Video Interviews vs. Podcasts – What You Need to…

How do podcast interviews differ from a video interview?

Podcasting is usually audio-only, although there are a few podcasts that live-stream their podcast interviews – and these can sometimes be video-based. Typically, video interviews on platforms like YouTube offer more of an element of visual engagement and tend to be shorter, edited and faster. Podcasts, on the other hand, can be listened to when people are multitasking, while video interviews are more likely to capture the attention of followers.

Podcasts tend to be longer-form, more conversational, more unconventional, and less edited. What is certain is that podcasting is a great way to reach a community that you might not be able to reach otherwise. It’s almost like the early days of blogging, where you’re only limited by your imagination and what people will actually care about.

The pandemic gave podcasts a boost as many people joined the podcast party. A number of property podcasts have hit the airwaves in recent months as the sector begins to embrace the medium.

Meanwhile, video interviews can enjoy fantastic levels of reach and exposure. YouTube has a whopping 2.1 billion monthly active users worldwide and a huge pool of content producers who write videos about all sorts of things.

YouTube has been around for a long time and is popular with a more mainstream audience, although podcasts are quickly catching up on platforms such as Spotify, Apple and BBC Sounds.

Video interviews

What are the pros?

Undoubtedly, video is one of the best media for holding the viewer’s attention. On average, 37% of video viewers will watch to the end, rising to 53% with videos under 90 seconds.

As an agent or supplier, using video as part of your marketing strategy or participating in video interviews means your audience will get a glimpse of what you do and who you are, while providing some valuable insights and educational content, all in one.

Also, audiences like interactive content because there is an extra human element involved in, for example, watching and listening to someone being interviewed.

Video can help add humanity to a brand when we put faces to voices. What’s more, video interviews generate more interaction, are more social media friendly and shareable, opening them up to a potentially wider audience

When looking at conversions, adding a video to a landing page can increase conversion rates by up to 80%, and mentioning the word “video” in an email subject line increases open rates by more than 19%.

According to Google, video ad conversions on YouTube have increased by 150% year over year. On social media, videos have an organic reach that is more than 8% higher than any other type of post, and they also get 48% more views.

What are the cons?

Once produced, videos are not considered evergreen, and unlike written content where edits or corrections can be made with any unexpected changes in plans, it’s more complicated with video. It can be difficult to make even small changes or repurpose the same content if it soon becomes outdated.

Podcasts

What are the pros?

Podcasts allow for content that is more organic and conversational, with a greater connection created between the podcast hosts and guests and the audience. The fact that podcasts are very often unscripted allows for a stronger connection with the audience and a more spontaneous vibe.

One factor that stands out as an advantage is that the unscripted emotions and personalities heard on a podcast allow you to build a strong connection with your audience, building trust and painting your business and colleagues in a positive light.

Podcasts are becoming increasingly popular these days, in part because they are so versatile and, unlike written or video content, can be more easily consumed anytime, anywhere. Whether you’re gardening, running or cooking.

To that end, it’s not surprising that about 35% of podcast fans listen to entire episodes without missing a single episode, and that the majority listen to an average of seven shows per week. Podcasts are great at engaging their audience each time with a specific tone and structure and often different guests to keep things fresh.

What are the cons?

While video is becoming more widely used in the industry, podcasts still remain largely niche.

Unlike YouTube, there’s usually no visual aspect associated with a podcast, and episodes often run at least 30 minutes, meaning there may be a greater chance of someone getting distracted while listening to a podcast, since you’re only tapping into their sense of hearing.

Creating a basic podcast can also be more challenging than expected, as you’ll need a microphone or stand-alone USB audio recorder, as well as audio recording and editing software. You also have to wait up to four days to be accepted by iTunes, while on YouTube, anyone with a Gmail account can upload a video in minutes. The minimum equipment needed to create a YouTube video is a smartphone.

There is also a problem with the ability to share. Some platforms are iOS only and do not play on Android devices and vice versa. This can make it difficult to share a previous episode in the show notes. On YouTube, people can always watch your videos in their phone’s browser if they don’t have the YouTube app.

We can see from above that both video interviews and podcasts have significant advantages. Here at Angels Media, our CEO Nat Daniels and I regularly talk to the industry – whether it’s agents, suppliers or PropTech gurus – about current issues and burning questions facing the property market.

If you would like to get involved please email lee@angelsmedia.co.uk or call us on 020 663 4989.

*Lee Dahill is director of sales and brand management at Angels Media, publishers of the Today sites