Most podcasts are in audio format; you can find them on places like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Overcast. New access to technology has allowed some podcasts to evolve into “vodcasts,” or video formats of their podcast.
Some podcasts enjoy a deeper connection to their audience by adding the video element. You may wonder if your podcast should be audio, video, or both. Answering this question may not be as straightforward as it seems.
Creating a high-quality video podcast requires a lot of consideration. As with any format, video podcasts have advantages and disadvantages.
Pros of a Video Podcast
People Watch Video Podcasts on YouTube
A lot of content creators use YouTube to upload their podcast recordings. YouTube is the largest video hosting platform on the web, with over 2.3 billion users logging in each month. As a result, the vodcast is more likely to be watched than if it was available in a particular app as a video podcast.
More People Are Watching Video
As more media sources shift toward video, podcasts are gaining popularity. Shanelle Mullin reports, “People watch an average of 16 hours of online video per week, which is a 52% increase in the last two years.” She also reports that video content is twice as likely to be shared as other content.
Video is Engaging
In addition to providing more content, podcast video engages listeners. Your audience gets a behind-the-scenes look at what goes on with your podcast. They also get the opportunity to empathize with your guests when they can see what is going on.
Sharing Video is Easy on Social Media
Many social media sites do not play audio in posts but sharing video and video clips is a breeze! Social video generates 1200% more shares than text and image content combined. Incredibly, over 500 million people watch videos on Facebook every day. Social media is ripe with the opportunity to get your video podcast noticed by a large audience.
Use Video in Other Marketing Channels
Video assets can be used in other marketing channels besides YouTube. For example, you can embed videos into your emails. A video format can also simplify the process of creating fast content to embed on websites and blogs.
Easy-To-Use Technology
Thanks to easy-to-use technology, high-quality audio and video are now more accessible than ever. You can capture high-quality audio and video on mobile devices and edit videos with apps like Filmora to help create compelling video content.
Cons of a Video Podcast
Video is Stationary
One of the most significant appeals of a traditional audio podcast is that it is portable. Your listeners can tune in while doing whatever they like – exercise, driving, doing the dishes, etc. However, when you switch to a video format, you remove the portability factor and ask for an extended attention span. So be prepared for some of your audience only wanting to consume your content via audio. If your audience can still access the audio version wherever podcasts are consumed, then you’re good to go.
Video Production Value and Equipment
Being realistic about whether you’ve got the time to produce a consistently good show is crucial when creating a video podcast. Adding video layers on more expenses and the need for expertise to your podcast. Production value becomes a major contributing factor. What is the quality of the video you’re putting together? Does the lighting, sound, picture, set, etc. work together? Does your production feel professional or thrown together? It needs to look good if you take the time to produce a video.
Video Can Intimidate Your Podcast Guests
Just because you’re ready for video doesn’t mean your guests will be. Some guests are not confident or relaxed on video and prefer to stick to the audio-only format. The more comfortable your guests feel, the more you’ll get out of them. So choose audio instead of video if you want to get the best from them.
Video Editing
Audio editing takes time and practice, but editing video is a whole different animal. Patience and skills for video editing are learned on a curve, so you may need outside professional help if you can’t do it yourself. However, if you are doing it yourself, be sure to schedule the appropriate amount of time each show will require to edit the video, as video editing takes up more time. For example, editing a full-length YouTube video usually takes one hour for every minute of footage.
People Don’t Go to Podcast Apps for Video
People looking for videos do not usually go to a podcast app or vice versa. This is because not every podcast platform supports video. Having your audio in podcast apps and video content on YouTube can help alleviate this problem. As a podcast growth strategy relies heavily on making sure your content is accessible everywhere possible, the fact that video podcasts aren’t supported everywhere is a major reason to stick with audio podcasts.
Podcast video, podcast audio, and blogging your show notes complement each other and create a powerful content stack. Of course, adding video format complicates matters when considering the costs and resources needed to make the production value high. But for some, adding video can take your podcast to the next level.
If you’d like some guidance and support in producing your podcast, we’d love to help. Schedule a complimentary discovery session and chat with our team.
