Thanks to platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts, podcasting is taking the world by storm. There are an estimated 4.7 million podcasts and hundreds of millions of listeners on the former alone.
With even more people entering the space, you should know what’s trendy to stay competitive. Video podcasting has seen a surge in popularity and seems to be a trend that will stay. Here are some reasons why you should jump on it.
1. A Better Podcaster-Listener Connection
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One of the major challenges audio podcasters face is the difficulty in building a strong connection with their audiences. Over time, this problem can result in a massive loss of listeners as most people only engage with podcasters they can relate to.
Video podcasting goes a long way in solving this problem. Your listeners can see you and your co-host/guest interact and discuss a variety of topics. They get to see your demeanor, body language, and facial expressions.
It gets even better when you’re discussing a subject you’re passionate about as they get to see you pour out your emotions. This can make your audience feel like they’re part of the conversation, thus improving your authenticity and relatability.
2. Video Podcasts (With Subtitles) Are More Accessible
Simply put, video podcasts with subtitles can be accessed by virtually anyone, unlike audio podcasts with significant limitations.
According to theWorld Health Organization(WHO), over 1.5 billion people (20% of the world population) are affected by hearing loss. So, it’s not a good bet to have your podcast only in audio format. Audio podcasts prevent you from expanding your listener base as they alienate a significant demographic of the globe.
Video podcasting allows you to add subtitles to your videos, making them accessible to people with partial or complete hearing loss. Additionally, audio podcasts may alienate many potential listeners on the basis of language barriers. However, you may subtitle your video podcasts in different languages so that people from different parts of the world can consume your content.
3. Video Podcasts Thrive Better on Social Media
Something to keep in mind: social media is much more optimized for visuals than it is for aural content. For example, Instagram’s audio is muted by default. This gives you an idea of how disadvantaged audio-only podcasts are when it comes to sharing them on social media.
Short, bite-sized clips from your video podcasts are great for social media shareability, especially when they’re subtitled. You can post these clips on numerous platforms to increase your engagement and discoverability.
Even better, a particular clip can go viral all over social media, resulting in a massive surge in your listenership. See our article onhow to grow your podcast on Instagramfor more.
4. Video Podcasts Can Be Repurposed to Boost Discoverability
There are hundreds of millions of podcast consumers, with many of them looking forways to discover new podcasts. Video podcasts can be repurposed, which makes them more discoverable than traditional audio podcasts.
Typically, audio podcasts are limited to distribution platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts. These platforms have a massive user base, but you can get even more exposure from video podcasts by repurposing them across multiple platforms.
Perhaps the best way to repurpose your video podcast for discoverability is by creating clips and mashups from your show. After that, you can post them on various platforms like YouTube and Facebook.
YouTube, in particular, is a great place for posting short clips. In fact, it has a dedicated medium for that: YouTube Shorts. With over 2 billion monthly active users, it is easier for your podcast to get discovered on this platform than anywhere else.
You cancreate a YouTube channelfor your podcast and upload clips and teaser content to it. A 30-second clip, for example, from your podcast highlighting an important talking point can create significant engagement.
Also, you’re able to repurpose your video podcast by creating memes showing an interesting reaction from you or your guest. Everybody loves memes as they’re fun and relatable; creating a few of them from your podcast can help improve discoverability. Memes are very easy to create, all you need is a meme-generating program or software like Photoshop or Canva, and you’re good to go.
Boost Engagement With Video Podcasting
For most people, listening to a podcast has gone beyond just audio. There’s now a desire to watch people have real-time or recorded conversations. That’s why you should jump on the video podcasting bandwagon.
From the points we’ve listed in the article, it is quite clear that video podcasting boosts your engagement. People want to feel a sense of connection with you, and video podcasting provides that, at least more than traditional audio podcasts.
