Apple Podcasts have just hugely upgraded their video streaming capabilities. But what does that mean for you, and how can you leverage the changes into more listeners and more growth for your podcast?
In this article...
What’s new with Apple Video Podcasts?
Apple Video Podcasts now lets your listeners switch seamlessly between the audio and video versions of your episode, and Captivate are here to support it from day one! It’s powered by HLS technology, and makes video podcasting more accessible to listeners and more appealing to creators.
All you need to do is connect your Captivate account to Apple Podcasts Connect via API and then you can upload videos just as you would audio files.
Here’s a full guide on how to do it!
What’s HLS?
HLS stands for HTTP Live Streaming. It’s a video delivery method originally developed by Apple and today it’s one of the most widely used ways to stream video online. It’s not a new thing (it’s actually been around since 2009) but it’s now being rolled out to support video on Apple Podcasts, which is why everyone’s talking about it right now.
Instead of delivering one giant video file, HLS breaks a video into lots of small segments and downloads them one at a time. HLS streaming is reactive to your internet speed, changing the quality of the video to suit your connectivity, and means less buffering overall.
How can I use Apple Podcasts Video to grow my podcast?
We’ve got the skinny on some helpful tips straight from Apple themselves on how to get the most out of Apple Video Podcasts. Make sure you make use of them!
Use Apple’s Dedicated CTAs and Buttons.
You can access Apple’s marketing resources for the new video release here. Using their professional, sleek Call to Action assets should increase podcast listening straight away.
Make use of direct links and QR codes.
You can generate links and QR codes to specific episodes and to your overall show, which let you use direct, simple calls to action like “watch my new episode now on Apple Podcasts”. Find out more here.
Apply for promotion directly through Apple.
It can be tough to get your show seen and heard in a saturated market. Nothing cuts through like an authoritative recommendation from a trusted source, and what, for Apple Podcasts users, is a more trusted source than Apple themselves?
Apple have provided a promotion optimization guide so that you can be more successful in any promotional application. Go forth and use it!
Make things clear for your audience
As with any kind of marketing, the best way to get a listener to do something is to make it nice and easy for them. In that spirit, here are three things you should make super clear to your followers when promoting your new video episodes:
- Make sure they’ve updated iOS to the latest version, as they may be on a version that doesn’t support Apple Podcasts Video
- Tell them exactly how to access the content. Say “watch now on Apple Podcasts, here’s the link!”
- Tell them why to watch it. Maybe clip up a highlight or funny moment from the episode and share it along with the call to action. Show them what they’d be missing out if they didn’t watch it!
Overview
Video podcasting might be a new frontier for you, or you might be well-versed already through YouTube. Either way, make sure you’re making it as easy as possible for your audience to engage with your video content by following the recommendations we’ve laid out here.
Next steps
Read about Captivate’s other huge features, like our in-house monetization tools and our unmatched dynamic ad insertion technology!
