Should I Make a Video Podcast?

These days, everyone is talking about video podcasts. A departure from the audio-only shows that emerged from radio, they offer the option to not only listen to a host and their guest, but to watch them, too. 

While my true love is audio storytelling, I am a fan of video podcasts, like Amy Poehler’s Good Hang and IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson. But not every show lends itself to this format. Video is different from audio, and each medium has benefits and trade-offs. It’s important to assess your needs and goals to choose which format is best for your situation. 

Benefits of video podcasts

What sets video podcasts apart is obvious: you can see people. Having visual information to take in provides a baseline level of entertainment value, regardless of who the guests are and what story is being told.

Video podcasts are also easier to discover than audio-only podcasts. If you upload your show to Apple Podcasts and don’t do any promotion, it’s unlikely that many people will find it. If you post a video podcast on YouTube, it could get picked up by their algorithms and find its way to new audiences. 

There are also some people who only consume video content, and won’t listen to an audio-only show. Edison Research found that 7% of the U.S. population 12+ reported watching (not listening) to a podcast, compared to 48% that listened to a podcast, in the last month.

YouTube also has an established comments section, where viewers can post their thoughts and interact, facilitating a sense of community and connection. Most traditional podcast platforms don’t offer this, though some – like Spotify – are starting to. 

Benefits of audio-only podcasts

One of the biggest strengths of audio-only podcasts is that guests feel more comfortable and relaxed off camera. This allows for more intimate conversations and emotional storytelling, fostering a deeper connection with the audience. 

There’s also a lot of flexibility with editing audio that isn’t possible with video. A highly-produced audio podcast can be heavily edited to help guests sound as articulate and compelling as possible. Considering how much content is out there - and short attention spans - this is critical to keeping an audience engaged. It’s also especially useful for interviews with subject matter experts and everyday people - guests who aren’t trained media personalities. For example, in Disrupting Peace, the podcast I produce for the World Peace Foundation, a 90 minute conversation is cut down to a tight ~35 minute episode, including added narration. Even with a large budget, it’s impossible for video editors to match what can easily and efficiently be done in audio. 

Audio also offers more options for storytelling. While a video podcast is almost always an interview, an audio podcast can be an interview; a documentary incorporating multiple interviews, clips, and sound design; scripted fiction, and more. 

The higher production value – at a lower cost – for audio-only podcasts also lends the format to more complex, nuanced subject matter, where preparation and editing are essential. This contrasts with video, which - I’d argue - lends itself more to hot takes and viral moments.

But just because you make an audio-only show doesn't mean video is completely off the table; tools like Riverside.fm make it easy to record video during interviews, which can be used to create clips for social posts or YouTube. These video clips can have a huge impact on discoverability, and engage listeners. Here’s an example from Degrees: Real talk about planet-saving careers, a show I produce for the Environmental Defense Fund. 

Case study: YouTube

In 2022, YouTube approached me about creating their first ever trends podcast, a show that would live as video on YouTube, and audio on all the other podcast listening platforms. We developed Like & Describe, a podcast that explored little known stories behind the biggest YouTube trends.

We experimented with a variety of formats, including an audio-first documentary style (with graphics and waveforms in the video version), and a classic video podcast interview style (with enough editing to have a strong audio-only version).

One episode that worked well in the audio-first format was ASMR: The Truth Behind the Tingle. Through interviews and lots of narration, we brought in multiple voices and perspectives to tell a compelling story about the origins of ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) on YouTube. These included some of the earliest “ASMRtists” on the platform, an internal YouTube expert, and a scientist who studies the psychology of ASMR. 

An episode that worked especially well in the video-first format was Can MatPat guess the Trending Topics of 2023?, which garnered 1.4M views and counting! The game show-style episode featured YouTuber Anthony Padilla testing host MatPat’s knowledge of the biggest YouTube trends and videos of the year. Anthony and MatPat were recorded in separate studios with props, lighting, and film crews. The episode included many funny, visually-appealing moments like this one, and worked well for video. 

How to know what’s right for you 

Just because video podcasts are having a moment does not mean they are the only option: both formats have benefits, and you can choose the one that is a better fit for your organization. 

Video works well for organizations with larger budgets - budgets that can cover the higher production costs of a set, lighting, video crew, and more complex editing. You’ll want to invest in these elements to make the most of the medium. They’re also best with a celebrity or entertainer host, and higher-profile guests  - people who will attract audiences without as much editing. These shows will almost always be interview-only, so that’s important to keep in mind. 

Audio is best for organizations who are looking to maximize storytelling and audience connection with a more standard budget, as well as those who want to highlight guests without media training. These shows optimize for quality storytelling and deeper, more informative conversations. They can be an interview, a narrative documentary, or something in between. 

Want to explore which type of podcast is best for your organization? I’d love to chat. You can get in touch here.

By Emily Shaw and Anna Van Dine