You’re Crazy if Your Podcast is Not on YouTube
When you imagine YouTube, many things come to mind before thinking “podcasts.” Realistically, YouTube is the most popular space to hear podcasts, exceeding both Apple Podcasts and Spotify. I know. It is sort of crazy. Some may argue that a podcast played on YouTube isn’t a podcast whatsoever because it does not have an RSS feed; however, we’ll leave that for somebody else to debate.
The question is, “Should I put my podcast on YouTube?” Just because something is there does not mean you must take advantage of it — nor should you. Let us break down whether YouTube is the right place for you.
Why should you post your show on YouTube?
The argument for posting your show on YouTube is that it is an additional avenue for fresh listeners to discover your content. With so many folks actually turning to YouTube as their podcast source, it’d be fantastic to tap into that audience.
One other plus? It is easier to get an audience to interact with content on this social media platform. You do not need to plead with folks to go through the process of writing a review on iTunes. Listeners may simply leave a comment below the video.
Also, YouTube has better analytics than traditional podcasting services. You cannot just see who the audience is and where they derived from, you also can check how long the person listened to the episode.
Starting a YouTube podcast
So, you have determined that you have the dedication and time to give to YouTube. Great! Where do you begin?
If you are super popular, you may just film yourself recording the podcast with your guest then upload that. Or, if you are conducting a remote interview, screen capture Zoom calls with guests.
If you aren’t Joe Rogan, you may want to consider alternative methods of using YouTube for the podcast. Namely, perhaps do not upload the whole episode.
Instead, imagine YouTube as a complement to your routine podcasting. You should tap into the potential YouTube user audience, but those users are not people who’ll sit through a one hour-long video. Generally, users on YouTube prefer bite-size, shorter content pieces.
Consider only uploading podcast highlights. Choose one subject discussed in the hour-long podcast then upload that. It’s possible to even do that with the whole episode, by merely dividing it into mini chapters. For maximum engagement, try and keep videos around 5 to 7 minutes long.
Or it’s possible to use the social media platform to upload extra content. Perhaps a portion of your interview was cut because it was off-subject yet was still interesting. Or maybe you have an update of an older show, which does not require a whole new episode, yet a brief 5-minute video might do the trick.
Also, bear in mind the kind of content users on YouTube gravitate towards. The top 4 categories viewed by users are “how-to,” entertainment/pop culture, music, and comedy. If your show falls into one of these categories, or may be reframed with those categories in mind, you will have a higher probability of success with this social media platform.
Having trouble figuring out where you should start? Try and brainstorm in the “how-to” category. Virtually anything you discuss may be reframed in terms of “how-to.”
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