch of information about me. I remember the first time I asked, I was surprised that she actually had knowledge of who I was. It wasn’t that I doubted myself, it was I doubted Alexa’s knowledge base. This led me to seek out ways I could optimize her responses and have an understanding of how she pulls data.
With the increased adoption and distribution of AI, you need to be considering if you’re showing up and if so, what is showing up. High-level personal brand management. More professionals are using AI in their day-to-day lives and people are asking ChatGPT questions just this time a few years ago they would have asked Google. The technology is advancing quickly.
One of the easiest ways to get started influencing Alexa and potentially other intelligences is by being a podcast host. If you’ve hosted a show for any length of time, this is a way you can increase your chances of Alexa knowing who you are.
It’s called IMDb! You typically use IMDb to find reviews of movies and TV shows, read facts about your favorite celebrities, etc. but you can now use it for podcasts. As of 2021, they began allowing podcast series on the platform, but I think it’s safe to assume adoption hasn’t been widespread. I’d say 1 out of 100,000 people know this.
Alexa is Amazon’s product and AI. Guess who IMDb is owned by? Amazon. Alexa often pulls data from IMDb to generate responses. For more context on why you should care, IMDb generates over 250 million monthly visitors, is a top 100 global website, and boasts a domain authority of 95.
Before I go further, if some PR guy says they can get you on IMDb for $1,000, run the other way. This is free.
Step 1: Using a desktop create an account on IMDb. It wouldn’t hurt to sign up for a free trial of IMDb Pro.
Step 2: Google “Submit podcast to IMDb” and click on the first link that shows up.
Step 3: Under the Podcasts section look for a link to “New Title Form”
Step 4: Input your podcast’s name, select “Podcast Series” and “Released and screened”
Step 5: Fill in as much information as possible about your podcast. IMDb is particular about formatting so make sure you pay attention to their tips and errors. You can list yourself as cast, add a “poster” i.e. cover art, plot summaries, and so much more.
Step 6: Track your contributions via email and continue to optimize your page. You have to manually add your podcast episodes so get into the habit of uploading information as you go.
It will likely take a few weeks for Alexa to get the new information populated, but ask “Who is (your name)” every few days. Don’t be let down if some of your contributions get rejected at first. There will always be a problem that you can fix and submit later on.
This is a perfect strategy for those of you looking to land acting gigs, work in entertainment, or increase visibility to your name because you will now get your very own public IMDb page that lists your credits. I have seen “professionals” charge $500 just for this alone.
For context to this post, see the image at the top of this article and search for me up on IMDb.
Party trick: Ask Alexa to tell you a fact about Isaac Mashman.
Send this to a podcast host you know!
