What’s the point of Podcast Videos?

Have you ever wondered why people make podcast videos?

Isn’t the whole point of a podcast that it’s just audio? Well let’s take a look at why podcasters chose to do this and how podcast videos help boost their shows.

Podcasts videos are exactly what they sound like, podcasts with a video element. And this element can take on as much complexity or simplicity as you deem necessary and appropriate for the show. Some people may film B-Roll, or record their virtual interviews with guests. However, most podcast videos will just be a single static image of the podcast recording, showing the hosts and guests.

A famous example of this is the Joe Rogan Experience. This has become one of the most successful podcasts worldwide, and the most listened to podcast on Spotify with 11 million listeners per episode.

A different example of podcast videos is Office Ladies, by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey, also known as Pam and Angela in The Office US, where they talk about their experiences working on the show as well as other fun stories. They release audio versions of their podcast, but Comedy Central animates funny parts of the podcast and releases them on their YouTube channel. This helps them reach more people, as videos are the most share-able form of media, which benefit most from social media algorithms. This is the first reason podcast videos are a good idea:

Short form video is King / Queen

Videos in general are dominating the media market, getting the most hits and shares on all social media platforms. Many studies have been conducted to explore this and find out why. These have shown that video viewers retain 95% of a message when they obtain it through a video. This means if a short video from one of your podcast episodes makes its way around Instagram or Tik Tok, people who watch it will remember most of what they saw or learnt from it, making it more likely they will look for more of your content. In fact 93% of brands gained a new customer in 2021 because of a video on social media.

So the stats don’t lie, people love binging videos.

 

People love faces

Spotify introduced podcast videos in October 2021 and claimed that podcast videos ‘allow fans to feel more connected to creators behind the shows they love’. This is a very logical approach to building a fan base and connecting more with your listeners, as humans are proven to be visual creatures, with 30% of our brain devoted to our eyes.

We particularly like faces, with infants beginning to prefer looking at them within 24 hours of being born. The older we get and the more we learn to understand facial expressions and the emotions they convey, the stronger their effect on us becomes. Some psychologists even believe that we get more information from facial features than spoken language.

This means you can create more value for your audience and help them make deeper connections with your content by adding faces via video. Especially if your podcast conveys emotion, like if it’s comedic, your viewers will enjoy watching the hosts and guests react to each-other’s jokes, laughing or looking disappointed when their joke doesn’t land. An entertaining example of this is Bad Friends, with comedians Andrew Santino and Bobby Lee:

Videos help you stand out

As I’m sure you’re aware, podcasts have become increasingly popular in the last few years, with over 50% of all US homes claiming to be podcast fans. Of course this means more and more people are becoming motivated to make their own podcast, resulting in 1,500,000 podcasts and 80,000,000 episodes existing in September 2020, according to  Listen Notes, and surely there are many more now.

However, the minority of those also produce podcast videos, so it could be a way for you to stand out. It also allows you to post on YouTube, which is the 2nd most popular social media platform, with 79% of internet users stating they have a YouTube account. So you can reach a wider audience by posting your episodes there, as well as whichever audio app you are already using.

 

They can help you make profit

I think it’s safe to assume that you didn’t get into podcasting for the money, but it’s always nice to make some extra cash from a hobby we enjoy. So why not make your podcast videos an exclusive

An example of a podcast which releases audio and video versions of its episodes is Dan Harmon’s Harmontown. Anyone can listen to the audio episodes on Spotify, but only paying members on their website can access the videos. This is a great example of podcast videos creating more profit for their creators. It could be a good idea to share some videos for free, so people can get a taste for it and want more, like Dan Harmon did:

This is especially good if you have recognisable faces on your podcast like Harmon often does. This also works for Richard Herring, especially when his guest is someone like Stephen Fry:

If you decide to start making podcast videos, but don’t know where to begin or how to film and edit video content, contact Nostairway today and we can discuss your video production and video editing needs and how we can help you out.

 

 

As a video production company in London, we often get asked how much it would cost to produce a video ourselves. The truth is, with the right equipment and some know-how, you can save a lot of money by creating your own videos. Of course, there is an initial investment involved in purchasing the necessary equipment.

However, once you have your own set-up, the sky is the limit in terms of what you can create. And if you’re willing to put in the time to learn the ropes, you can start producing high-quality videos that will save you money in the long run. So if you’re looking to create video content on a budget, don’t be afraid to go DIY. With a little effort, you can create professional-grade videos that will help you save money and reach your target audience.