Podcasts have become increasingly popular in recent years. For me, I listen to shows while walking my dog, driving in the car, or doing yard work.
But a video podcast takes this one step further by adding a visual element to the mix. Video podcasts can be as simple as a static image or a video recording of the podcast hosts and guests. In fact, I pull up YouTube podcasts all of the time to help fill in the gaps during my workday.
The advantage of a video podcast is that it can provide a more engaging experience than a traditional audio podcast. This is particularly true if the video podcast is used to add more context or visual interest to the discussion.
But let’s say you’re on a small marketing team. Should you move forward with an audio podcast? Or should you think about a video podcast format from the start?
In this article, we’ll break down what’s entailed with video podcast formats and how you can make it work for your marketing team. Here’s what we’ll cover:
- What’s the difference between an audio podcast and a video podcast?
- Why should my company make a video podcast?
- What’s the winning formula for your marketing team — do you produce only audio or implement a video podcast?
- How do you plan for the production of video podcast episodes?
- How does a video podcast fit into your team’s overall marketing strategy?
What's the difference between audio podcasts and video podcasts?
Many companies are still trying to decide whether to use an audio podcast or a video podcast as part of their marketing strategy.
But first, what’s the difference?
A traditional podcast is technically an .mp3 file (audio version) that gets distributed through an RSS feed.
Your podcast host handles the RSS feed so all of the different platforms (Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Spotify, and more) and popular apps can pick it up. When you listen to one of your favorite podcasts in the car, it’s because you’ve downloaded (or streamed) the .mp3 file.
On the other hand, a video podcast episode is the visual presentation of the same content presented in an audio file. But, the video format isn’t distributed to podcast platforms and apps (at least, not yet).
Instead, you need to find an alternative hosting solution (“video platform”) for your video podcast such as YouTube, Vimeo, or Wistia.
Why should my company start video podcasting?
There are many reasons you might want to make a video podcast.
Perhaps you have a message or story that you feel would convey better through a video element versus just the audio separately. Or maybe you want to add another dimension to your existing audio podcast.
But, most importantly, maybe you want to add a human connection to the messages you share with your ideal customers. According to Ross Simmonds, CEO of Foundation, “I was talking to my friends about a great book that I had read and none of them had read the book. And I was like, geesh. That’s rough. And then I asked them, ‘Okay, but how many of you watched this show?’ Everybody watched the show and it clued to me very late in my life, way too late, that the vast majority of the world consumes content through video.”
If you’re not producing video content, you’re missing out on a major opportunity to be different. You’re missing out on a chance to truly highlight the expertise of the people in your company.
And lastly, some people may not listen to podcasts. Some of your very best customers might simply prefer video content. So if you’re not recording video and sharing it with your audience, you’ll lose.
“I started to make that move and shift to more video-driven content. Humans want video content.”
Ross Simmonds
CEO
Foundation
So what's the winning formula for your marketing team — audio or video podcast?
The winning formula isn’t about deciding between a “podcast or video podcast”. It’s more about using them together to help your audience.
When producing a podcast for your company, it’s important to think about it as more than just an audio channel. At Motion, we like to think about a podcast as the driver for a conversation flywheel.
Your video podcast serves as the foundation for your content and it sparks the creation of audio, video, and written material to help your ideal customers. A single 30-60 minute conversation gets repurposed into a ton of helpful information for your audience.
Want to see how your video podcast can fuel your company’s entire content marketing strategy? Then check out How to power your marketing flywheel using a branded podcast.
How do I plan for the production of video podcast episodes?
When creating a podcast, don’t think about video as a bolt-on.
Factor in the video version from the very beginning.
I believe when brands create their podcast, they should plan for the video component during the earliest stages of the show. And I don’t feel it’s enough to add a video editing task in Asana, ClickUp or whatever project management software you use.
When creating a podcast, consider the impact of video throughout the entire lifecycle of your show.
Podast Strategy
When you develop a strategy for your podcast, you should consider the video versions during the initial brainstorming phase. Think about the visual framework of your show and extend it beyond the cover art.
Determine what the video podcast content will look like. How does it feel for your audience?
When we create a Strategic Action Plan for customers, we create video storyboards as part of the process. In addition to the podcast logo, we design things like the show intro, outro, lower thirds, video transitions, calls-to-action, and more.
When conducting interviews or solo podcast episodes, you also have to consider how the content works across both audio and video formats.
- Do you need to look to camera when recording an intro?
- If you’re reading off of a script, do you need to setup a teleprompter?
Before you ever hit record, it’s important that you’re “video podcast ready” from the beginning.
Podcast Production
When coordinating the recording of your video podcast, you need to consider how the video gets captured.
- What camera do you use?
- What other video podcast equipment do you need?
