According to Podcast Industry Insights, there are over 2.5 million podcasts in existence as of today, as well as 78 million episodes listed but apparently, only 17% of them record videos for them, which might imply that most don’t see the benefits of starting a video podcast.

At Podcast Express, we see many, and in this article, we will tell you all about how they work.  Read on to learn all about video podcasts, how to record a video podcast and general video podcasting guidance for beginners.

1. What is a Video Podcast?

A video podcast, also known as a vodcast or vidcast, is a podcast that includes video content in addition to audio. It’s a form of multimedia that can be downloaded or streamed online. It typically features a host, or hosts, discussing a topic or interviewing guests. They can be seen on multiple platforms, including websites, YouTube, and other video-sharing websites, not to mention multiple devices, including smartphones, tablets, and desktops. Some podcasts may also have additional visual elements, such as graphics or animations, to enhance the viewing experience.

2. Different methods to create a video podcast

2.1 Use static images

Static images give the viewers the option to listen, but they can also watch if they wish to. In that vein, you can use static images to create a video podcast for your show to provide additional context and visual interest. An example of this is news shows, where static images are used to show the audience what is being discussed rather than told.

2.2 Record videos in professional studios

If you were wondering how to record a video podcast, you can do so with a simple setup. But as you progress, you will be able to seek a more professional level of quality/ Over time, you will be able to prepare your videos with a great video editor and, if you wish, use higher-quality cameras and microphones

2.3 Mixed Media

This combines various elements, such as live footage, animation, graphics, and sound effects, to create a visually engaging podcast. With regular podcasts, you can host interviews, but video podcasts add another dimension and allow for virtual interviews. Branding-wise, one of the benefits of starting a video podcast using mixed media is that you create a new level of immersion with familiar faces, not to mention the opportunity to create and entertain with different types of media.

2.4 B-Roll recording

B-rolling is when hosts add supplementary video clips, stills, or other particular wording into their videos to boost engagement and make their videos even more dynamic. This footage can include shots of people, places, or things.. For instance, if they’re talking about the NFL, the podcast will throw in sports videos to complement their content.

2.5 Live streaming

Live streaming is a fantastic form of entertainment for video podcasts. It allows you to interact with your audience in real-time and accept suggested discussion points from your audience, who can bid to ask questions, provide feedback and share their own thoughts and ideas. What’s more, it’s a popular form of entertainment. According to the Twitch Tracker, over 660 billion minutes were watched on their platform in 2019. Whether it’s games, movies, tv shows, or Q&As, your imagination is the limit when it comes to your video podcast ideas, especially with great, streamlined platforms like Discord, where you can easily host your stream.

3. Why should you start a video podcast?

3.1 Increases viewer engagement with your podcast

One of the main benefits of starting a video podcast is that your viewers will engage with your podcast content more easily if it includes visually appealing elements such as animations, graphics, or rich images that are eye-catching and easier to recall. The best video podcasts make use of visual features and use them when it’s an effective medium for entertainment or information.

3.2 It reaches a wider audience

Video podcasts are often more malleable in terms of how they can be disseminated. For instance, snippets of your show can be cut and featured through social media, promoting your show. Generally, people are more likely to remember a visual cue than an audio cue, and video podcasts tap into this in a way that is beneficial to video podcast hosts.

3.3 Boost the concentration of listeners

With video podcasts, depending on the nature and texture of your show, more attention is demanded due to the visual cues that give context to the audience. Many people tend to listen to audio podcasts while they are doing other things. Video elements, on the other hand, demand more from the viewer and change the show into something that they will sit and watch while having dinner rather than in the background while doing their ironing. If the host or hosts are using live footage of a live show, for instance, the viewers will need to tune in to understand the references better.

3.4 Improves Search Engine Optimization

Video podcasts make your content suitable to be uploaded across a more diverse range of platforms, meaning that you can use these platforms to trigger the algorithms to attract new viewers/listeners. Social upscaling can be used to push your brand via Google and other search engines.

3.5 Helps in the diversification of your content

There are more ways to diversify visual content than audio content, probably because there are more recognizable video platforms out there than podcasting platforms. This includes YouTube, Twitch, and social media, through which you can promote yourself. You can also edit your videos so that they fit other platforms (TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, etc). One of the benefits of starting a video podcast is that you can disseminate your podcast on many more platforms.

3.6 Provides monetization opportunities

One of the benefits of podcasting on a reputable platform is that you can monetize your product through AdSense, sponsorships, and other means, but video formats will allow other great features, such as donations, as well as sponsoring your content. Many websites, such as Twitch, also allow monetization options for content creators.

3.7 Enhances the storytelling of podcasters

One of the greatest benefits of starting a video podcast is that you can use more than your voice to tell stories and inform your listeners. You can now talk to them directly and use your facial expressions and mannerisms to relate to them. Also, the various ways that one can implement visual means to make a point or comment upon a news story are there for the using, enhancing the viewing experience.

3.8 Builds greater authenticity and trust

People can relate to voices, but they feel much more connected to faces and voices. Over time, you can build this trust and create a fantastic relationship with your podcast audience. Video podcasts allow hosts to connect with their audience on a more personal level by showcasing their personalities, facial expressions, and body language. This humanizes the content and builds trust and transparency by showing viewers the environment in which the podcast is recorded, which can also be immersive. This complements the audience’s search for reliable sources of information too.

4. Conclusion

The potential benefits of starting a video podcast are numerous and could do wonders for the growth of your platform. Whether you are yet to begin your podcast or are thinking of transitioning from audio to video, it’s a great consideration to take. After all, it is a highly successful form of marketing, and more and more businesses, organizations, and even freelancers are starting to realize its benefits.

Podcasts are great, but they can be limited in terms of where they get featured. Dissemination involves figuring out how to start a podcast on Spotify, Soundcloud, or Buzzsprout. Conversely, the most advantageous aspect of video podcasts is that you get to disseminate your product across a broad range of platforms, meaning that there is an even greater potential for marketing, growth of listenership, and discoverability.

5. FAQs

• What is the point of a video podcast?

A video podcast is like a podcast but with visual elements. This could mean that the host shows themselves on camera or that they use b-rolls or stills to make their point. The purposes of video podcasts are numerous. It could be to heighten one’s content engagement or simply to engage with and develop content with a new medium. 

• What is the advantage of starting a podcast?

Podcasts are a great way to communicate your views, ideas, or reviews with the world. They are a dynamic medium for content and are a terrific creative outlet for those creatively inclined.

There are many other benefits, too, such as increasing viewer engagement, reaching a wider audience, boosting the concentration of listeners, improving search engine optimization, diversification, and monetization opportunities, enhancing storytelling features, and building greater authenticity and trust between creator and viewer.

• Should I make a video podcast?

If you feel that you have something to share with the world, or you want to transition from a simple audio podcast to a different medium, a video podcast is a good idea. Through it, you can speak to the world about who you are and gradually build a voice. If you have a camera, lighting, and editing software, you are even better equipped.

• Do people prefer video podcasts?

The statistics would exemplify that many people do prefer video podcasts to audio podcasts. This does not mean that video podcasts are better than audio podcasts, just that they are popular. Both formats come with their own features and benefits, and your creative vision should come first. If your ideas take the shape of an audio podcast, that’s the way forwards. Conversely, if they are more visually oriented, then video podcasts could be better for you.