In today’s world, podcasts are a great tool that engages your audience, usually to get a greater reach and traffic for your business or personal blog. However, many people stop making podcasts because of how time-consuming they are. Using a premade strategy for starting a podcast makes the process less time-consuming.
Video podcast listeners have risen to 37.5% in just three years, from 2017-2020 (Edison Research). The market is growing, and the opportunity is great. If you are considering starting your own video podcast, then you have come to the right place. If you are a beginner at podcasts and are considering making your own, click here for the basics.)
If you have an audio podcast, then video podcasting is worth considering. Adding visuals to your audio podcast can help you gain higher traction. In this article, you will receive answers to many commonly asked questions about video podcasts, such as, what is a video podcast and how to make a live video podcast. We also cover getting video to the podcast, video content, and much more.
What is a Video Podcast?
Simply put, a video podcast is just like a regular podcast, except the media format is video-based instead of audio-based. Each podcast episode is either live or recorded, featuring anything from animations to actual footage. The video content of podcasts often follows a theme that continues throughout the series.
Video podcasts are recurring, much like tv shows, but people mostly access them through streaming applications. They are usually free or, if not, quite affordable. This is not the only similarity to tv shows; listener viewers can binge-watch if video podcasting episodes are catchy enough.
So, what is the difference between a video podcast and an audio podcast? The former uses interesting video to draw in the viewer instead of just sticking to audio. However, they have gained significant popularity because of the emotional connection that draws people in.
Many reports have also proven that video streaming is more popular in today’s world than audio streaming. If you or your business have not made the switch from audio to video podcasting, now is the time.
Video Podcast Examples
There are many brilliant video podcast examples to take inspiration from. Many dog owners, for instance, have podcasts with recurring episodes where they feature their dog’s everyday habits. However, the video format is top-rated in the business world as well. Many brands engage their audience through a video version of their podcasts and promote products and services to gain more traction and differentiate themselves from their competitors.
That said, there are a couple of types of video podcast formats to choose from. Here are the main ones:
Interviews
- Ideal for branding
- Require a guest presence – often celebrities
- Remote interview setups make it easier to find guests
- Interactive and engaging
- Quality depends on the questions asked and the guest invited
Conversational Podcasts
- Has 2 or more people
- Each person serves as a podcast host
- Provide an opportunity for active discussions
- Attracts audience based on the podcast host
Educational
- Based on the subject
- Usually, just one host
- Recurring format
- Setup needed – such as whiteboard
Solo Casts
- Monologue – one person is the host
- More difficult to keep the audience engaged
Storytelling – Fictional
- Virtual scenes and often animated
- Solo or conversational
- Flexible
How to start a video podcast?
Starting a video podcast may seem daunting, but as long as you plan it out well, it won’t be. The biggest challenge to creating a successful podcast in any form usually isn’t the execution but selecting the topic. This section is broken down into a step-by-step guide to help you figure it out.
1. Choosing a topic
If your podcast is about a hobby, you can be creative and take it from any angle. However, if you follow something related to current affairs, consider whatever is happening in the present day and ensure the content remains current. Research is key.
Going through other podcasts helps, but apart from that, current affairs topics have to be well researched and free from errors – otherwise, you would be making a fool of yourself. This is also why video podcasts about hobbies can be more entertaining.
2. Narrowing your niche
Finding your target audience and catering to them – especially at the start – is key. So, who is your business serving? Who will be interested in listening to the hobby that you have? Think about the content of your video podcast from their perspective. What do you think they would like to watch? What are they already watching? This research requires proper research tools.
3. Research Tools
Having the right research tools can help you figure out your target audience. In addition, many online forums, social media platforms, or websites offer great insights into who your audience is.
Reddit is perhaps the one forum that has an answer for everything. Sub Reddits can be found for almost anything. Reddit is a community of people that discuss issues, hobbies, activities, how-tos, and much more. As it is a content-focused site, you can find what your audience wants by applying popular posts filters and gauging what your audience is interested in.
- Quora
Marketers usually use Quora to push for higher sales. It includes business owners answering questions, so having a video podcast for your business is helpful. You will even find your audience asking questions that you can pick up and elaborate on in your video podcast. Video marketing based on these insights will be quite useful.
- Facebook Groups
Much like Reddit, Facebook Groups allow communities to hold discussions about topics. These are insightful and will enable you to have a deeper understanding of the use of products and services.
4. Making a Video to Podcast
After the steps above, there is not much left to do except getting down to making the podcast. Having a script ready comes in handy. First, decide which type of video podcast you want to make (see above) and then gather the tools and equipment you will need (depending entirely on your preferences).
Frequently Asked Questions – Video Podcasts
Below are some common questions people ask regarding video podcasts.
Q. Do podcasts have videos?
A: Traditionally, podcasts started as audio-only recordings, but video podcasts or the video version of an already successful podcast are gaining popularity for greater visibility and engagement. There are more audio podcasts out there, though, because more streaming applications offer them.
Q. Does Spotify have video podcasts?
A. While Spotify is an audio platform to discover musicians and podcasters, they have recently introduced video podcasts as well. First, you need to download Anchor – Spotify’s free podcasting platform, where you as a podcaster upload your video podcast. Then, your fans directly access the video podcasts on Spotify. This service is now launched worldwide.
Q. How to watch video podcasts on Spotify?
A. Watching video podcasts is now an option. Here’s how:
- First, open your Spotify app.
- Look for the page whose podcasts you want to watch and click on the episode page.
- Then hit the Play button on the podcast.
- Tap on the play button, and the video will appear on the full screen.
- Listen and watch!
Q. What is a visual podcast?
A. A visual podcast is just another name for a video podcast. Both require a range of skills, from content marketing to podcast hosting to video editing.
Q. Should I video my podcast?
A. There are many advantages to switching to video podcasts rather than sticking with only audio. Your listeners will change to a viewing audience, and they will be more engaged than before. Body language, emotions, and facial expressions are a force of engagement for your audience. Video also allows you to share behind the scenes and other forms of visuals.
Q. How to make a live video podcast?
A. Live Podcasts are different from traditional podcasts. They are more like radio shows where you live broadcast to your audience and show them actual footage of yourself and your surroundings as you are making the video. Usually, online software, such as OBS Studio, Wirecast, vMix, Xsplit, SplitCam, etc. allows you to make live podcasts.
Q. How to turn YouTube videos into podcasts?
A. First, convert The Youtube Video into an mp3 audio file. Then edit the audio; for example, if you have mentioned “welcome to my YouTube channel,” you need to edit the audio and remove those parts. Similarly, add an introduction and an ending to your podcast audio, such as “Welcome to my video podcast”.
Next, figure out the kind of video you want to add to your podcast and merge the vocals and video until they make sense. Using software like Audacity will be of great help.
