It wasn’t so long ago that listening to a podcast was the exclusive domain of nerds, alt-comedy fans, and those with public radio fetishes. In fact, even mentioning that you listened to a podcast was likely to result in a dead stare and quick pivot to more conventional conversational terrain.
Yet, if you’re still living under the impression that podcasts are for cultural iconoclasts, you would be sorely mistaken. Podcasts are everywhere these days, and the rise of their demand, especially over the past decade, is something to consider.
Take a look for yourself: in 2013, 12% of all Americans ages 12 and older said they listened to a podcast in the past month, and 7% reported listening to one in the past week. In 2021, those numbers shot up to 41% and 28%, respectively.
While audio podcasts are still the most downloaded form of the medium, those of the video variety offer an appeal for companies and brands that are otherwise difficult to obtain. And with so many ears (and eyeballs) up for grab, the question here shouldn’t be whether you should start a podcast but rather one of why haven’t you done it yet?
Why Should You Produce a Video Podcast for Your Business?
The ubiquity of podcasts is likely due to the low barrier to entry. Every smartphone, tablet, and laptop sold contains everything you need to record a basic audio podcast. While audio podcasts are an appropriate first step for a company looking to dip its toes in the form, video podcasts are where you have a real chance to separate yourself from the competition.
Publishing a video podcast gives you a leg up when it comes to distributing and promoting your content. Not only will your podcast appear on every popular podcasting platform, but you can also put it on YouTube (which happens to be the internet’s second largest search engine).
A video podcast also gives you the ability to slice it up for social media consumption. Bite-sized morsels of video content on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and, yes, TikTok, too, help engage followers and keep them coming back for more.
So, video podcasts give you another tool in your content marketing toolbelt, and one that’s in line with how your targeted audience is consuming media.
What Type of Video Podcast Is Best for Your Business?
While the barrier to producing a podcast is low, the barrier to creating a watchable podcast is a bit higher. Ideally, a podcast should offer a consistent experience from one episode to the next. That doesn’t mean you can’t evolve or try new ideas. However, your first few episodes will likely stick close to one of these standard formats:
- Conversational: two or more people discuss the episode’s subject in a free-wheeling, informal manner. While the hosts may explore a consistent topic or niche, the audience typically subscribes due to the hosts’ personalities.
- Educational: a host digs deep on a specific subject to give the audience new information. While the host or hosts can and should be charismatic, the topics covered usually drive the audience to subscribe.
- Interview: a host interviews a diverse lineup of guests to learn more about them, their work, or their specialty.
- Solo host: a single host takes on all speaking responsibilities, similar to an AM talk radio host.
- Storytelling: each episode offers a scripted narrative that can be serialized or distinct.
In most cases, business video podcasts tend to center on educational content or interviews with thought leaders in a specific field. However, these definitions aren’t strict, and there can be quite a bit of overlap. For instance, an educational podcast can be conversational, and an interview podcast will often offer the audience a deeper education on a specific topic or person.
What Tools Do You Need to Start Podcasting?
A video podcast doesn’t rely on high production values. Many take the form of a taped studio show with hosts and guests situated around a table. A recorded Zoom call is also perfectly fine if you can’t get everyone into the same room.
However, regardless of the quality of your video production, the audio production quality should remain high. This allows your video podcast to still work as an audio-only version if your audience wants to listen while they’re driving, working, or have it playing otherwise in the background.
Still, it doesn’t take much to produce a high-quality video podcast, and you may already own most of the requisite equipment and tools:
- A video camera (the camera on most smartphones is good enough)
- A tripod to hold the smartphone
- Microphones
- Scriptwriting software (a simple word processor like Google Docs works great)
- Video and audio editing software
With a variety of editing software available for free, you may be able to secure everything you need for less than $100. As your podcast audience grows (and the production begins producing a return on the initial investment), you can upgrade your tools as necessary.
One final note: you may have noticed that scriptwriting software is listed above. Regardless of which format you choose, you should also have a basic script for each podcast episode. If you’re trying to keep things conversational, you may only need the document to contain a few topics or key points. However, if you’re looking for something more formal, you may want your podcast to have a more scripted feel.
Where Can You Find Examples of a Video Podcast for Business?
Podcasts aren’t just for your nephew with a weird attachment to the guy who once played the janitor on “NewsRadio.” Instead, they’re an effective, inexpensive way to promote your brand, capture the attention of your targeted audience, and create content that you can reuse on social media channels.
If you’re unsure what an engaging video podcast for your business could look like, you probably haven’t subscribed to the Video Reformation podcast. Fix that by subscribing today and seeing how we use video podcasts to reach and engage our target audience.