Web entrepreneurs have a brand new crush on video and plenty of podcasters are beginning to really feel pressured to create video content material. However do you actually want so as to add video?
Begin with audio
It is each my suggestion and my assumption for the remainder of this episode that you simply begin your podcast with solely audio. Listen to my past episode, “Should Your Podcast be Audio, or Video?” to learn more about why I recommend this.
In different phrases, contemplate video solely as one thing as well as to audio you already publish.
Suppose actual video first, faux video final
“Faux video” is when the “video” is absolutely solely audio. It may need a static picture and even an animated waveform or embedded captions, nevertheless it’s nonetheless solely audio. I’ve done a previous episode about the problems with fake video, and I plan to create a follow-up in some unspecified time in the future.
Contemplate, for instance, that despite the fact that YouTube has a (faux) “podcasts” part, you continue to cannot add an audio file or submit your podcast RSS feed (no matter media format).
All of the optimistic metrics are many occasions larger for actual video than for faux video. Even in some misreported research, surveyed individuals confirmed that they like to watch movies as a substitute of listening to movies.
Thus, please contemplate all the following by the premise of manufacturing actual video.
Video prices extra
It takes extra time to arrange, costlier gear, and extra time and assets to provide even midway first rate video. With audio-only, you want solely a microphone, a strategy to document it, and a quiet area. With video, you want that plus a digicam and lighting. Additionally, you may want a totally completely different microphone that works higher for video, and a totally completely different enhancing app for enhancing the video. Then, you want further stuff to make the video really fascinating and value watching as a substitute of merely listening to.
After that, internet hosting the video prices extra. Somebody has to pay for that bandwidth! So both you pay for it with cash, otherwise you and your viewers pay for it with advertisements.
Consuming video additionally prices extra. Individuals cannot watch movies in as many locations as they’ll take heed to audio. Contemplate driving, mowing the yard, working heavy equipment, working a job, and extra. Audio will be simply consumed in all these locations, however video cannot or should not be. I really just lately bought some IPX7 waterproof earbuds so I can take heed to podcasts within the bathe—however there isn’t any method I am placing my iPhone or iPad within the bathe to watch a podcast by shampoo in my eyes!
Video can really be “lazy” in a great way
Whereas high-quality video requires a great microphone, good lighting, and a great digicam, I’ve noticed that individuals are far more forgiving of some lower-quality manufacturing in video.
For instance, look how many individuals merely document with their smartphone in selfie mode and the way few individuals complain concerning the non-studio sound or look.
However this comes with an enormous caveat! Listen to my recent episode debunking the myth “It’s not hurting their podcast!” Simply because it is working does not imply it ought to go with out enchancment! Contemplate if these selfie-style movies really used a greater microphone. Would not you recognize having the ability to hear the particular person higher?
Nonetheless, I believe a few of the forgiveness for sub-par high quality is as a result of video provides much more context to speak the message: facial expressions, physique language, imagery, decrease thirds and different enhancements, and even merely seeing the phrases spoken as a substitute of solely listening to them.
So please do not assume that including video to your workflow means going all-out on a video studio! It might merely be selfie-style video out of your smartphone (simply please do not let the video document horizontally flipped backward!)
Video will be in additional locations
Whereas the podcast ecosystem is largely audio (though video podcasts have existed from the start and have been really fairly in style earlier than YouTube), publishing video presents even extra alternatives to get your message out.
Similar to audio podcasting permits your content material to be locations written content material cannot be, video permits your content material to be locations that audio cannot be (or would not work nicely), like YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and extra.
Video additionally tends to be extra shareable. I believe an enormous a part of that is due to how simple social networks really make it to share movies. For instance, dropping a YouTube hyperlink on Twitter, Fb, LinkedIn, Mastodon, and different locations will mechanically show a preview and even embed the video so it may be performed proper there with out leaving no matter context the viewers is in at that second. However the identical platforms haven’t made it really easy for audio. So the sharing expertise is superior with video.
