A Video Podcast Workflow For Every Budget And Skill Level
If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a thousand times (probably even a thousand times this week): if you want to expand your podcast’s audience, you’ve got to start doing videos. In 2022, three different podcast reports said YouTube was the top platform for podcast listening and discovery. Video is also the best way — and sometimes the only way — to get an audience on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
But video is time-consuming. It can be expensive. Considering that podcasting is already time-consuming and also not free, you’d be forgiven for deciding video isn’t worth the extra effort and expense.
Here’s the deal though: a video podcast isn’t just one thing. The way you choose to make your podcast’s video component can take a lot of forms — a full episode or just short clips in a professional video studio or against the blank wall in your living room, fully produced or a single start-to-finish shot.
And all of them are fine! In fact, the way video has taken over online, posting anything on a video-first platform is infinitely better than not being there at all.
The form your video podcast takes depends on a lot of things: your time, your budget, and your skill in video production. Whatever your constraints, there’s a workflow that will work for you.
Video podcast principles to keep in mind
No matter what form your video takes, there are a few rules you can follow that will make the process much easier.
Make video your default
If you’re used to doing an audio-only podcast, you might be thinking of video as a second step. Instead, incorporate video into every stage of production. When you’re booking guests, remind them that you’ll be using the video and audio from the interview. When you’re recording your intro and outro, turn on your camera and fix up your lighting. If you think about the video from step one, it’ll give you a lot more to work with in steps 2-10.
Set it and forget it
If you’ve got the space, try arranging your video set — camera, mic, lights, background — and leaving it that way when you’re not using it. That’ll make it easier to just hit record and go. If you don’t have the space, think about ways you can make it easier on yourself to set up for video every time you need to.
Short-form is fine too
Not everything has to be a full episode. Short-form clips from the best moments in the show are great for social media promotion and posting on YouTube Shorts. They also take less time to produce — especially if you follow the first rule on this list and record video for everything.
Now, here’s some more specific workflow ideas, tailored to various levels of experience, availability, and budget.
Video podcast workflows
Beginner editor, minimal time, minimal budget
Gear:
Use what you’ve got, which is probably a decent podcast microphone and the webcam that’s built into your computer. For lighting, try recording near a window during the day, or pick up a budget ring light to illuminate your face.
Suppose you have an iPhone and a Mac. In that case, you can boost your video quality considerably with Continuity Camera, which lets you use your phone as a webcam — it’s a much better camera than almost any webcam. (For Android users, the app Camo will do the same thing for a small fee).
Set:
If you’re so crunched for time and budget that you can’t be bothered with a video set, just tidy up a bit and make sure your background isn’t distracting.
Workflow:
Record the interview on Zoom
Record a video intro and outro, and any necessary narration
Edit the episode in Descript’s text-based editor, which lets you edit both the audio and video as if you’re editing a doc
Export the audio for your podcast host and export the video for YouTube
Highlight your favorite moments in the episode, then copy highlights to a new composition to produce a short-form video for social media
Upload your episode to Capsho to produce show notes, a YouTube description, and any other promo copy you need
Intermediate editor, some time, modest budget
Gear:
You’ll want to invest in something better than your computer’s webcam. The Insta360 Link, Elgato FaceCam, and Opal C1 are all good-looking, high-resolution webcams that cost around $300. Before investing in a new camera, though, try using your phone as a webcam the way we described in the previous workflow. You may find it does everything you need, and looks as good if not better as any of the above.
You’ll definitely want a ring light at the very least, and you may even want to invest in a budget three-point lighting setup.
Your guest’s video quality doesn’t matter as much — audiences tend to be more forgiving of guests than hosts — but to get the best quality you can, interview them using a cloud-based recorder like SquadCast or Riverside, which produces better quality than Zoom (but also costs more).
Set:
At this level, you probably don’t have the budget for a dedicated video set, but you have the time and energy to make whatever you’ve got look good. Liven up visual interest by adding a plant or two, and put space between yourself and the wall behind you to provide some depth of field. Don’t forget soft surfaces like rugs, curtains, and pillows to deaden echo and improve audio quality.
Workflow:
Record the interview on SquadCast or Riverside
Record a video intro and outro, and any necessary narration
Produce your video: Edit the audio and video in Descript’s text-based editor, which lets you edit both the audio and video as if you’re editing a doc. Keep edits sparse to avoid jump cuts and jarring transitions. Add a logo title card and credits
Produce your audio: Once your video edit is done, copy it to a new composition and go back through with a heavier hand, removing filler words, adding space wherever you need it, plus music or whatever you need
Export the audio for your podcast host and export the video for YouTube
Highlight your favorite moments in the video episode, then copy highlights to a new composition to produce a short-form video for social media
Upload your episode to Capsho to produce show notes, a YouTube description, and any other promo copy you need
Advanced editor, lots of time, big budget
Gear:
At this level, you’ll want to do some intensive research on the professional video gear that will work best for you. That said, some of the most popular cameras for YouTubers are the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II, the Canon EOS M50 Mark II, and the Canon EOS 80D, which will run you between $600 and $1,000.
If you’re doing in-person interviews, you’ll need a second (or more) podcast microphone and a mixer that can accommodate all of your mics. And you’ll want a full lighting rig; you can rent them, and you can hire professionals to make sure your lighting looks good.
Set:
Whether it’s a room in your house or a video studio you rented, you’re going to want a full set at this level. Check out your favorite channels on YouTube and take note of the sets you like best — will you want a custom neon sign? A comfy couch? Are walls covered with plants or antiques? Whatever you choose, add it to your shopping list. And make sure there’s room for your guest!
Workflow:
Record the interview in the studio
Record a video intro and outro, and any necessary narration
Produce your video: Open up Descript (or your video editor of choice) and either edit the audio and video together or edit just the video. Add B-roll and relevant graphics to add visual interest to the episode, and use a custom animation for your intro if you’ve got one
Produce your audio episode: Either go back over your video edit as in the previous workflow or edit the raw audio from the beginning
Export the audio for your podcast host and export the video for YouTube
Don’t forget to produce highlight clips from your video for social media!
Upload your episode to Capsho to produce show notes, a YouTube description, and any other promo copy you need
Final thoughts
Remember, these are only suggestions. The right video podcast workflow for you will depend on your unique situation, so feel free to mix and match these suggestions to suit your show.