This is a guest post from Katie Fawkes, Director of Marketing at Ecamm and host of The Flow podcast. If there’s one person to listen to about video podcasting, it’s Katie.
There’s been a lot of discussion about video podcasting over the last year and you’re likely asking yourself (or maybe even asking Chat GPT) if you should have a video podcast. And if so, how should you get started with video? Is it hard to start a video podcast?
Yes, you should have a video podcast. And in this article, we’ll also walk you through the easiest way to start one.
In this article...
The Potential of Video Podcasting
The podcasting space is evolving. While many listeners are popping in their AirPods and tuning into their favorite podcasts while they jog, clean their homes, or take their dog for a walk, even more are also catching your show while they’re driving, at the office, and even on their TVs and tablets. Did you know that almost all smart TVs include the YouTube app? It’s built right in.
You may not have thought about YouTube as a podcast player, but YouTube has been pushing into the podcasting space for the last few years and isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. With over 2.5 billion active users, YouTube is the second largest search engine on the planet. It’s also where millions of people – your potential audience – are discovering new podcasts to love. And YouTube has just launched their own podcasting tool called YouTube Podcasts.
The time could not be more perfect for you to start video podcasting.
How to Start a Video Podcast
To start video podcasting, you’ll need to have some equipment. We always recommend starting with what you have and working your way up from there. Once you’ve invested in the gear, spend at least two weeks testing and practicing with it so that you know how to use it.
There are four key pieces of gear that you’ll need to have in order to start video podcasting:
Camera
You can use your phone as a webcam, the built-in camera on your laptop, a webcam, or a mirrorless or DSLR camera. If you’re using a video production app like Ecamm Live, you can actually add multiple camera sources and switch between them to create a really dynamic show. We’re big fans of the Sony mirrorless cameras.
Microphone
If you’re already podcasting, you probably already have a microphone. Whether you choose a USB mic or an XLR microphone with a mixer, leveling up from the microphone built into your computer or headset is always a good move. Even with video podcasting, good audio is always the most important thing to focus on. People will still watch lower quality video, but they won’t stay if they can’t hear you. We’re big fans of the Shure MV7 microphones.
Lighting
The better lit you are, the better quality your video will be. A well lit shot with a crummy camera is still better than a poorly lit shot with a quality camera. Try to control the lighting as much as you can. Test and play until you get it looking the way you want. We really love NanLite.
Recording Software
There are lots of different tools and apps you can use to record (or live stream) your video podcast. Find the tool that works best for what you’re trying to accomplish. Ecamm Live is a video production app for Mac that lets you live stream or record your video podcast easily and gives you all of the final files you need (video and audio) to repurpose your content across multiple channels.
The Live Video Podcast Workflow
In order to be everywhere with your video podcast, but not fall victim to podfade or burn out, you’ll need an effective video podcast workflow. Here’s what we find to be the easiest way to start a video podcast.
Start with live video. Wait. Before you click that back button and bounce off this post, hear us out. If you start with live streaming your video podcast (to YouTube), you’ll accomplish a few awesome things:
- Record your video podcast in one go
- Build a community around your video
- Get instant feedback from your live viewers
- Increase discoverability on YouTube
- …and more!
Think of live streaming your video podcast as recording in front of a live studio audience on YouTube. Some of your viewers will show up live to watch the recording, chat with others, and ask you questions. This engagement will help build your brand and will also give you energy as you record the content of your show.
Once you’re done with your live recording, you’ll have your video and your audio files ready to go. Make any edits that you want or need. When you have your edited video file, that goes up onto YouTube as a YouTube Podcast (here’s how to set up YouTube podcasting). Your audio file can be uploaded to Captivate to go out to all of the podcast players for your audio listeners to enjoy.
By live streaming once, you’ve now reached the following audiences:
- Live viewers
- Replay viewers
- Podcast listeners
And if you grab the transcript from your episode, you can also use that to build out a PDF, ebook, and/or blog post to add readers to your audience list. Four audiences from one video session. Congratulations, you’re everywhere!
Don’t Miss This Opportunity!
Video podcasting isn’t going anywhere. In fact, it’s getting more and more popular by the day. The lines are blurring between live streaming, video recording, and podcasting. The important thing to remember is that in order to get in front of a large audience, you need to be creating content for the places where your audience is spending their time.
You don’t need to do the most in order to be in the most places. You just need to make some changes to your process to increase your impact. You’ve got this!
What’s next?
Now that you have learned about the benefits of starting or moving your podcast to YouTube, it’s time to create your own channel. You will need to sign up for a YouTube account if you don’t already have one. Once you have created an account, you can create your channel.
When it comes to equipment and tools, do your research to find what works best for your needs and budget. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to get started, but investing in good-quality equipment can make a big difference in the quality of your videos. Consider investing in a good camera, microphone, and lighting to improve the overall look and sound of your videos.
Keep checking the Captivate.fm blog and YouTube channel to ensure your podcast is the best that it can be. We regularly update our resources to help you with your podcasting journey. Whether you need tips on marketing, editing, or equipment, we have you covered. Our team of experts is constantly sharing their knowledge to help you improve your podcast and grow your audience.
Turning a podcast into a video may seem daunting but is undoubtedly worth it. By embracing the YouTube format and understanding how to optimise on the platform, you’ll be able to grow your followers and turn your podcast into an even bigger success. Good luck!
Other articles you may find helpful:
Another article we think you'd like...
Reading Time: 5 minutes Founder of The Podcast Space, Ana Xavier, teaches you how to analyze and track your podcast analytics, looking beyond download numbers!
