Podcasts give brands a simple way to share ideas, tell stories, and connect with their audience. But as podcasting changes, brands have a choice to make: should you create an audio podcast or a video podcast?
Audio podcasts are easy to listen to while people drive, work, or exercise. Video podcasts give brands more ways to share their content on social media and other platforms.
At Forge Apollo Studio in Newtown Square, we help brands produce both audio and video podcasts. Today, we’re here to help you figure out which podcast format is right for your brand and audience.
Is a Podcast Video or Audio?
A podcast can be audio or video. Traditional podcasts focused on audio, but many brands now record video too. A video podcast lets brands publish a full episode and create short clips for social media.
Audio keeps production simple. You can focus on the conversation and sound quality. Video adds cameras, lighting, and backgrounds, but it also gives you more content to share across platforms.
Audio Podcast vs. Video Podcast
When comparing an audio podcast vs. video podcast, start with what you want your content to accomplish.
Audio Podcasts
Audio works well for brands that want to focus on conversations and reach people through traditional podcast platforms. You can also produce episodes without worrying about camera angles, lighting, or what appears on screen.
Audio will make sense if:
- Your audience primarily listens to podcasts.
- You want a simpler production setup.
- Your conversations do not rely heavily on visual elements.
- You plan to focus your promotion on podcast platforms.
- You have a limited production budget.
Audio also gives guests more freedom to focus on the conversation rather than on how they appear on camera.
Video Podcasts
Video podcasts add a visual layer to your content. Viewers can see the host, guests, products, demonstrations, and reactions throughout the conversation.
Video may make sense if:
- You want to create social media content from each episode.
- Your guests or hosts add value through their expressions and interactions.
- You want to showcase products, people, or demonstrations.
- You want to reach audiences on video-first platforms.
- You want more content from each recording session.
For many brands, the biggest advantage comes from distribution. Instead of creating a single podcast episode and sharing the audio, you can turn a single video recording into multiple pieces of content.
One Podcast Can Become Multiple Pieces of Content
A major benefit of an audio-video podcast is the amount of content you can create from one recording.
A 30- or 60-minute conversation can become a full podcast episode, short social media clips, video snippets, still images, quotes, and more. Your team can share those pieces across LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, and other channels.
We’ve helped clients think beyond the finished video and plan content around the entire production. Our approach starts with the larger content strategy, then considers how each recording can support multiple marketing channels.
This gives your podcast a longer life after the cameras stop rolling. For example, a single conversation with an industry expert could become:
- A full-length YouTube episode
- An audio podcast episode
- Several short social media videos
- Quote graphics
- Behind-the-scenes content
- Short clips for email or website content
That makes the video more than just another way to record a podcast. It can become a content engine for your brand.
You can see this in our work with the Prevention Pioneers podcast. We created this full-length YouTube episode, an audio episode on several platforms, and a series of Instagram clips.
Video Podcasts Are More Attainable Than You Think
Creating a professional video podcast may seem to require expensive equipment, a large studio, and a full production crew. The right video podcast studio can make the process much more attainable by handling the setup and providing the tools your team needs.
If you’re searching for a video podcast studio near me, look beyond the space itself. Consider the available cameras, lighting, audio equipment, set options, and production support. The right studio can help you avoid common production issues while making video podcasting easier to fit into your content strategy.
At Forge Apollo in Newtown Square, our Philadelphia podcast recording studio offers a multi-camera setup, professional lighting, a cyc, and flexible set options. We can help you create a setup that fits your brand, whether you want a simple look or a custom set.
We offer businesses across the Main Line, Delaware County, and Chester County a convenient place to create high-quality podcast content without having to manage the production process themselves. That makes it easier for your team to focus on the conversation rather than worrying about cameras, lighting, audio, or backgrounds.
Which Podcast Format Should You Choose?
So, which is better: audio or video? There is no single answer for every brand. If you want to reach podcast listeners and keep production simple, audio may be the right choice.
If you want more content for social media and video platforms, video gives you more opportunities. You can still publish the audio while using the video to reach new audiences.
You also don’t have to choose one format forever. You can start with audio and add video later, or record video from the beginning and use both formats. The best choice depends on your marketing goals.
Create Your Next Podcast at Forge Apollo Studio
Your podcast should do more than fill an hour on your content calendar. It should give your brand something you can use, share, and build on.
Whether you choose audio, video, or both, Forge Apollo’s Philadelphia-area podcast studio can help you create professional podcast content in Newtown Square. Our multi-camera setup, lighting grid, cyc, and set design options make it easier to create a polished video that fits your brand.
Ready to explore your podcast options? Contact Forge Apollo Studio for video and audio podcast production.