How NOT to make a video podcast

Be vague about the topic

Vague, overly broad podcast topics don’t draw a loyal audience—unless you’re incredibly famous, of course, in which case “Edmund talking about something” will be an instant hit.

The rest of us have to nail a specific topic. The more specific the better, because video podcasts about everything and anything are targeted towards no one. They don’t connect with viewers.

Carving out a unique space is key although, to be honest, it’s a tall order when you’re up against well over 450 million other podcasts. If your current ideas are too fuzzy, don’t be afraid to go niche. Very niche.

Beekeeping in the Himalayas, internet dating disasters of women over 40, the bizarre history of photocopiers. When you’re passionate about a particular topic, there will be others out there who share that passion. They’ll become your most loyal audience.

Talking of audiences…

Don’t bother knowing your audience

Who is your ideal audience? If you’re new to video podcast production, it’s tempting to say “everyone”.

The trouble is, broadcasting to everyone is like shooting at clouds in the dark. The target is too wide and blurry. By honing in on a smaller target, you attract genuinely engaged viewers.

As an example, a podcast about “wine making” is fine, but “wine making for people who don’t like complicated instructions” is precise. From there, everything becomes easier—whether it’s choosing guests or deciding which events to promote.

Preparation? What preparation?

Think about your favourite podcasts. Do they sound naturally conversational, unscripted and spontaneous—almost as though the hosts are making it up as they go along? They’re not.

Even the most casual video podcasts are the result of careful preparation. The hosts have researched the topic, planned out the talking points, briefed the guests beforehand and rehearsed a seemingly `off-the-cuff’ script for themselves.

Rambling podcast calamities usually occur when an inexperienced host is unprepared, hoping that inspiration will magically appear. Seasoned podcasters know that spontaneity involves preparation.

Don’t worry about the background

There’s an unfortunate array of poorly chosen backgrounds out there—creased bed sheets, cluttered shelves, loud wallpaper, random strangers straying into shot and waving.

Overly busy backgrounds are a distraction which draws attention away from the host. If in doubt, go for the clean minimalist approach.

Your choice of background tells the audience who you are. It’s part of your brand, so keep it consistent for every podcast—and don’t forget to check what’s in frame before pressing record. While a signature prop is fine, no one wants to see your laundry basket accidentally creeping into the frame.

Undisciplined, irregular scheduling

When it comes to scheduling, podcast audiences are notoriously demanding. They expect new episodes to drop regularly at set times, they notice the gaps and head off elsewhere at the smallest excuse.

Your episodes could drop once a week on a Wednesday, or twice a week on Tuesday and Thursdays. Whichever publishing schedule you set, it’s important to be disciplined and stick to it.

Buy cheap equipment

You don’t have to shell out a fortune on equipment, but try and avoid the bargain bucket.

Cheap equipment invariably lowers quality—and in the highly competitive world of video podcasting, poor quality doesn’t cut it. Ultimately, when a video podcast sinks without trace, the money is wasted.

In order to get a healthy return on investment, buy the best quality video and sound equipment you can afford. Alternatively, think about hiring a video studio for a few hours. You get access to cutting-edge podcasting equipment and a professional set, without the need to buy anything.

Bad sound quality

It’s a video podcast, so you don’t have to worry about the sound, right?

Actually, the opposite is true. Podcast audiences may forgive fair to middling video skills, but they won’t put up with bad audio. Uneven recording levels, intrusive background noise, muffled voices and echoey acoustics turn them off faster than you can say “soundproofing”.

It’s worth getting hold of at least one podcast microphone, preferably more, so that you can record guests on separate tracks. Place it 4 to 6 inches away from your mouth, but not directly in front of your face, otherwise your mic will end up in the starring role.

Record in a quiet, carpeted space and listen out for background noise. For example, if you live on a busy road you’ve probably become accustomed to passing traffic whereas, to your viewer, it will sound like the M25.

Sometimes, ambient noise can’t be avoided so it’s worth recording a few minutes of `wild track’, the surrounding soundscape, particularly when you’re filming outside. It makes things easier when you get to the editing process.

Poor lighting and visuals

Steer clear of filming in a dimly lit room, and watch out for inconsistent lighting levels from one podcast to the next. It looks unprofessional.

Wherever possible, film in natural light while facing a window. If you’re filming episodes at various different times of day, try using a ring light. It helps even out the lighting, plus it saves you from being at the mercy of a sudden change in the weather, or the sun disappearing behind a cloud.

Remember, you’re after a consistent visual set up for each episode—everything from the backdrop and lighting levels to your own appearance. For instance, avoid out-of-sequence hair lengths, short one week, long the next.

Overlook the editing

Editing is a lot more than cutting and splicing. It’s where you shape the podcast’s pace, rhythm and flow in order to keep viewers glued to the screen.

Holding a static wide shot throughout an entire episode feels boring. Mix things up by cutting between guest speakers, adding relevant visuals or video examples and changing the shot framing.

Editing is the point at which you’ll appreciate the wild track, and congratulate yourself for recording guests on separate tracks. When you’ve sneezed during their poignant story—or one of your edits is in the middle of a lorry thundering past—this forethought will prevent a great deal of misery.

Don’t forget accessibility. Captions and subtitles widen the podcast’s reach, and allow your audience to watch it from any location. For social media in particular, captions are crucial because most of us scroll with the sound off.

Don’t even think about outsourcing

If you’re completely new to video podcasting, it’s OK to make mistakes. As we said at the beginning, nobody expects perfection. You need time to play about and experiment.

However, once you’ve committed to professional-level video podcasts, it makes commercial sense to outsource.

Outsourcing could simply involve hiring a fully-equipped video studio for filming, or bringing your podcasts to life with video editing services. If you want to raise the bar higher, consider bringing in our professional specialists in video podcast production. We’d be happy to help.