Anyone who knows me knows that one of my most commonly uttered phrases is, “There’s this podcast…” I listen while I work, while I walk my dogs, in the car, and while I paddleboard. My partner knows I’m gearing up to go on a cleaning binge when I get out my headphones in the middle of the day on the weekend.

Do you know what I can’t do while working, walking, driving, and paddling? Watch a video. 

So when the term “video podcasting” started popping up, I cringed. 

Whoever dreamed up this term clearly doesn’t understand the appeal of podcasts. While there is a lot I love about podcasts — the depth and breadth of the storytellers they have enabled, the casualness of the conversations, and the pleasure of finding a new to me series and binging the back catalog — what I think has propelled podcasts to such popularity is that we can listen to them while doing something else. 

Podcasts are not like books (even audiobooks) or TV shows or movies — all of which demand our undivided attention to follow an intricate plot. Instead, we listen as our “podcast friends” chat — often somewhat aimlessly, depending on what kind of podcast you’re into — and keep us entertained as we vacuum, or navigate endless stretches of highways. Podcasts don’t make demands on our time — they just sit idly in our pockets until we call on them, going wherever we go.

Sure, videos are more portable than ever before, but if you’re watching a video while driving — or even just walking down the street — you’re a hazard to everyone and I’d like your name and license number so I can report you to the local authorities. 

Videos are also more popular than ever but if all you’re doing is recording yourself while you talk to someone else, I think you’re missing the point of video as well as podcasting. By not taking full advantage of the video medium or the casual, passive experience of a podcast, you’re failing to make the most of either format. I understand that YouTube is an enormous search engine and that social media is an inherently visual medium, primed for video, so I get the appeal of turning your podcast into a video — especially if it’s relatively easy to produce. 

Just call it something else!

Video series. Vlog. Webcast. A simple show will do. There are so many existing terms you can use — stop using the one verging on being an oxymoron. The term “video podcasting” screams “I’m desperately trying to pump out as much content as possible, on as many channels as possible, with as little work as possible.” Instead of fine-tuning your content for individual audiences and the mediums they gravitate to, you’re repurposing one piece of content not truly optimized for either platform.

I know content creation is hard, and how important it is to get the most out of your effort by repurposing content when and where you can — but that isn’t an excuse to phone it in. So let’s talk about how a little planning can go a long way when it comes to repurposing your content!

Repurposing your content with purpose

Let’s say you own a yoga studio and also provide nutrition advice — so you start a podcast about wellness where you interview fitness experts about their personal routines and recipe tips for healthy eating. Each podcast episode is about 45 minutes long, but the ideal YouTube video is between 7 and 15 minutes long. The ideal Facebook video is only 20 seconds. 

You want to repurpose your podcast to make your efforts go further — but it’s clear that a 45-minute video of you chatting with your guest is too long (and probably kind of boring, unless you’re Marc Maron). Consider taking the tips your guests share about exercise and eating and turning them into new content — perhaps videos of you trying their workout routines or favorite recipes — then point viewers back to the original podcast. Cut this down even further for Facebook — taking the best snippets and outtakes from your exercise or cooking videos and creating teasers for the larger series. 

What I’ve described here is more work but it’s also more effective — and interesting — than just putting out videos of your recorded Zoom call. Whether or not you take my advice about reusing your content with more purpose, please reconsider the way you refer to the video portion of your content. My podcast-loving heart just can’t abide the “video podcast” anymore. 

Want help coming up with great content ideas? Email me to set up a consultation.