Does Your Podcast Need Live Video?

Author: Dayana Preval

As traditional media fades, social media becomes our primary source of news. It’s not a surprise that video is making strides in media outside of YouTube. We have Facebook Live, Instagram Live, Tik-Tok, and so much more. As a podcaster, you may feel like you have to stay on top of the trends because there are so many channels to connect with people. We are seeing more podcasters are recording episodes live, promoting their episodes through video, and YouTube. While video is great, is it necessary for your podcast? My answer is yes and no.

I am a firm believer in growing and staying on top of trends. I also believe in sticking to your craft. It doesn’t hurt to take strides to connect with your audience based on their needs and your niche. For example, someone who has a podcast that is catered to boomers may not feel the need to extend their platform to video. Why? Because Boomers are the age of radio, so they prefer that dialogue over video content. This can be different when talking about Millennials and Generation Z. Millennials are a mixture between old school and new school, while Gen Z is definitely more on the video content side.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the trends and want to stay relevant, but this is why I stress knowing your audience and your why. There will always be trends that come and go but think from the perspective of “how will this benefit myself and my audience?” is a great place to start. There is more than enough room for your ideas and consumers who are waiting for your content. If you’re considering video podcasting, take a poll on Instagram, do some research, post a video and see how your audience engages.

I suggest that if you’re a one-person show to not feel pressure to add on to your list of tasks for your show. On the other hand, if you have a team it doesn’t hurt to try something new. You never know how your audience will react. The number one thing is to stay true to yourself and keep improving as you go. Your content is needed!