Here’s are our conclusions, which we’ll explain in full:
- Costs Less to Create: Podcast
- Costs Less to Grow: Podcast
- Easier to Create: Podcast
- Easier to Grow: Podcast
- Not Podcast vs YouTube, Podcast AND YouTube
So podcast wins, 4-0! BUT YouTube is a natural extension of a podcast so the real answer at the end of the day is BOTH! 🥳
In this blog post we will guide you through the steps we took in analyzing Podcast vs Youtube for each of these categories. [By the way, if you are debating Podcast vs Blog, we have a post for that too!]
Let’s get started!
Costs Less to Create: Podcast
The first round of Podcast vs Youtube is all about the money. 💵
If you are a giant business, maybe you don’t have to worry about money so much. But for most folks building a brand, cost is super important when making a decision.
So which one costs less money overall? The answer: Podcasting.
Let’s first look at the cost involved in creating an episode. Here we are going to talk about making traditional audio-only episodes.👂
Video Camera
Obviously, podcasters can save a lot of money because they don’t need to purchase a video camera.
Couldn’t someone making a YouTube video just film with their smart phone? Technically yes, but there are two issues with that. 👇
Smart Phone Cameras are Limited
First, while the quality of smart phone videos have increased a lot, they are still limited. They don’t capture shallow depth of field great. Shallow depth of field is that professional video look when the person is in focus, but the background is nice a blurry.
Two Cameras are Optimal
Second, if you are making a video for a YouTube channel, ideally you have at least two video cameras rolling. There are two reasons why. 📹📹
Most importantly, two video cameras allow you to make edits that cover up errors. If you only have one camera, when you clip out an error, there is a very obvious blip. This is called a jump cut.
Not as important, but still good to keep in mind– two cameras keep the pace of your video moving. Cutting between camera angles gives your video some energy, greatly improving its production value. Your audience won’t even notice that they expect this in any video they are watching, but they do. You need it to keep them engaged. 🍿
Other Video Infrastructure
A camera is not the only piece of equipment you need when making video episodes for YouTube.
Full Video Recording Kit
In order to make a top level video that will attract viewers, you need a full video recording kit. That includes Tripods for each camera, rechargeable batteries, lights, tripods for each light, etc.
Data Capacity
Video files are also much bigger than audio files. That means you need more data management and storage tools. You also need software that can edit video files. Your list should include: Multiple SD cards, hard drives, cloud storage, and editing software that can handle the job. 😅
Remote Recording
If you want to record some episode interviews remotely, you also need to purchase a platform to do that like Riverside, Squadcast, etc. Software like Riverside will record the person’s video and audio file on their computer and then save it to its cloud for you to download after. This results in much higher quality than recording streaming video over the internet. Although Riverside does offer some free services, if you want professional level video content, you will have to use a paid tier.
Costs Less to Grow: Podcast
Beyond money for equipment for creating a YouTube show, you also need to think about the money you’ll need to grow it and gain viewers.
Multiple Tools Needed for Growth
To be a successful content creator, you need a whole ecosystem surrounding your main content in order to grow and become more popular. You need a SEO-smart website, an email newsletter, a reference landing page (think: linktree), a social media manager, and tools to help you quickly create social content. 🌱
As far as we know, there is no five-in-one tool for YouTube videos that has all of this in one price-condensed package.
But for podcasts there is…
Ausha’s Five-in-One Platform
We aren’t just trying to plug ourselves here. Really look at the math: If you use Ausha, you can start a podcast with all growth tools you need, integrated into one place, for one affordable price.
It is one thing to create a podcast, it is another to grow one. You have to have a growth budget if you want your show to become popular. 💪
With Ausha, starting at $13/month, you get:
- Social media manager
- Social media posts AI generator
- Video clip generator with transcriptions
- Podcast website
- Smartplayer (audio player for websites or blogs)
- Smartlink and Deeplink (all your show related links in one place, plus a link that directs people to the exact podcast episode you want)
- Email newsletter service
- Automatic distribution to over 20 listening platforms around the world.
Ever seen a service bundle as cheap and powerful as this for YouTube? We sure haven’t.
Easier to Create: Podcast
Now that we have covered the money part, let’s talk about the doing part. Which one is easier to create, Podcast vs YouTube?
The answer: Podcast. 🎧
We kind of touched on why earlier, but let’s take a deeper look.
Technology Expertise
The learning curve for becoming a podcaster is much less steep than the one for becoming a YouTuber. 🙀
For example, for podcasting, many recording microphones are just plug and play. In other words, they are USB connected and you can start using them as soon as you plug them into your computer. For YouTube videos, you likely need a more complicated microphone that works with your camera or you’ll have to learn how to sync audio when editing an episode in post production.
Another area this applies to is editing. There are plenty of audio editing software choices out there than can clean and mix your audio using AI. Those top AI edit tools don’t really exist on the video editing side. 🎞️
And finally, even the best, newest DSLR cameras require you to learn a bit about aperture, shutter speed, lenses, etc.
But even if you learn all this, there are still other aspects of episode creation that are tougher for YouTube videos than podcasts.
Guests
It is easier to get guests to agree to be on a podcast than a YouTube video. Getting in front of a camera is scary for most people. They don’t want to do it. But if you just ask them to come in to record a podcast, that is more appealing. 😌
This aspect also makes it easier to pull good content from your guests. Often people will get very self conscious and downright sweaty when on camera. They struggle to be clear with their words as they talk. You can see and feel how uncomfortable they are.
