Short-form video isn’t for everyone, but it’s the best tool we have for getting the word out about our podcast. Here’s how to make it work for you!
📅 First published in Podcast Hacks newsletter (2024/03/28) – updated version
I’ve spent every spare minute of the last few days researching the power of short-form video content to promote your podcast.
To be precise, this article took me 12 hours to research and write (three times the “normal” amount).
At the same time, I’m only just beginning to scratch the surface. So I’ll continue my efforts and present you with an unprecedented list of best practices.
Performance-wise
Turns out, only some make short-form video work. Kinda. Most see little (or no) effects at all.
Counter Example: https://t.co/e4fhL5XGnj
— Jonathan Barshop (@bar5hop) March 3, 2023
Both tell the truth.
The Verge’s podcasting newsletter 💌 Hot Pod dedicated an issue to this phenomenon just the other day: “TikTok’s podcast boom might be a bust”.
Podcaster Cristina Lumague (🎧 Espooky Tales + 🎧 Historias Unknown) is referenced with this insight:
“While her downloads are more modest — about 2,000 a week — Lumague says a viral video can temporarily triple her listenership.”
Done right, short-form video can make all the difference in the world. Especially for shows that are just starting to gain traction.
Otherwise, the impact is anecdotal at best.
For podcast distribution, though, it’s as good as it gets.
About Short-Form Video
We came out of the era of audiograms floating social platforms for podcast promotion.
As it turned out, those moving sound waves with an animated transcript didn’t quite create the emotional connection we wanted for our shows. Plus, most platforms were muted by default. The latter is no longer the case.
Fast forward to 2024, the social media landscape has made a complete pivot to video-first. And the reasoning is as simple as it gets.
For the first time, there is a content format that can be posted to all social networks at once: short-form video.
That’s because every major platform has figured out how to spotlight this format, making it the go-to for creators of all kinds.
Another game-changer is that most social networks have shifted from prioritizing content from accounts you’re already connected with to showing you content they think you’ll like, based on your interests.
This beacon of virality means your content can reach the right eyes at the right time, regardless of whether those people are already following you.
It’s a great opportunity for growth at any stage, without the upfront hassle of building an audience building. Just put your video out there.
Let the algorithms work their magic.
No wonder podcasters rank social media as their most effective marketing channel, according to the latest Podcast Marketing Trends Report 2023. (Updated numbers are in the making as you read this.)
As you can see in the top bars, social media can both work and not work. Like we said before.
The report also states:
“For all the frustration podcasters often have with social media, it’s interesting to see that our respondents overwhelmingly rated it as the most effective channel for podcast growth. […] But to get a given channel to work for you, you need to understand the nuances of how it works, practice and experiment with it consistently to dial it in, and actually enjoy (to an extent) the process of implementing it.”
The catch? You have to learn the quirks of each platform, put in the work to find what clicks, and maybe even find a little joy in the process.
So yeah, it all adds up–in effort and impact. And you don’t know until you know.
✅ My Do’s
Now, let’s dive into how you can nail your social strategy with short-form video done right:
- Align the Creation Process: Make sure your short-form video creation is integrated with your recording and production process for efficiency and consistency.
- Start With a Bang: Your video should grab attention in the first few seconds. Use a surprising fact, a question, or an intriguing visual right off the bat.
- Optimize for Watch Time: Make every second count with compelling visuals, dynamic editing, and content that delivers on the promise of your hook. Keep videos under 60 seconds.
- Avoid Overproduction: While quality is important, don’t get caught up in excessive production design that can detract from the authenticity and connection with your audience.
- Make Use of Great Lighting: Poor lighting can greatly reduce the quality of your video. Use proper lighting techniques to ensure your content is visually appealing.
- End with a Request to Subscribe: Your call to action is your moment to turn curiosity into action. Invite listeners to your podcast and tell them exactly what you want them to do next.
- Engage With Emotion: People connect with people. Show your face, express your emotions, and let your personality shine through.
- Use Captions for Inclusion: Not everyone can listen with sound on, so captions ensure your message gets across.
- Implement SEO Strategies: Optimize your video titles for search on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram to increase discoverability.
- Don’t Use Clickbait: While enticing titles are important, make sure they accurately reflect the video content to avoid viewer disappointment and trust issues.
- Post Regularly: Maintain a consistent posting schedule, aiming for three videos per week to keep your audience engaged and attract new viewers. Ongoing.
- Adapt Rigorously: As social platforms evolve, so should your content.
- Encourage Interaction: Create content that encourages viewer interaction, such as asking for opinions or featuring user-generated content to build a sense of community.
- Don’t Limit Yourself to One Platform: Diversify your posts across multiple platforms to maximize reach and engagement opportunities.
- Use the Right Tools: Take advantage of tools like Riverside.fm or Opus Clips for efficient video creation and editing tailored to short-form content.
- Don’t Forget to Analyze Performance: Review your video performance metrics to understand what works best and refine your strategy accordingly.
- Don’t Limit Yourself to One Platform: Diversify your posts across multiple platforms to maximize reach and engagement opportunities.
Truth is, if I had more time, I would have cut this list in half. 🙏
In short? It takes a lot to make it work (and look easy-breezy).
Well, I’m not going to leave you with “just a checklist” for such an important topic in the podosphere.
I’ve already collected a bunch of winning podcast shorts to inspire you:
Turn up the VOLUME,
David “No need to go all in with video podcasts to take advantage of short-form video” Streit
