Can your podcast survive if it’s audio only?
Video has become a real buzzword in podcasting and the hype and attention has made a lot of people feel they can’t have a successful podcast without it.
This FOMO is also being fuelled by video platforms like YouTube, who want people to upload video because it’s content they’re able to monetise.
To encourage people to post more video podcasts they’re also surfacing them more frequently which is further fuelling the feeling that if you don’t have full episodes on YouTube you’re going to be left behind.
But while video is an important part of your podcast strategy, uploading full episodes of your podcast isn’t essential for success.
In fact, for some shows it won’t work at all.
I’ve seen some podcasts with massive audiences, lean into releasing full episodes on YouTube and then get a tiny amount of views on their videos in comparison.
If you want to build up your audience on YouTube and potentially monetise one day, ideally you want to develop a strategy for that platform so you’re building content with YouTube viewers in mind.
But to be successful in podcasting in general, your show doesn’t need to prioritise video above all else.
What are the benefits of adding video to your podcast?
It improves discoverability
Getting your podcast found by new listeners is still one of the biggest struggles in podcasting.
And since YouTube is the second largest search engine behind Google it makes sense that sharing video content on this platform, especially if it’s content people are searching for, will increase your chances of getting your podcast in front of more ears and eyes.
Does that increased visibility guarantee more listens? Nope. But at least you’re building awareness about your show.
Compelling video content that encourages likes, shares and comments on other social platforms will also be treated more favourably and served up to more people and that obviously helps you grow your audience too.
Again, with no guarantee of people listening but welcome to the punish of podcast promotion!
It gives you more engaging and interesting promotional content to share
Watching a compelling piece of video content is always going to be more interesting than looking at a static image or reading a piece of text.
And if you want to give people a reason to check out your podcast, you’re always going to increase your chances of that happening with content that’s more engaging.
And done well, video can be really engaging.
It can increase the connection with your audience
Audio is amazing, but if people can see you it deepens their connection with you further.
Putting a face to a voice they love will help them visualise you when they’re listening to your content and that can build powerful connections.
It can open up additional monetisation options
If you do manage to build up a significant audience on your Youtube channel or via video in Spotify this can open up another revenue stream.
A note that the amount of money you can potentially make on these platforms will depend on your audience and watch times.
Disadvantages of using video in your podcast
It adds more production complexity and time to the podcast process
Adding video to your podcast adds more production elements to your workflow.
Things like lighting, your background, clothing, make-up (one of the most annoying things for female podcasters, like me, who cannot be bothered putting a full face on to record a podcast).
Video also adds a lot of time in the set up, pack down and also in editing.
When you’re editing an audio file it’s easy to make it sound like it was recorded perfectly in one go.
But when you add video into the mix, the visuals give you away because if you take something out the vision will jump cut from one moment to another.
If you’ve got multiple cameras set up you can cover this up by using cutaways but again this adds another layer of time and complexity to your show.
If you’re just starting out and building up your skills from scratch this will be way too much to put on your plate at the beginning (and might not ever be worth adding to your workflow).
Audio is easier to consume than video
The one thing about the push to video in podcasting that I’ve found surprising is that it feels like we’ve forgotten why people fell in love with podcasts in the first place.
People love them because they were an antidote to screen fatigue and you could fit them into your day in a seamless way because you didn’t need to be looking at a screen.
Sure, some people love to listen to video podcasts in the background but am I setting up lights, a camera and putting on makeup for someone to put me on in the background when they can just do that with the audio version of my show?
Video is definitely something to consider in your podcast strategy but the idea that the future success of your show is solely dependent on whether you’re uploading full video episodes of your podcast just isn’t true.
How do you decide whether to add video to your podcast?
The decision has to be based on what’s right for your show and not based on FOMO.
When deciding whether video is right for you, think about…
- Your content and whether it would benefit from a visual component
- Whether you have the time and resources available to add video or whether it’ll make the process so complex you’ll never get your episodes out at all or you won’t commit to your podcast long term
- Whether your target audience wants video
All of these things need to be carefully considered when working out how much or how little video to introduce to your show.
So, can you have a successful podcast without video?
Yes.
There’s no doubt there are LOTS benefits to incorporating video into your podcast, especially for promotion.
But there are also great benefits to your show being audio-first too.
Podcasting has become the industry it is today because of the power of audio as a medium.
It’s incredibly convenient for your audience to listen to, it can be incorporated into their lives with absolutely no friction and from a creator perspective, it’s got much lower production barriers than video.
So, if you’re just getting started, focus on creating valuable, engaging content and delivering that consistently because consistency is the single biggest factor in podcasting success.
Then, when you’re nailing that and getting your episodes out, you can think about how to incorporate video in a way that’s right for your audience, your content and you.
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Need some help starting your podcast? Download my ‘How To Start A Podcast’ guide or sign up for my online podcasting course, PodSchool.