But if you stick those same people in a more comfortable environment, where they don’t have to worry about what they look like, they are going to be able to have much better conversations, share knowledge clearer, and produce much better content.
Easier to Grow: Podcasts
In the Podcast vs YouTube battles, Podcast also wins for the “easier to grow” category. Let us show you why. 👇
Distribution
Once you have made a podcast episode or a YouTube video episode, the next step is distribution. Distribution means sending the episode to where an audience can consume it.
For YouTube videos that just means, well, your YouTube channel. 😬
For podcast episodes (assuming you use Ausha as your hosting podcast platform) that means distribution to over 20 listening platforms around the world. Upload you audio file, click distribute, and boom it is on dozens of different sites.
If someone never gets on Spotify, no big deal. They can listen to your show on Apple Podcasts… or iHeart… or Amazon Music… the list goes on and on. 🌎
On the other hand, if someone never gets on YouTube, well… that’s kind of a dead end.
Reach
Just getting on a listening platform is not the last stop of the journey for episodes. The question is how can they be consumed on the platform, and who is consuming them. 👯
Because of the way podcasting listening platforms are made, if someone is following a show, episodes are downloaded automatically. That means your podcast audience can listen to your podcast any time, regardless of whether or not they have internet or cell service. This is priceless.
Another aspect is that people can, and often do, listen to podcasts while doing some kind of movement. Whether they are working out, cooking dinner, commuting, they can tune in while not looking at their screen. This is definitely not as common for YouTube channels. 🏃
Not Podcast vs YouTube, Podcast AND YouTube
After everything we have said about podcasts being better for content creators than YouTube, the fact is you don’t have to choose. You can be podcaster AND YouTuber! 😻
Distribute Your Podcast to YouTube
With Ausha, you can automatically transform your podcast episode into a video episode with a transcript and distribute it to YouTube. Amazing right?
That way you get all the benefits of podcasting plus the benefits of YouTube. ✨
By talking mostly about how podcasts win in Podcast vs YouTube, we haven’t talked about all the great things YouTube does provide. So let’s take a look at some of the best qualities of this online giant.
YouTube Benefits for Podcasters
YouTube has a global audience of 2 billion people. That alone should get a podcaster salivating! 😍
It draws in all kinds of viewers with all kinds of interests, questions, and hunger for entertainment.
YouTube’s Personalized Recommendations
Plus, YouTube opens people’s eyes (and ears) to content they may have never come across any other way. YouTube makes personalized recommendations for listeners. You’ve probably seen this is action yourself. While you watch a video, to the side there is a column of more videos that YouTube thinks you might like. You podcast episode could be one of those videos recommended to somebody (or many somebodies)! 🙌
In fact, a 2023 study by Veritonic said that 65% of people who watch a podcast on YouTube are consuming it for the first time. Clearly it is a great place for people to find your show!
YouTube Adding Podcast Structure
Recently, YouTube has made their platform even more friendly to podcasts. Now, in the United States, YouTube Music has a podcast feature. That means listeners can download episodes and listen to them on the go, just like a traditional podcast platform! This feature is slowly being released in other countries as well.
With this improvement and with its incredible presence online, YouTube is a great, easy, free place to distribute your podcast!
Summary of Podcast vs YouTube
Which is best: Podcast vs YouTube? The answer is both! 🏆🏆
Here are the steps to take so your content and audience will grow:
Step 1: Make Podcast Episodes
Start with making podcast episodes because those is relatively easy and cheap to record. Upload it to your podcasting host site, and if that host site is Ausha (we hope it is!), it will do the distribution work you.
Step 2: Build Your Brand
Then do all the things you need to do to build your brand and your business: Establish yourself online with a website, start social media profiles so your listeners can easily share your work with friends, launch an email newsletter so people can read about your podcast and get excited for the next episode. 👷
Step 2a: Start YouTube Channel
As part of this, start your YouTube channel. Transform your audio episodes into video files to distribute to YouTube. As YouTube users find your show, engage them in the growth ecosystem you have built.
Step 3: Monetize Your YouTube Channel
With this kind of solid, sustainable foundation plus the extensive reach of YouTube, your show will become more and more popular! Before you know it, you’ll be starting to monetize it.
Step 4: Buy Video Recording Equipment
Then with that money, you can buy video recording equipment and start making video episodes specifically for YouTube, if you want.
Starting and growing a podcast is a step by step process. Start smart. Be patient. Build a strong foundation. Analyze your data. Develop your skills. Invest in your equipment. Keep an eye out for industry changes. You’ve got this! 💃
Step 5: Monitor and Adjust
Keep an eye on all your data regarding listeners, viewers, platforms, SEO, etc. If you see analytics trending in a certain direction over time, look into why. 📊
For example, check to see if a social media platform you are marketing on has changed its best practice recommendations. You may need to tweak how you are creating posts. You may need to change from a personal social account to a business one. If you stay attuned to small shifts in data you can take small, easy steps to keep your share of everyone’s attention.
Remember, growing your show’s audience is within your control! 🪴
Thanks for Reading this Blog Post!
We hope this guide has been a help as you wrestle with the Podcast vs YouTube decision!
If you have any questions about any of the steps, you can always email us at [email protected]. Or you can check out our own YouTube channel (yes of course we have started one!).
As always, enjoy the podcasting journey! 🚀
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