Podcasting has been a growing medium, with momentum increasing each year. But video podcasting has recently taken over as the king of content. A 2023 survey showed that YouTube is the most popular platform for listening to podcasts, with 28% of listeners (in this case, viewers) saying they use it the most followed by Spotify at 15%, and Apple Podcasts at 12%. The boom in podcasts with video is likely driven by similar factors that we see with the popularity of video in general -- video content sees increased engagement as viewers can build stronger connections with creators and develop trust and loyalty. 

If you're interested in starting a video podcast but don't know where to begin, you've come to the right place. In this guide we'll everything you need to know about becoming a podcaster, including: 

• Why you should start video podcasting 
• How to plan your video podcast 
• Essential podcast equipment you need 
• How to set up your podcast recording studio 
• Steps for recording the podcast 
• Tips for podcast editing
• How to publish and distribute your video podcast 
• The importance of sharing your video on social media 

Why should you start video podcasting? 

Starting a podcast is a great way to build a loyal audience, connect with your followers, and establish yourself as a leader in your field. And if you're considering the benefits of starting a video podcast versus audio recording only, then the proof is in the pudding: 46% of podcast listeners report that they prefer to consume podcasts with video, whereas 42% prefer listening to audio only. But here's the catch: if you produce video, you can truly satisfy both groups, as the audio preferring audience members can opt to listen along. 

By elevating your content to a video podcast format, you can leverage the benefits of visual storytelling, build an audience connection, and repurpose and share your content across platforms. Some of the most popular and successful podcasts today are video podcasts, including: 

• The Joe Rogan Experience 
• Call Her Daddy
• Impaulsive
• The Toast

How to plan your video podcast 

When planning how to approach creating podcast with video, you need to pick a topic, theme, and niche for your content. Identify a target audience and build a content plan from there, are you aiming to speak to working adults, recent college grads who live in cities, a subculture like gamers or car-fans? Determine what the format will be: is it a solo talk show, will you be interviewing guests each episode, or will you have a panel discussion with multiple hosts talking about new topics each time? 

Once you have answers to those questions, you can determine the tone (humor, educational, social commentary) and create a content plan plus an episode outline. You'll also want to determine an episode cadence so that subscribers and viewers know how often new episodes will be released. Don't be too ambitious with this at the beginning--producing a video podcast is a lot of work, between the video editing, ideation, and sharing on social--you can start small and add in more frequent episodes once you fall into a solid rhythm.

Essential podcast equipment 

To produce a high quality video podcast, you'll need some basic equipment. Note that we go into more detail about video podcast equipment in our deep dive, so check that out for more info. But for now, here's a list of what you should start with: 

• Cameras: You can start with a phone camera if it has 4K video recording capabilities, as this will be enough to get you going with your video podcast setup. Once you have the budget for designated camera equipment, you can look for a mirrorless or DSLR camera with adjustable settings and changeable lenses. If you're recording a solo podcast where you'll be sitting at a desk, you can use a high quality webcam connected to your computer. Finally, if you are planning to host a panel or run interviews, consider the options for a multi-camera setup down the road.  
• Microphones: Even if you're making a video podcast, the quality of the audio is important. To achieve a high-quality audio recording, whether you're filming with a webcam, a phone, a mirrorless camera, or a DSLR camera, you need an external microphone. This will help you capture clear and clean sound for your listeners, while draining out background noise and reducing overall static. There are several options, including a podcast microphone, a lavalier microphone that clips to your shirt, or an XLR microphone that you plug into an audio interface. Whichever one you choose, you'll sync the audio to the video in post production when you are doing the video editing.
• Lighting It's best to film in a space with no natural light so that you can take your time filming, and edit without the audience being able to see how much time has passed. A basic soft box light will be a solid option to start with to create a studio lighting environment. You may also want to consider various colored lights to create a dynamic depth of field in the room where your filming and an atmosphere that matches the tone of your show.
• Tripod: Even if you choose to use a phone, you will need a tripod to keep your camera steady and level. Make sure you match your tripod to the weight of your camera and get the right attachment. Also consider whether the tripod has the capacity to film vertically if that is something you plan to to for social media content.

