[Ready] SEO: Updating podcast URLs and adding topics for all podcasts

[kavaivaleri]

This PR updates podcast URLs and file structure, improves the podcast layout and user interaction, cleans up AI-generated content, and introduces a new topics-based content architecture to enable the future creation of the scalable "insight pages" and stronger internal linking.

1. Podcast URLs and file structure

All podcast URLs updated

Renamed all files under the _podcast folder to follow SEO best practices for URL structure. More on the URL SEO best practices here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oHHiob8XhWyXaXSnFBWFoIT1abVMN5g1qT7Gbs8khQA/edit?usp=sharing

Updated image file names

Image file names were updated to align with the new URLs.

Improves clarity and helps signal image relevance to search engines (SEO).

2. Podcast layout changes

File: _layouts/podcast.html

Content visibility across tabs

Previously, the following elements were visible only on the “Show Notes” tab:

• Guest description
• Previous / next podcast navigation
• Sign-up form
• Related podcasts grid

Now, all of these elements are visible on every tab of the podcast page, improving discoverability and navigation regardless of which tab the user is on.

Timestamp interaction behavior

Clicking a timestamp in the transcript now jumps to the corresponding time in the embedded video on the same page.

Previously, timestamps opened YouTube in a new tab and jumped to that time, taking users off the site.

The new behavior keeps users on the DataTalks.Club website longer, and encourages further interaction with:

• The embedded video
• Related podcast episodes
• Other site content

Can improve engagement and session duration on the website.

3. Edited AI-generated content

Titles, descriptions, and intro texts were initially generated automatically with AI for all podcasts.

During review, I found that some descriptions did not accurately reflect the core idea of the episode, resulting in off-focus summaries.

I edited these descriptions to better represent each podcast’s actual topic and discussion.

4. Added topics to podcast front matter

What was added

• A new topics field in the front matter of each podcast.
• Topics were initially added manually, then scaled via a script using the OpenAI API.

This work addresses this issue: #63 (comment)

Purpose and long-term direction

The main goal is to segment podcasts into high-level, reusable topics that can power dedicated topic landing pages — similar to Huberman Lab’s Topics sections. Example: https://www.hubermanlab.com/topics/fitness-and-workout-routines

After defining topics and subtopics, we can create a structured set of /insights/ pages:

• /insights/open-source-contribution/
• /insights/career-transition/
• /insights/career-growth/
• etc.

Each page acts as a topic hub, inspired by Huberman Lab’s approach:

• Aggregates insights, takeaways, and relevant podcast episodes
• Includes short explanatory sections, episode links, and calls to action
• Supports both educational use and content discovery

Further details and structure are described here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ewh6-6fNLu8qLab3C8gJgKZqIFHdL5qbH7gIZQS0E_o/edit?tab=t.0

Benefits of the topics-based structure

1. Cross-linking across episodes: A single topic hub (e.g. /insights/open-source-contribution/) can surface insights from multiple guests and episodes.

2. Topical authority

• Each insight page becomes a pillar for a broader theme (e.g. AI Agents, MLOps, Open Source), supporting subtopics and linking to individual episode pages.
• This strengthens domain depth and perceived authority in search engines.

3. Internal linking & SEO signals

• Podcast episodes link back to their topic hubs, and hubs link to episodes.
• Creates strong semantic relationships and reinforces topical relevance for Google.

4. Repurposing potential
   These pages can be reused as:

• Blog posts or long-form articles
• Newsletter features
• Social media content (e.g. “Top 5 insights on building AI responsibly”)

5. Enhanced user experience

• Visitors can explore multiple related episodes in one place.
• Each hub functions as a mini learning guide, increasing engagement and session depth.

6. Scalable knowledge architecture

Over time, these insight hubs form a structured, crawlable knowledge system

5. Minor fixes

• Fixed broken anchor IDs on several podcast pages.