When most people think of podcasts, they think of audio they can listen to during their commute, while doing work around the house, or just while lounging around. But with podcasting on the rise, standing out from the growing pool of podcasters can be challenging. While audio may be the core of podcasting, video podcasts can help creators make even more engaging content, grow their audience, and improve SEO efforts all at the same time. So should you be video podcasting? Check out our guide to learn more.
What Is Video Podcasting?
Simply put, video podcasts are just podcasts with a visual element. While that might sound simple enough, there are different types of video podcasts that creators use to add the right visual element to their show. There’s a lot to consider when choosing a video format as certain methods work better for different styles of podcast content. Let’s take a look at the four most common types of video podcasts.
In-Studio Recording
This is what most people think of when they hear “video podcast.” One or more cameras are set up to record a conversation or interview inside a podcast studio. This format works great for discussion-based shows like The Joe Rogan Experience and Rooster Teeth Podcast. However, it’s one of the more intensive video podcast formats when you consider the time and money needed for cameras, studio space, and video editing.
Static Image Recording
Using a static image for video is one of the easiest forms of video podcasting. You simply use something like a logo, graphic, or photo on the screen for the viewer to see while your podcast audio plays behind it. Showing static visuals like a photo or an article can be a simple yet useful visual aid for your discussion. For the ultimate hands-off video podcast approach, you can simply use the same branded graphic for each episode to minimize editing. However, keep in mind that static image recording is generally best suited for scripted and informational podcasts like Stuff You Should Know.
Remote Interview Recording
This is another popular video podcasting format in which interviews are conducted remotely over video chat software like Zoom or Skype. This format doesn’t require a lot of effort to record and edit, so it’s a great way to produce low-maintenance content from nearly anywhere with reliable internet access. Keep in mind that remote interview recording works best when you want to record conversational content with someone in a different location like The Darkest Timeline with Ken Jeong & Joel McHale.
Interview & B-Roll Recording
Perhaps the most engaging type of video podcast, interview and b-roll recording uses a mixture of standard podcast footage and external clips (b-roll) to tell stories. Great examples of this include The Ground Up Show and H3 Podcast. It’s a smart technique for podcasts that reference things like movies, TV, or news stories and want to show viewers clips, almost like a news broadcast. While entertaining, this format is probably the most time-consuming and labor-intensive method, as it blurs the line between podcast and TV show. It requires time and resources to find, purchase, or even shoot video clips and make more extensive audio and video edits than a standard in-studio format.
How Video Can Help Your Podcast
Including a visual element with your podcast isn’t just a good way to engage your audience. It can also help you reach new consumers you never would have had access to otherwise.
YouTube Is a Game-Changer
It’s no secret that YouTube is massive. With more than 30 million people using the video sharing site every day, YouTube is easily one of the largest content sharing sites on the internet. It also happens to be the most popular platform for listening to podcasts. Putting your video podcast on YouTube creates a huge opportunity to tap into new audiences and gain listeners. With just a little optimization of your video descriptions and content, you can use YouTube’s search algorithms to your advantage and target new audiences who watch videos similar to your podcast. Sharing podcast episodes on YouTube means videos can be embedded on websites, too.
Audiences Like Faces
Showing yourself in your video podcast humanizes you simply by letting listeners put a face to your name and voice. It also gives people a chance to forge a connection and engage more deeply when you consider how much facial expressions and body language can convey. In fact, studies show that when someone is talking, we tend to look at their eyes to help us figure out what they want us to know. Not only that, but people are more likely to engage with your video if they see a face. Depending on your video podcast format, adding a visual element creates a big opportunity to connect with your audience without too much added effort.
Social Media Likes Video
Looking to promote your podcast to a new audience? Social media is ideal for podcast promotion, and having video unlocks new ways to share your content on these channels. Why? Because the truth is, social media wasn’t built for audio. Creating video podcast content provides a whole new outlet for promoting your podcast, especially if you can create shorter, more social media-friendly clips. It might take extra resources, but sharing a short clips of compelling moments from podcast episodes on social media is a great way to catch the interest of a new audience. Even just sharing video links on social media can help you gain exposure you might not get on other platforms.
Tips for Recording a Video Podcast
Capturing audio is only half the battle when recording a video podcast. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of video podcasting efforts!
Get a Good Camera
Having clear, high-resolution video is important because the quality of video is the first thing people will notice when they see your podcast. Most digital cameras (like a DSLR or mirrorless camera) can record high-quality video—some even in 4K. Certain cameras are better suited for YouTube videos than others, though, so you’ll need to be conscious of that. When looking for a good camera, consider where you’ll be filming. For example, in-studio podcasts may need a camera with a good a wide-angle lens to capture the full room. If, however, you’re going to use a remote interview recording format, you’ll need have a laptop with a good camera or a high-quality webcam to capture video chat footage.
Don’t Over Edit
Editing your video podcast can be a painstaking process that only becomes more time-consuming as you add b-roll, graphics, and sound effects. Fortunately, there are plenty of video podcast editing software options for different skill levels, including beginners. As you become more experienced, remember to practice moderation when adding sound bites, effects, or animations. Going overboard with edits and effects might not be worth the effort, especially if they become distracting or bog down your video quality.
Write a Transcript
Writing out the content of your podcast may seem like overkill, but it can be beneficial for both the recording process and your SEO efforts. From an optimization standpoint, having a transcript of your podcast episodes on your website or YouTube page can help improve your search visibility by giving Google a better idea of what your podcast is about. This can also help YouTube provide accurate subtitles for your video that can help you gain more exposure with your target audience. Or you can use your transcript to add subtitles yourself and maximize their accuracy. Transcripts aren’t just helpful for SEO, though. Having one on-hand almost always makes the recording and editing process faster and easier by cutting down the number of takes you need—and fewer takes and cuts in your video means less overall editing time!
Embed Videos on Your Website
Giving your audience more places to see your content is a great way to maximize your podcast’s reach. Whether your show has its own website, you post episodes on a personal blog, or it’s part of a larger brand online, having YouTube videos embedded on a website is good for SEO. Embedding videos can also drive valuable traffic to your website, rather than driving it solely to your YouTube page. And if you’re SEO-savvy, you can improve your search engine optimization even more with VideoObject Schema markup to show search engines video titles, descriptions, durations, and even transcripts.
Need help producing a podcast? Hurrdat Media has podcast services including consultations, studio rentals, podcast production, advertising, and more. We can help you reach your podcasting goals!