The rise of video podcasting and how to make it work for you
How do you listen to your podcast?
Via the Apple podcast app? One of those indie apps like Pocketcast? Or have you jumped on the Spotify bandwagon?
Or are you like the majority (yes the majority) and listen to your podcasts via YouTube?
Yup - yet another study (this one from Luminate) has found YouTube to be the place that most people go to for their podcast needs. In fact a whopping 78% of people surveyed said they have used YouTube to listen to podcasts.
Of course this doesn’t mean they use Youtube exclusively for their podcast listening, or even as their main platform. But the fact that YouTube has pipped even Spotify for the app that the most people have used for podcast listening is yet more pause for thought.
It doesn’t take a degree to work out why this is. The rise of video podcasts over the last few years with the likes of mega podcasters like Joe Rogan leading the way has even the smallest creators reaching for their ring lights.
Local’s Toni and Ryan have found huge success through video podcasting
For TikTokers, you may have come across a plethora of podcasters finding their audience through video podcasting. One success story are locals Toni and Ryan who racked up an impressive 10 million listens in their first 11 months via audio only. However, they trumped those figures many times over with 20 million TikTok views and 16 million Instagram reel views in July 2022 alone. The duo now have a deal with Spotify and their winning video podcasting game would have paid a huge part.
The video podcasts that you’ll be seeing across your feed are nothing particularly complex. It is essentially what radio stations kicked off years ago with web cam in their studios streaming out their morning breakfast shows. But with advances in technology and access to affordable lighting and at home editing, the quality of video has come along in leaps and bounds.
4 top tips for video podcasting
Camera set up for home video podcasting
You don’t need high quality cameras to do a decent recording but if you are a podcast with multiple hosts you will need to consider how you’ll capture multiple hosts on film. You can choose to have a multi-camera set up or you could use an app like MixCam that records using your front and back phone camera.
A multiple camera set up will add interest to your video and can allow you to frame for both 16:19 and verticle video so that you can take advantage of instagram reels and TikTok as well as YouTube.
DIY 3-point lighting
Ring cameras are fairly inexpensive and there’s no reason why a lamp can’t also step in, in a pinch. Familiarise yourself with 3 point lighting and i will make a world of difference
Consider what you can use at home including natural light sources, lamps and ring lights to get even lighting that doesn’t throw any unwanted shadows.
Don’t neglect audio
Audio will still be your number one priority so make sure if you introduce video that you are still recording in a sound-treated space that reduce outside noise and reverberation.
Editing your video podcast
This is the part of the video podcasting process that is the biggest barrier for podcasters. Even if you don’t do any content edits - you’ll likely want to do a camera switch (switching between each camera you have recorded) and it can take a bit of time to get efficient at it if you’ve never edited before.
The good news is, editing is probably the easiest part of the process to outsource!
Benefits of outsourcing your video podcasting
A lot of your favourite video podcasts are leaving home set ups in favour of professional studios.
Humdinger’s sibling brand Stupid Old Studios has just opened a brand new podcast studio in Brunswick.
Our sound treated studio located close to public transport not only has a 5 mic setup, in studio editing and comfy amenities - it also has a 3 camera set up with lighting that is made for video podcasting.
Managing Director and designer of the studio Evan Munro-Smith says
“We designed the studio with video podcasting in mind. The layout, including our custom table, enables cameras to get excellent coverage of up to five hosts and guests and our lighting is designed to look great on camera with the flick of a switch. We have 4 x Birddog P110 cameras that do aut switching so you can take home a copy of you video podcast that is ready to upload, or we can give you individual camera feeds to do your own edit”
You can find out more about the studio and get in contact for a tour here.