Is YouTube Podcasts Worth It?
YouTube recently announced that they are rolling out YouTube Podcasts. Podcasters have been uploading video versions of their podcasts for a while; Joe Rogan is the most well-known example. However, YouTube wants to officially cut itself a slice of the podcast pie and here is everything you need to know about YouTube Podcasts.
Sarah J. Conard is a YouTube strategist, video editor, and all-around online content enthusiast. With a background in both marketing and theatre, she strives to provide women with the tools and tips they need to look great, sound great, and create content to their fullest potential. Sarah also has the distinct privilege of being part of Alesia’s team!
How Does YouTube Podcasts Work?
YouTube Podcasts is in the early stages and is only available in the US. YouTube is just trying it out and seeing if it makes sense for them. For now, podcasters create a podcast playlist where they can add existing and new podcast video content. Each podcast episode will follow the YouTube guidelines for videos in terms of having the title, meta description, and cover image for each video. Long-form content may potentially be considered as podcast episodes as we are in the early stages.
YouTube users in the US will be able to go to YouTube.com/podcasts and view podcast episodes recommended based on the YouTube content they consume.
What Kind of Content Will YouTube Podcasts Prefer?
One thing to keep in mind if you are planning to YouTube Podcasts is that YouTube prefers high video and audio quality. So if you are planning to add podcast episodes to YouTube Podcasts, make sure you are focusing on quality.
The 3 Tiers of Video Podcasting
There are 3 different approaches you could take to making videos for your podcast.
- Audiograms – The simplest tier is to slap a logo or a picture over the audio and upload it. It’s an excellent entry point if you want to test the waters to see if there is interest in your podcast content on YouTube. However, it’s not going to meet YouTube Podcasts best practices, so if possible, I would recommend starting at the middle tier.
- Keep Video in Mind When Recording Your Podcast – This is where you use Riverside or record a Zoom call to create a video file for your podcast.
- Consider Video Production Quality – The top tier is where you start looking at ways to improve the audio and video quality of your podcast. This includes considering how you light your face and what you’re using to record video and audio. You may also talk to guests ahead of the interview to let them know you’re recording video and to keep that in mind for their background and lighting. You could even take this to another level and create video-centric content like Joe Rogan where he has a dedicated podcast studio so he can record interviews in-person with multiple cameras.
How to Decide If YouTube Podcasts Is Worth It?
Whether YouTube Podcasts is worth it or not depends on what role your podcast plays in your business or life. There are a lot of elements that go into creating high-quality content for YouTube, so it will be more resource-intensive. That means that it may not be worth the extra resources if your podcast is a hobby or if it is a supplemental lead generation tool for your business.
If your podcast is a major part of your business and you have the resources to dedicate to it (either by having the skills and time yourself or the resources to hire someone for video podcasting), then YouTube Podcasts may be worth it.
YouTube Podcasts are still in its infancy, so we expect to see changes in the future. We will update you as we learn about updates.
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