Podcast vs YouTube — Where to share your story and why

As an aspiring content creator, storyteller, or established business, you're ready to take your message to the world. You know that bringing your ideas to life beyond the office or storyboard with engaging content is the next step, and podcasts and YouTube are two popular ways for you to find an audience.

When you are just starting out, it can be difficult to decide where to focus your attention, or pick a medium. Many creators successfully combine the two, making it even more complicated to know which medium is best for your brand.

Understanding more about the pros and cons of both YouTube and podcasts can help you make a smart creative decision about where to start. Read on for tips about what to consider as you approach either — or both — as a potential marketing and storytelling opportunity.

People are listening — and watching

Essentially an extension of radio, podcasts are typically serial in content with seasons or episodes on a common theme. Podcast listeners often choose this medium because they can consume it while doing something else — exercising, driving, working, etc. According to Edison Research, an estimated 68 million people listen to podcasts each week in the U.S. alone.

YouTube, on the other hand, began as a video-sharing service and has grown into a social media platform. Today many users also turn to it as their preferred search engine. A Pew 2021 survey finds that YouTube is the most commonly used online platform, with 81 percent of Americans reporting having ever used it.

Because each medium offers a different connection point to the same audience, some brands and creators leverage both YouTube and podcasts using the same content. For example, Adobe executive creative director Adam Morgan hosts a program called “Real Creative Leadership,” which is published on YouTube as a video series and on all the major podcast services in audio-only format.

Seen vs. heard — How much will visuals inform the content?

When thinking about which platform can best serve your story, one of your first steps is to clarify your production needs.

Are you filming a static conversation, or do you plan to edit, get different camera angles, and add effects to make the visual component unique and engaging? Will you be taking a more personal vlogging approach — putting yourself front and center?

Video production equipment, technology, and skills are where the rubber hits the road, so be sure you are considering this part wisely.

You will want video editing software that meets your needs to shoot, edit, and share online videos anywhere. Maybe you’ve got the experience for a more professional program that lets you address audio and graphics in a way that matches your imagination. Or perhaps you need to start with the basics and could even benefit from some training. Many platforms offer an entire suite of products that can help you create great video whether you are just getting started or you are a seasoned pro.

For podcasting, you won’t need to think about visuals in the same way, but you will still need to determine whether you want to simply record a conversation or add sound effects and other creative elements to support your storytelling.

Props and visual aids — Can you put it into words?

Another part of deciding how to tell your story is to consider the role visibility — facial expressions, body language, or physical expressions needs to play in it.

Raised eyebrows and a bouncing knee can speak volumes in a verbal exchange. So can a speaker’s socks, belt buckle, or hairstyle — or the room where you record. What gets lost when your audience can’t see these things? Does your story pay a price if you don’t include them? Or is the verbal content most important?

Knowing when visibility is or is not necessary for a story to be coherent to audiences is one consideration you just can’t skip.

As you are considering the nuts-and-bolts of creating a podcast, remember that visibility elements can’t be easily translated into an audio medium. Take time to evaluate your story looking at these parts specifically. If you can pull it off with great dialogue alone, take a stab at the podcast approach. If you are finding, however, that too much is getting lost in translation, maybe you need to commit to the visual capabilities of video and YouTube.

Is your setup camera-ready?

Now comes the practical part: your equipment.

You have probably already used the “good enough” camera and mic setup, but maybe this time your story needs something better. As you create your recording space for audio or video, here are a few things to keep in mind.

Editing matters

Whether you tell your story via YouTube or a podcast, you are going to need editing software. Look for a program that supports your level of experience. If you are starting out with a podcast, you can get away with a digital workstation that nears professional levels but saves on costs. For YouTube production, you will want something that helps you follow the principles of video editing but won’t break the bank.

Your microphone is your most important tool

For both video and audio media, sound quality makes all the difference. “People can forgive not-so-great video quality,” says YouTuber John Spannos, “but if the video has bad audio, they’ll click away.” And for podcasts, the necessity of a good microphone goes without saying. Microphones can get expensive quickly, but for beginners, a $200 USB mic will do the trick.

YouTube involves more than just video

It is easy to get focused on the camera, but YouTube producers have a lot more to think about than just shooting video. Tools like a green screen, production software, tagging for social shares, and even building a set are all pieces of the YouTube production puzzle. Being aware of these parts of the equation helps you build a better recording space overall and sets you up for success.

Your podcast needs to live somewhere

You can do great recording and production work, but do not forget that the step of housing a podcast is as much a part of production as creating the content itself. Be sure you have the equipment necessary to make this happen: a website, an RSS feed, and a hosting service for your audio files.

Make your media work for you

The effort of launching on a new platform can pay real dividends to your story or brand.

For example, Nate Olson, producer and head of business development for design and animation company Studio Zubio, says using YouTube allows you to take advantage of the search engine optimization and algorithms built into the platform. These are great perks. With these benefits working for you, Olson explains, you can drive users to your content in other channels, including a related podcast if you have one. Then, as your podcast mentions your YouTube channel, your reciprocity cycle continues.

Whichever channel you choose to launch first, or if you decide to make a blitz using both, the ultimate goal is to find more ways to make your media work for you.