I believe the consumption expertise with shared video can also be simpler. This isn’t solely due to that simple embedding, but additionally as a result of some video will be loved with out really listening to something! This might be as a result of the phrases seem within the video, and even just because “an image is price a thousand phrases,” and the visible communicates successfully with out phrases. Contemplate, for instance, all of the animated GIFs individuals share as reactions.
Your video will be fully completely different out of your audio
One pretty simple strategy to publishing video is to easily activate the digicam when you document your audio. You would live-stream or publish the video whenever you publish your audio. This model is commonly referred to as “speaking head” as a result of that is actually all individuals see: your head, speaking.
And that may be superb! It is actually a lot higher than faux video!
A problem you may most likely face with talking-head video is making certain the expertise remains to be nice in your main viewers. And since I am basing this episode on the belief that you simply already publish an audio podcast, your main viewers will most likely be solely listening, not watching. So you must keep in mind that your listening viewers cannot see what you see, so you may have to incorporate further descriptions or outright exclude some content material. A straightforward method to consider that is to switch the phrase “this” with some sort of description every time the “this” refers to one thing visible.
However do not assume that you must do your whole episode in talking-head model or with a elaborate video studio! Sure, you would make video snippets of smaller sections. Or you would re-record a few of the identical data, however introduced otherwise and—that is a very powerful half—centered totally on the viewing expertise since you can be publishing it primarily to be watched.
Some methods you may attempt including video to your audio podcast
- Reside-stream! In the event you can go dwell at a constant time, this may be a good way to have interaction your viewers in real-time and allow them to construct neighborhood with one another. That is much less about constructing a brand new viewers and extra about deepening the connection you’ve gotten together with your current viewers.
- Document speaking head(s). It is not thrilling, however some individuals like watching you speak as a substitute of solely listening.
- Create snippets. Snippets will be very brief video excerpts of your content material. These are finest after they embrace the phrases on the display screen (however please show phrases at a time, not word-by-word!). These can really work nicely as faux video as a result of they’re so brief.
- Reply to feedback. You may make movies sharing and replying to feedback or questions you obtain—both in response to episodes you already revealed, or normal questions associated to your area of interest.
- Present behind the scenes. Individuals usually like getting a peek into what issues are like in your facet of the manufacturing.
- Repurpose your data. Maybe one of the best strategy is when you may share the identical data in your podcast, however segmented and shorter. So you are not merely reducing content material into snippets, however recording an all-new presentation of the identical data. This may be a good way to crosspromote the episode from which you are getting your data.
- Particular content material. I’ve each a YouTube channel and video podcast, however the one occasions I publish to these channels currently is when I’ve one thing I must present as a substitute of merely inform. For instance, my on-the-floor interviews from conferences, or product evaluations, device demonstrations, or tutorials that need to be seen.
- Different updates your viewers would take pleasure in. Think about lots of the identical stuff you would publish on Twitter or Fb, however in video type.
Do not stress; you do not want video
Sure, video presents every kind of latest alternatives and potential. However you do not have to do it! So do not stress your self out in case you do not need to do video!
Proper now, as a full-time daddy, the one time I can work is when my son is at school or he is sleeping. So I’ve fewer hours now to run my enterprise and develop my merchandise than I had earlier than. Thus, I merely do not have the margin to create video proper now, despite the fact that I need to and for a number of causes! So though I am unable to do a lot video proper now, I do not assume it is actually costing me a lot of alternative as a result of I am already so current in different methods. And that is what I can do nicely proper now.
However in case you need to attempt video alongside together with your audio podcast, I hope this episode has given you some concepts and perhaps even relieved some psychological stress!
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Disclosure
This publish might include hyperlinks to services or products with which I’ve an affiliate relationship. I could obtain compensation out of your actions by such hyperlinks. Nonetheless, I do not let that corrupt my perspective and I do not suggest solely associates.
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