Podcast, Vlog or YouTube series?
Is one better than the other, and what's the difference technically?
It seems like everyone is jumping on the podcast bandwagon. Years ago, it was pertty niche, and I've got friends who started one back when they first started, but stopped, because nobody really knew what they were. Then, during covid, it seems like everyone started listening to them, and now, everyone is making their own.
Podcasts are traditionally audio only.
When you think "podcast" it's normally something you listen to. Riding the bus, laying in the bath, cooking dinner. It's easy to just listen to a podcast, and when making one, it's important to remember that it's for your ears, not your eyes. Be descriptive in your storytelling. Don't rely on visuals, because, well, there aren't any.
Adding visuals to a podcast -> vlogging
Recently, more and more people are adding visuals to their podcast, which technically makes it a vlog. Even YouTube has a podcast option for your lists. Visuals can be a great addition, especially for marketing purposes. Short film snippets are great for instagram or tiktok to drive traffic to your podcast. Even filming the whole thing for YouTube, where people can see the person behind the voice is great. Just remember, if you're not only on YouTube, and also doing an audio only version, don't rely too much on visuals, or facial expressions, or hand movements. The people listening on the bus will feel left out, or only get half the story.
Which one should you do?
This is entirely up to you. Some people don't want to go on camera, and others love it. It's really down to personal preference, and technical requirements. You can film it, and then only use the audio, but you can't do audio only, and try to add vision later. You can focus on audio, and use your camera to just film snippets, or use a professional camera setup to film the whole thing, and either upload it all, or just find the good bits for the socials.
It's important to know which one you want to do when setting up at home studio, or renting a professinal space. A vlog will require more equipment, and when renting a studio, may be more expensive. But you can push it out to more places, so could be worth the investment. Make sure when renting a studio they have all the equipment you need.
For Audio only, you'll want a soundproof space. There's nothing worse than dogs barking, kids screaming, or planes overhead. Large echoey rooms aren't ideal either. Unless it's part of your program. Make sure all your guests can fit comfortably in the space.
At Damn Good, our podcast studio of soundproof, and we've got a RodeCaster Pro setup. The sound quality is exceptional. If you're interested in vlogging, we have a black velvet drape wall, for a moody background, and we can light up the walls with coloured lights for some drama, or there's a green screen, so you can create any kind of ambiance you want, or pretend to be anywhere in the world. (Or space)
Our podcast studio also has a 3 camera video system connected to an adjoining control room, so guests can film, or even livestream their podcast.
We can do podcasts or vlogs, it's just important to know which one you want to do when booking a studio, as the room is configured differently when cameras are invloved, and it's important to have it set up before you arrive, so you're not losing valuable recording time. You can dry hire the studio, or we can have a tech do all the work for you.
See more pics of our podcast studio for hire here.
Contact us to see how we can make your next podcast a Damn Good one.
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