196. Video Podcasting and Apple’s Big Update: What Solopreneurs Actually Need to Know

Is video podcasting about to change everything for online business owners? In this episode, I break down what Apple actually announced about video podcasting, explain what this update really means for solopreneurs and independent podcasters, and help you decide whether adding video to your podcast strategy is a smart move or an unnecessary distraction.

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This episode was produced by me, The Podcast Teacher! Contact me at Hello@ThePodcastTeacher.com.

Transcript

Apple Podcasts sent out an email last week with the headline, "A new video experience is coming to Apple Podcasts!" And for the past 7 days, every podcasting headline has sounded something like this: The podcast world is changing! Video is taking over! Video is now non-negotiable! And inside podcast-related Facebook groups, the conversation has been a whirlwind. There is a lot of confusion and a lot of misconception around this announcement. So today I'm going to break this down in plain English for you. In case we're meeting for the first time, hi, I'm Julia Levine, AKA the Podcast Teacher. You're listening to Podcasting for Solopreneurs, the show for online business owners who want more more listeners, leads, and sales. Today I'm going to explain what Apple actually announced, what it means for the podcasting world, and whether you need to do video for your podcast. So let's start with the announcement itself. When I saw Apple's email about a new video experience coming this spring pop into my inbox, I raised an eyebrow, clicked through to learn more, and then I lowered my eyebrow back down because the announcement was not nearly as dramatic as the headlines made it sound.

Apple has supported video podcasts for years. Most podcasters simply have not used the feature because the experience has been clunky and there been a good reason to add on that extra layer. What Apple announced this past week is that they are rolling out a new technology that's going to make the video experience smoother, more seamless and just overall better. They are using streaming technology similar to what platforms like Netflix and Hulu use for video streaming. So that means better playback and a better user experience, experience while viewing video. That is the announcement that they are using this new technology, but there's also some fine print, and that is that this new technology is currently a proprietary partnership with only four hosting platforms. Apple has said they plan to expand that in the future, but for now it is Limited. So this announcement in plain English says that Apple partnered with 4 hosting companies to improve how video podcasts play inside their app.

That's it. Now, Apple is very excited about all of this, and because Apple is excited, the media has amplified it. Some podcasting newsletters are also leaning into the sensational angle, and all All of that creates urgency, creates noise, and everyday podcasters are hearing this, hearing people make a big deal about it, and are starting to wonder if they are suddenly behind. Maybe you are feeling that way. So what does Apple's announcement actually mean for the podcasting world? Well, the most notable change is that Apple is going to feature video podcasts more prominently inside their— app. It also means the conversation around video is going to get louder and probably more confusing. I'm already seeing frustrated social media posts asking when other hosting providers will jump on board with this new technology. But it's not quite that simple because the companies that are currently participating have a business arrangement with Apple.

Other hosting companies would have to decide whether adding video makes financial sense for them. And if they do add it, that cost will likely be passed on to customers. Some podcasters will happily pay more to have video capability, but many would not. So from a business standpoint, this is about sustainabili— sustainability. Ability. This is not just fancy new technological capability. So now let's zoom out to the bigger question: What does putting your video podcast on Apple actually do for you? For most independent podcasters, the answer is not much. The biggest beneficiaries of this update are the celebrity podcasters who already use those 4 platforms and rely heavily on ad revenue.

Those 4 podcast hosting platforms also just happen to be advertising networks, and this new technology that Apple is introducing allows for more advanced advertising capabilities. That matters for the bigwigs, but for everyday podcasters and solopreneurs who are using a podcast as a visibility and rela— relationship building tool, this update does not dramatically change your strategy. In fact, in my opinion, this advancement deepens the divide between celebrity podcasters and everyday podcasters. It strengthens the ad-driven monetization model, but it does not suddenly make video mandatory for the rest of us. And that brings us to the question that you are probably really here for, which is, should you start doing video for your podcast? And as with most things, the answer is, it depends. If you are just starting out, I strongly recommend starting with audio only. I urge you to keep it simple, build your routines, and refine your messaging. Trying to start on day one with both audio and video often leads to doing too much too fast and burning out.

I actually have a, an episode that's coming up soon where I talk about why adding video too soon can hurt your podcast more than it can help it. So stay tuned for that one. If you are already established and you're considering video, I encourage you to think strategically about where video actually helps you. YouTube remains the primary platform for video discoverability. It is the second largest search engine in the world. It's also a recommendation engine, meaning that it pushes content to viewers that it thinks is going to enjoy it. And those two aspects, the searchability and the recommendations, can significantly expand your reach. So if you want video for that additional discoverability, YouTube is the place you should be thinking about, not Apple.

And even then, if the idea of adding video feels —overwhelming, exhausting, and just gives you that ugh feeling, you do not have to do it. Video is absolutely not required to build a successful podcast. Plenty of audio-only shows are thriving. Apple's announcement does not suddenly change the fundamentals of podcasting. So take a breath and hear me when I say that you are not behind and you definitely do not need to pivot your entire podcasting strategy just because of one headline. Until next time, happy podcasting!