Here’s what to do if another podcast already has your podcast title
It’s sad but it’s true – some podcasts have the exact same title. It happens! The reason WHY this happens is because most of the time, people simply don’t check what other podcasts are titled. They simply go with their best idea and assume that idea hasn’t already been taken by someone else. What is even more frustrating than starting a show and realising you have come up with an identical name to another podcast is being the O.G. show whose name gets ‘stolen.’
The reality is that this will happen to podcast names, and will continue to happen for as long as podcasts (and people’s ideas) exist. So here’s what to do to avoid this mishap if this happens to you:
- Assess the Situation
Before you jump to conclusions, consider the whole situation. If you are the one who has just published a podcast only to realise there is the exact same podcast out there already OR if you are the one who notices a new show with your title, consider this: imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. And there are roughly around 30,000 podcasts being released every month. Both those combined mean that you are very likely to come up with the same idea as someone else if that idea is good. Instead of writing an angry email, consider this:
- Is the podcast in the same genre as yours?
- Does it have the same idea behind it?
- Is it clear what your podcast is about from all of the other assets?
- Do you have an audience overlap?
- Will people really confuse your show with theirs, and vice versa?
It might just be that you might be able to coexist with the other podcast just fine, as long as you are not sharing identical audiences. But, if there is some real confusion between the two… you might need to take some action.
- Check for Trademarks
Whether you can exist in the same podcasting universe or not, always check for trademarks. Some people, especially organisations, might have already trademarked the title. In the UK, you can check for a trademark here and in the US, you can do the same. If they have a trademark and you do not, we suggest rebrand to avoid any legal trouble. But, if you are the one with the trademark — you’re well within your rights to ask them to change their title.
- Consider a Rebrand
If you are the one who is imitating another show and you know they are going to win out because their audiences are bigger or their brand is stronger, simply consider a rebrand. Sometimes change is the easiest option and it might just give you a hook to update and upgrade a whole bunch about your podcast — from content to guests to how you record. Plus, fresh assets, fresh name and a fresh strategy is the reason for a new marketing push! Check out how we rebranded Media Club for some inspiration.
- Focus on Your Podcast Brand
No matter what you decide to do — try to focus on branding your podcast differently. You will want to strengthen your assets and your podcast identity to differentiate it from your competitor. This is especially true if you are both in the same genre category for example. Consider putting faces on your artwork, adding names to your podcast title to differentiate yourselves or giving the assets a general refresh even if you are keeping the title.
- Register Your Own Trademark
If this whole blog is scaring you — consider simply trademarking your podcast title first. This will prevent any future confusion and you will know that you are in the right when it comes to your podcast. If someone else decides to copy you down the line, you will have every right to ask them to reconsider.
And finally, here are some tips to never think about this in the first place…
Be specific and clear. Your podcast title in general should never be vague or hard to understand, read our blog on how to properly title your show from the very start.
Before you commit, ALWAYS check for podcast titles. Type in your title into podcast apps and see what comes up.
Avoid podcast puns/audio puns/ and just general obvious puns. While they can be fun, if you type in ‘peas in a pod’ into any podcast app… you will know why we suggest avoiding these.