The Must-Dos if you have your podcast on YouTube
Video podcasting on YouTube has exploded in popularity over the last few years, presenting an incredible opportunity for entrepreneurs looking to expand their reach.
But how can you make sure your video podcast stands out from the crowd and effectively engages your audience?
Let's start with the basics - why should entrepreneurs even consider YouTube in the first place?
With over 2 billion monthly active users, YouTube offers access to a massive audience. It also allows you to leverage video content, which we know has higher engagement and retention rates compared to other formats.
And as the second largest search engine after Google, YouTube offers huge potential for organic growth.
Video Podcast Content Options
When it comes to creating video podcast content, you have several options - live streams, shorts, and full video podcast episodes.
Each format has its own advantages, so choose what aligns best with your goals, audience and resources.
The Foundations
To find success however, these are some key considerations:
First, clearly define your "why". Don't just create videos because others are doing it or you heard it was a good idea. Have a specific purpose and goal in mind that focuses on serving your audience.
Next, intimately understand exactly who that audience is. YouTube may or may not be the best platform depending on who you want to reach. Align your content and formats to what will best resonate with your ideal viewer.
You also need to thoughtfully craft your branding, positioning and content strategy.
This includes thinking about details like your channel name, video titles, podcast cover art as well as the subject matter and solutions you provide.
Once you have the foundation in place, work on optimizing for retention by incorporating dynamic visuals. Leverage overlays, graphical elements, different camera angles and scene changes to keep viewers engaged from start to finish.
Don't silo yourself to publishing your video just on YouTube. Distribute your video podcast to other platforms like Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn to maximize reach. Upload an audio-only version to Spotify and Apple Podcasts as well.
Execution
When it comes to execution, your approach differs slightly depending on whether you have video or audio.
For video podcasters: Diligently optimize all your YouTube metadata - titles, descriptions and tags to direct viewers to the right content. And incorporate interactive visual overlays as discussed earlier.
Audio-only podcasters: Avoid simply uploading it as-is to YouTube. You won't get much traction that way. Instead, create Shorts that highlight key moments from your podcast and direct people to listen to the full episode. This lets you tap into the popularity of the Shorts format.
And in both cases, think beyond just the YouTube platform. Set up additional assets that you control like an email list, community forums, mobile apps. This helps retain audience access even if anything happens to your YouTube channel.
Video podcasting on YouTube does require some upfront work. But implement the right strategy tailored to your situation and you can unlock incredible growth. The opportunity is yours for the taking!
