Podcasting has cemented itself as a cornerstone of digital content, with the number of people who listen to podcasts estimated to reach over 100 million listeners in 2024. One of the few audio-only entertainment options outside of audiobooks and music, it’s no surprise that the number of podcasts is over 5 million globally. In recent years, there’s been a new growing trend that’s caught the attention of both creators and audiences alike: video podcast.
With how video has taken the internet by storm, it’s no surprise that podcasts have expanded beyond their audio-only formats. There’s a lot of benefits to expanding a podcast to a video format – expanded audience reach being a key one. In this post, we’ll cover the top 5 reasons to create a video podcast, whether you’re looking to start a new podcast or wanting to expand your existing audio format to include video.
What is a video podcast?
Before we dive in, let’s cover exactly what a video podcast is. A video podcast is a traditional podcast, but with a video element included. Most often, podcasters will just set up a camera while they’re recording and release that as the video element. But there’s also options to enhance the visual medium with different camera angles, sound effects, and more. But why go beyond audio to include video?
5 reasons to start a video podcast
1. Enhanced audience engagement
As convenient as traditional podcasts are for on-the-go listening, humans are visual creatures. It’s a large part of the reason why video is so incredibly popular to begin with. By creating a video podcast, you give your listeners a way to connect with you on a deeper level. Being able to see your facial expressions, body language, and other visual aids enhance the experience, making your podcast more compelling. You’ll also build trust with your audiences by showing the behind the scenes set-up and faces of the podcast, leading to better listener retention.
2. Expanded reach through social media platforms
Today’s social media platforms are video first. Between Instagram’s reels, TikTok, YouTube shorts, and more, video has never been more in-demand. Filming allows you to more easily cut down your podcast episodes into short-form video content. By diversifying where you share your podcast video content, you can reach a much wider audience than just an audio format. After all, over half the world uses social media.
Bite-size snippets of your video podcast are also a boon for short attention spans. By hooking someone with a 30-second clip, you can more easily reel in new listeners. Plus, if you add closed captioning or subtitles to your videos, you’ll also make your content more accessible to deaf or hard of hearing audiences who otherwise wouldn’t be able to engage with an audio-only format.
3. Monetization opportunities
Where traditional podcasts usually have 30 to 60 second ad reads, videos expand your sponsorship opportunities. By having a visual medium, you can easily incorporate brand logos, products, and other promotional materials to create a more immersive experience for sponsors and listeners alike. You can also potentially unlock more lucrative partnerships, as brands value the visibility and engagement that comes with video. You can also unlock monetization opportunities by hosting your video podcast through platforms like YouTube, providing an additional revenue stream.
4. SEO benefits of video podcasting
By uploading your videos to platforms like YouTube or TikTok, you’ll be able to take advantage of search engine optimization to reach a wider audience. Search engines love video content, so by choosing a this format, you’ll have an opportunity for your podcast to rank on their pages.
5. Room for experimentation
The last reason is something that all creatives want – room for change. By having a video format, you open up opportunities for experimentation. Whether it’s doing on-location shoots, live recordings, panel discussions, and more, you can switch things up. You can also explore different storytelling techniques through a video format. You can also more easily add in visual references and elements, like showing your audience a meme, footage clip, or image that you’re discussing. The possibilities are endless when you expand your podcast to include video.
Enhance your video podcast with stock content
There’s never been a better time to make the leap into video podcasting. Whether you have an existing podcast or are diving into the world of podcasting for the first time, there’s tons of reasons why the video format has exploded in popularity.
If you’re looking to go beyond the basic format of filming your hosts, you can find a wide range of royalty free stock video, audio, and more in the Storyblocks library. Enhance your audience’s experience with professional sound effects, find the perfect theme song in our 100% exclusive music library, or create your own customizable opening with our templates. Best of luck, and happy creating!
