Audio-Only Podcasting vs Video Podcasting

Back in the Golden Age of Radio, listeners sat captivated in their living rooms around their old-time radios listening to the first regular entertainment programs. In the 1920s through 1950, about 80% of Americans were listeners of a wide variety of broadcasts. At that time, there wasn’t a lot of competition for our attention like there is today and radio was quickly replaced by video content in the 1950s. Now information and entertainment are at our disposal in every format imaginable 24/7. Even with the multitude of options, podcast listening has exploded in recent years. There is mounting data showing that audio content delivered through podcasts is far more engaging than video.   

There are currently over 2 million podcasts. Last month Forbes reported that 80% of listeners consume all or most of each podcast episode compared to only 50-60% of YouTube videos watched. This statistic is fascinating when you consider that the average podcast length is 20 to 40 minutes versus just over 11 minutes for a YouTube video.  

Last year, there were 120 million monthly podcast listeners and Buzzsprout has reported that each week more Americans listen to podcasts than have Netflix accounts. Forecasts predict that the number of podcast listeners will surpass 160 million in 2023.  

Not only do the statistics tell a compelling story, they provide consistent evidence that audio content engages listeners in a way that video does not. But why?

Audio Recording is Relaxed

Podcasting simply stated is the recording and distribution of audio content. One of the major reasons that information being delivered through podcasting is more engaging than video content is the recording mechanism itself. When the element of video is added to production, participants are naturally less at ease. Most of the population isn’t necessarily comfortable on camera. Guests are thinking about their appearance, lighting, and how they come across on camera making a less comfortable presentation of the content. 

The beauty of listening to a podcast is hearing the natural conversation that evolves between the host and their guest about their area of expertise. The banter, how they feed off of one another, and where the discussion unconsciously leads is the best part and why we listen. That type of dynamic is less likely when a camera is pointed at them.  

In order to achieve quality sound on a podcast, the location, body positioning, and mic placement are very important, but easily achieved with a quality headset or desktop mic. Then, the host and guest are only focusing on each other and their discussion, rather than worrying about how they appear.  

When someone is self-conscious about how they look, this completely defeats the purpose of the engaging and natural flow of the discussion. In cases where the topic is emotionally driven, this is especially interfering. The bottom line is that video kills a conversation. If compelling content is important for your brand, audio content is the best way to achieve it and podcasts are the best way to deliver it.

Audio Recording is Less Complicated

Recording audio is less costly and achieves higher engagement than video. More and more businesses are catching on that delivering audio content has a far greater return on investment. Audio content is easier to create, requires less equipment, less editing time, and audio files are distributed instantly.  

Internet speeds become very important when you have to deliver video content after recording. This is especially relevant when video is recorded and must be uploaded in a foreign country or in areas where signals are low. Clients have many more potential points of failure to control when trying to achieve quality video compared to audio content.  

A good story can take you places in a way that nothing else can. The simplicity of audio recording allows the host and guest to feel like they are having an intimate conversation between friends. This dynamic can be achieved through audio in a way that is much more difficult in the video format. There is no focus on hair, makeup, location, or lighting. The only thing that matters is the discussion.  

Listening to podcasts makes the interactions between the host and their guests feel very personal to the listener allowing them to deeply connect with the content. An interesting study at University College of London showed that audio listening caused larger jumps in heart rate and other biometric measurements of emotion than other formats. 

“Being in union and connecting with others is not simply a desire,

but a need for human survival.” - Forbes

When individuals have an emotional connection to the message being delivered by the podcast, they develop a meaningful attachment to your brand at the same time. They become invested in the host and keep coming back to see who they are talking to and what they have to say next.

Audio Content is More Accessible

One of the biggest distinctions in delivering your brand’s message through podcasting instead of video is that it is can be enjoyed in virtually any location. We can listen while we are driving, working, exercising, cooking, relaxing – you name it. Every possible demographic can find a topic they are passionate or curious about and just listen.  

Showcasing thought leadership is easier than ever in this highly consumable format. It’s no secret that people are busy and demands on our time are seemingly never ending. However, everyone still wants to learn and be entertained whenever they can. Listening to a podcast is the perfect way to achieve this.

The vast majority of podcast listening happens with apps on a smartphone like Apple or Spotify. Most people in the United States age 12 and up have access to a smartphone and an endless supply of podcasts. A static image of your brand’s logo or podcast cover graphic can be used to transmit podcasts on YouTube adding even more accessibility.  

Professionally produced podcasts allow you to provide listeners with engaging audio content with the best possible sound quality increasing the likelihood that they will listen for longer periods of time more often. 

If you’d like to learn more about how we can work together to create engaging audio content to expand your brand, please reach out. We’d love to hear from you!