Why Starting a Video Podcast on YouTube is Key to Growth

YouTube is entering the podcast space in a big way from highlighting video podcasts on a dedicated landing page to investing hundreds of thousands of dollars enticing creators to make more video podcast content on their platform. What does that mean for you as a podcast creator, especially if you've been an audio only show for years? Well, there are some huge benefits to being on YouTube and some things to consider as you create or add video to your show. So details are still scarce on how YouTube will highlight and incorporate podcasts on the. In August, a new landing page appeared specifically named podcast. You can find it at youtube.com/podcast.

Currently, there is no way to submit your show to be highlighted or even included on this page. YouTube appears to be surfacing popular shows and episodes already on the platform. Earlier this year, YouTube offered individual podcast creators up to $50,000 to produce video content on the platform and up to $300,000 for podcast networks. While you may be unsure about YouTube getting into the podcast game, especially if you're an audio only show, there are massive benefits to being on the platform. The first discoverability, YouTube is the second largest search engine after Google. And if you didn't know, Google owns YouTube. That's why for many search results, you'll find YouTube videos pretty high in the recommended results.

That means if your podcast about medieval attire is on YouTube, those searching that topic on Google may find your show while podcast episodes and titles may have a chance to appear in search results. Google will always prioritize content on its own platforms, namely YouTube. Even if you continue producing an audio only or audio first podcast, just uploading that episode with a static image to a YouTube channel will increase your chances of being found by potential listeners.

YouTube also has one of the most consistent and creator focused monetization models, available channels with a thousand plus survivor. And at least 4,000 hours of watch time can monetize their channel by allowing YouTube to display ads in and around your video For podcast creators, sponsorships are typically sold for a single or multi episode run that can make it difficult to monetize a podcast back catalog, which could be hours of content with YouTube ad monetization.

All your past video podcasts will continue to earn money regardless of current sponsorship deals. Plus, the longer the video, the more ads can be placed throughout, which also increases the possible. Since podcasts are typically longer than 30 minutes, episodes are great pieces of content for YouTube monetization. Plus, you as the creator, never have to search out or book sponsors, although you can do that in addition to the YouTube ad revenue. Just click the monetization button and you'll start earning for every view. When a platform like YouTube launches a new feature, creators can take the opportunity and be one of the first to share content early.

Typically, these new features are pushed heavily by the platform and be one of the first to participate will give you an advantage over other creators. And with podcast being a recent addition to YouTube, your show can stand out with less competition as opposed to the already flooded directories like Apple Podcasts and Spotify. With larger names like Amazon and iHeartRadio producing original audio only content. You can stand out from the pack by creating video podcast content on YouTube. So should you add or start a video podcast, if you're in the planning stages for starting a new show, consider incorporating video right off the bat.

You could also pivot your current shows to include a video c. Using a tool like Riverside makes it easy to record your audio podcast, turn on your webcam, and now you have a video version for YouTube. You can even export a side by side video version that's ready for YouTube right inside the Riverside Studio. If you'd like to learn more about that feature, click the video above or the link in this video's description. On the other hand, making a compelling video version of your show has benefits. In addition to just being on a YouTube channel, having video of yourself and co-host opens the door to creating short clips for your podcast to share on TikTok, I.And other social media platforms.

YouTube recently added their own vertical scrolling video content called. YouTube shorts have the potential to be seen by exponentially more people than your standard channel content. And because they're posted from the same account, it gives viewers easy access to find and [00:04:00] subscribe to your channel. You can even create a short with just a few taps when viewing a video in the YouTube app on your phone. These short 62nd clips are a powerful way to get your content in front of a wider audience and increase your chances of being discover. There are many stories out there of podcast sharing a viral clip on TikTok and adding thousands of subscribers to their audio podcast.

YouTube and podcasting actually began around the same time. In 2005, YouTube officially launched while podcasts were added to the iTunes directory. Despite having a similar age, the number of users and hours watched on YouTube vastly outweighs the engagement with podcasts. That means with YouTube positioning itself as a podcasting platform, we may see podcasts become a video first medium.

With that in mind, it would benefit every podcast creator to consider adding a video component to their show. A common concern is the increased workload of incorporating video. While it may benefit your show to invest in better video equipment and lighting, and we have videos on the Riverside Channel to help you with.

You can start right now with the equipment you have on hand, Plus the content you create with added video can be repurposed several more times than an audio only version of your show. Continue to publish the MP3 file to your RSS feed and podcast directories, but now you can create multiple Instagram reels, TikTok and YouTube shorts with your full episode content.

When you use a platform like Riverside, you can even offer private live streams of your show to paid supporters, either through Patreon member full, or sending an audience link to your email survivor. While you can share an audio only clip with captions to social media, having simple video of you and your cohost in addition to those live captions can greatly increase your chances of virality.

So should you stick with your audio only podcast or add video two, we would encourage that it doesn't have to be in either or decision. One of the biggest challenges of moving to a video podcast is calling attention to something visually during the show, which would immediately make audio only listeners feel disconnected.

It may take some practice, but you can plan your show with the intention of making a great experience. For those just listening and still keep the camera rolling. For the express purpose of uploading to a YouTube channel and sharing clips on social media with YouTube starting to prioritize the podcast medium, it would be worth the effort.