- For guests, does your team need to provide special instructions or assistance with video podcast equipment?
When you start a video podcast, the production aspect is more complex. You can’t just sit in front of a microphone and get your content recorded. You need specific video podcast software, especially if you’re recording remotely or live.
For video podcasting, we recommend SquadCast in most cases. Your marketing team can also look at Riverside or Zencastr as an option, too.
For live video, Streamyard is normally what we use for our customers. This gives customers the ability to implement a live event and allows our team to repurpose the material into a video podcast.
Audio-only podcasts are typically a bit easier to coordinate. The video element adds another layer to your equipment, environment, and more.
“There aren’t any good webcams. There just aren’t.”
Aidan Fitzpatrick
CEO
Reincubate
Podcast Post-production
When creating a workflow, you need to figure out the video editing component. How will your video podcast get produced from the files generated during production.
One of the first considerations with the workflow is the resource allocation. When producing a video podcast, you need to think about who is doing the video editing.
- Do you wait until the audio is done before producing video?
- Are you using the same person for audio and video editing?
- Does that resource have the skills you need?
A video podcast workflow is more complex because you have to design it upfront. And you have to consider how source files flow through your system.
At Motion, we position Descript at the center of our video podcast workflow. Descript is a revolutionary way to edit podcasts and provides a completely different user interface compared to more traditional video editing software (Premiere, Final Cut, etc.). We use Descript as the foundation and add additional software (mostly Adobe CC).
When your team analyzes the different video editing tools needed, you should think about the tech stack. This will impact how project files are stored, shared, and distributed.
- How do you manage your source AND project files?
- Are they stored in the cloud or using local hard drives?
- What backup systems do you need in place to handle larger video file sizes?
To handle video during the post-production stages of a podcast, it helps to define your roles and assign accountability before you record. That way, once the recording is done, your team can ingest the files and kickoff the workflow right away.
Podcast Distribution
When you go to market & distribute the material from each podcast episode, it’s important to plan for how your videos get distributed. It’s different than a traditional text post.
You need to figure out what you communicate in each video and how text supports it. You need to identify the format and understand file size/time restrictions for each platform.
And if you use a tool to post on social media platforms (sites like Buffer, FeedHive, or Publer) it helps to understand how it handles video. Does the app post the video natively to the platform? Are there restrictions on the types of files?
How does a video podcast fit into your team's overall marketing strategy?
When you produce a podcast for your company, it’s not about whether the show “fits in” to your marketing strategy. And it’s not just another channel in your marketing mix.
A podcast, especially a video podcast, can serve as the foundation for your entire content marketing strategy. Brands that go beyond an audio file view podcasts differently. And you can, too.
The brands with a successful podcast focus their energy on the customer, first and foremost. Then, they take the content built from each podcast episode and distribute it wherever their ideal customers hang out online.
It’s not about growing a “podcast audience” with your show. It’s about developing a relationship with your ideal customers.
At Motion, we created a framework that helps brands get more from their podcasting efforts. The framework incorporates the concept of a marketing flywheel rather than the outdated marketing funnel concept.
And rather than one flywheel, we help customers create a “conversation” flywheel that helps drive audio, video, and written content. Both flywheels work together to help you build a relationship with your ideal customer.
- Flywheel #1: Your traditional marketing flywheel, with your ideal customer at the center, contains three actions you must take to win their business: Attract, Engage, Delight.
- Flywheel #2: Your conversation flywheel contains three types of content: Audio, Video, Written.
You can read more on our double-flywheel philosophy in our post “How to power your marketing flywheel using a branded podcast”.
When starting a podcast for your company, start with video
Audio podcasts certainly have a place in the world.
But when you create a show for your company, video isn’t something you should “add on” later.
At Motion, we produce nearly 50 shows for B2B tech companies. And out of that group, there are only 2-3 shows that didn’t start with video from the very beginning.
If you want to start a video podcast, check out our free resources. Or, if you feel like you need a hand to get your company’s show off the ground, feel free to book a call with us directly.
Want to see how other B2B marketers get the most from their podcasts?
Recorded Content is a show for small, scrappy marketing teams who are looking to launch & grow a successful B2B podcast. In each episode, we provide stories on how to overcome the challenges of launching, running and growing a show. We tackle issues with technology, content marketing, distribution and more. We help you become a B2B podcasting hero with an amazing show.
Written by Tristan Pelligrino
Tristan Pelligrino is the Co-Founder of Motion. He’s a serial entrepreneur who started his career as a consultant with large IT companies such as PwC, IBM and Oracle. After getting his MBA, he started and grew one of the fastest video production companies in the country – which was listed on the Inc. 5000. Tristan now enjoys leading the content marketing strategies of some of the most innovative B2B technology companies in the country. You can find him on LinkedIn and Facebook.
