TPUEP:71 – Podcasting Vs YouTube – Which is better and Why?

One of the commonly asked questions is, which one is better – Podcasting or Videos. In this episode, I will help you make that decision about Podcasting Vs YouTube by giving you a point-by-point explanation of which is better and why!

If you are new to the show, then this is a show where I talk about Podcasts and Podcasting tips. So if you are planning on starting a podcast, then take a pen and paper and get ready to take notes.

Okay!

So, one of the most common questions I get asked by people who come on the discovery call is – which is better; Podcasting or YouTube?

Now that’s a difficult question to answer at least for me who likes both channels.

But I also agree that it is a valid question from a creator standpoint.

So in this episode, I will try to cover as much information as possible to help you make that decision between Podcasting Vs Youtube.

Let’s get started.

Podcasting Vs YouTube – Which is better and why?

Now both of these channels have their own advantages and some disadvantages, of course. While that can be one criterion to make a decision, it is also important to look at both these channels from a purpose perspective as well.

I will first break it down into 4 parts –

• Time Commitment
• Comfortability factor
• Budget
• Purpose

Time Commitment

YouTube is very draining if you do not have systems in place and support as well. The time required for creating videos, editing, and uploading can be huge and can become overwhelming if you do not have the right systems in place.

One of the things I hate about creating videos is “getting all dressed up” for the videos.

And that is one of the benefits of podcasting. You could be sitting in the corner of your bedroom in your pajamas, just out of your bed, and recording your episode.

Nobody will even realize it.

But try doing that on your YouTube video and you know what will happen.

Podcasting takes a lot less production time and is extremely low on technical skills.

So the first point to consider in Podcasting Vs YouTube is time. How much time can you devote to content creation?

Comfortability Factor

Video is not something that a lot of people will be comfortable with.

Like me.

I was extremely uncomfortable being in front of the camera, all dressed up and looking good and talking to an audience.

But over a period of time, as I pushed myself to do it I became more and more comfortable and now find myself enjoying the process.

Of course, I first started off with faceless videos and then graduated to where I am.

If you are an introvert like me and aren’t comfortable showing up on camera, then podcasting could be your thing.

You don’t need to show your face or, your looks. Just sit there in a corner of your room, record, and put it out there for the audience to hear.

Budget

Now, this is a big one.

YouTube is huge competition and to stand out you have to have quality – both in content as well as production.

That demands a quality video camera.

Some of the smartphone cameras these days are of excellent quality and you can always use them, which is what I do. But a professional setup has its own advantages.

But the one thing you cannot do with is quality lighting. You will need to invest in a good quality lighting setup.

A microphone is another important piece.

So overall the expenses you would incur on putting together a good setup for YouTube videos are much more than what you would incur in podcasting.

So get into it if you are okay to spend a little more on production.

Purpose

What is your purpose?

That’s an important question to ask before you decide on which way to go.

Podcasting is a good medium if you are focused on auditory storytelling-type content.

Interviews with experts, narrative storytelling, narrative education, etc. will all do well with podcasts.

Podcast consumption is easier than Videos. So if your objective is to convey messages that don’t necessarily need people to be staring at their screens, then podcasting is the best medium.

But if you want your audience to look at the screen to learn something using maybe a screen share or, screen recording, etc. then video is the best medium to go with.

Competition

I am sure you would be able to relate to the saying, “it is better to be a big fish in a small pond rather than a small fish in a big pond”.

YouTube is huge and since its first video in 2005 has grown like crazy. There are more than 51 million YouTube Channels as of date.

Compare that to Podcasting where the competition is relatively low and you know which is the small pond.

You are competing against a much smaller group in podcasting.

If you have some solid strategies to stand out on YouTube, then video is the way to go. Else I would recommend going with podcasting.

Promotions

This could be one of the most important factors in deciding between Podcasting vs YouTube.

Finding and gathering an audience can be a huge challenge in Podcasting.

You need to have the right strategies, you will need to be on social media sites promoting your episode regularly and need to slog it out to find an audience.

Add to it the fact that there is very little help from Search Engines in listing podcasts in their search results and you have a problem of limited reach and discoverability.

Compare it to videos. Videos get ranked on the search engines easily because Google ranks videos.

YouTube too has its own ranking algorithm and if you follow video SEO correctly, it is easier to rank on YouTube search results as well.

So if you have the right SEO strategies, then ranking your videos is much easier. This means you can get your audience easily in comparison to Podcasts.

In fact these days podcasters are using videos to find their audience. So video supplemented with Podcasts works amazingly well.

You will need to account for this promotion time as well when you decide on your time commitment. Here’s what you will need to keep in mind –

Podcasting will need about 2-3 hours in planning, scripting, recording, editing, interviewing, etc. and another 4-5 hours promoting your show to get an audience.

Videos could take anywhere between 3-5 hours for planning. scripting, recording, editing, etc. but you will save time on promotions.

Here are a few others aspects that I would recommend you consider before making the decision on Podcasting Vs YouTube.

1. Podcasts offer a much more personal experience to consumers. And mediums that offer better personal experiences are better received by the audience.
2. Podcast productions costs are much lower in comparison to YouTube videos
3. Clickability is much better with Videos. If you are searching for something on Google and you are presented with a video and a text link, the likelihood of you clicking on the video link is much more than the text link. Hence videos have an advantage over podcasts there.
4. Since all videos majorly sit on YouTube and they have their searchability feature, searchers are more likely to be searching for videos than audio.
5. Podcasts can be published on YouTube as well. Moreover, YouTube is now working on putting together a dedicated Podcast page. So if you are into podcasting, you can use your content both as a podcast and also on YouTube.
6. Audio can at times sound monotonous if the host isn’t energetic and enthusiastic enough to hold the audience’s attention. Videos are more engaging and can be made interesting as well without a lot of effort.

I hope this comparison between Podcasting vs Youtube will help you make a decision on which is better for you and which one should you go with.

Resources that I recommend for Podcasting

In order to be successful at anything, you need to be using the best equipment and resources. Here are some of the resources that recommend. These are the ones that I use in podcasting and if you are new to podcasting, then these can help you start the right way.

• Acast Podcast hosting – Acast is my recommended podcast host because of multiple reasons. I simply love their support, simplicity, and their monetization feature. You can start for FREE!
• Behringer Audio Interface – You will need an audio interface if you are using an XLR microphone. This is my recommended audio interface.
• Zencastr – Zencastr is the easiest option to record interviews, both audio-only and audio+video. This is a must for an interview podcast.
• Audacity – This is the best and the most feature-rich free audio editing software. It gives you a lot of options while editing your interviews.
• Blue Yeti USB Microphone – My recommended microphone
• Tidycal – My recommended calendar and booking solutions

If you are looking for other low-cost microphones, then you might want to check out my post on the recommended best microphones below Rs.5,000.

Thank you for joining in

I hope you enjoyed this episode and found value in the information I shared today about Podcasting or Youtube.

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