Set up your podcast recording space 

Choosing the right environment to record the podcast is essential to creating a successful podcast setup. If you have a designated room to record in, you may be able to set up your microphones, lights, and cameras once. But many people will be recording at their desk or in a bedroom or living room, in which case you want to create a consistent setup that you can replicate. Another key component of a strong video podcast setup is eliminating background noise, natural light, background activity, and distractions of any kind. To achieve the best outcome, consider these best practices for your podcast studio and podcast recording process: 

• Soundproof your space whenever possible for optimal audio recording conditions. You can use foam, carpet, and other sound absorbing materials to help with this. 
• Avoid interruptions when filming. If you live with other people, consider putting a sign on the door when you're recording. 
• Reduce natural light exposure to make the editing process easier. 
• Choose items for your set that have personality and match the theme and tone of your podcast. 
• Keep essential items like extra microphones, batteries, chargers, and cords nearby. 
• Consider accessories that can help your recording like a teleprompter. 

How to present yourself in a video podcast 

When you set up to record your podcast, you want to be careful and intentional about how you capture your podcast host, guests, and the podcast studio. It's important to choose camera angles intentionally and make the visual composition pleasing for the eye, and clear for viewers. When composing your frame, keep in mind the rule of thirds, be sure every podcast creator is clearly visible in the frame, is making eye contact with the camera, and has clear access to a microphone for clear speaking. Take some practice clips to get a sense of body language and how your podcasters are coming across on video. 

Post-production: Tips for podcast editing 

Choosing a podcast software for editing is a step that intimidates most people. But editing software doesn't have to be complex. As you add in multiple cameras, additional microphones, and advanced video effects, the video editing software needs become more complex. But when you are just starting out, it's most important that you are able to cut and edit clips, add transitions, sync audio, add brief intros and outros, and include captions. 

Once you've completed your video recording and audio recording, both files can be edited together in the same video editing software. We recommend a few podcast software options that are free to download:

• Da Vinci Resolve
• Final Cut Pro
• iMovie

Additional editing software options like Adobe Premiere are also strong options, but they require a paid subscription. the post-production editing process is the key to creating a compelling episode with a high level of professionalism, a cohesive narrative, and compelling branding. Be sure to add any visual finishes or effects that you need and remove gaps, errors, and pauses to add to create a quality video for upload.

Publishing and distributing your video podcast on YouTube and Spotify

The last step in the editing process is exporting your video podcast so that you get it in the right video format to upload to YouTube or Spotify. This step requires you to make some additional assets to help with the promotional aspects. You'll need a caption, title, description, and video thumbnail to complete your upload and optimize your video for YouTube. Be sure to include keywords in the description to optimize it for search. Also create a podcast cover that you can use as the show's logo on Spotify for consistent branding. 

Promoting your video podcast and growing an audience 

Social media plays a key role in accelerating the popularity of your video podcast. Using social media, you can access another set of your followers, and even a new audience of people who have never seen your content before. 

Another strategy to building a strong video podcast is to collaborate with other podcasters and influencers who will help you reach their audience and give you social proof with the videos you're creating. You may also consider paid promotion on occasion, though this isn't necessary to have a video go viral or reach a wide number of viewers on social media. Finally, engage your audience and stay connected by responding to comments, following the people who follow you, and fostering a community on your page. 

How OpusClip can enhance your video podcasting results 

When you try to grow your video podcast by promoting it on social media, it means creating lots of short-form vertical videos in a new video format. This process can be time consuming for podcast creators and often poses a major challenge that prevents podcasters from seizing this opportunity. 

OpusClip can help overcome this hurdle. Our AI video editing platform can help your video podcast editing when you go to convert your original podcast video into shorter files. Our tool creates ten engaging video clips from every full video and it chooses parts of the video that are most likely to go viral. You can add branding and stylization and it even creates transitions, captions, and graphics for you without any manual video editing. Then, you can use these clips to post on social and get your video podcast out to as many new viewers as possible. 

To take your video podcast to the next level, try out our fee AI tool today. 

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