Hi, Reader.

Welcome to Podcasting in Professional Services. Each week, you'll get podcasting research, trends, and examples. Today, we're exploring whether a video podcast is worth it.

A disclaimer; I will try to approach this topic with an unbiased lens. But if you catch me drifting too far in one direction please reply to this email and call me out.

Audio vs video: the great podcasting debate

Podcast evangelists and producers today usually come from two backgrounds:

• Audio (music, radio, legacy podcasting)
• Video (TV, film, marketing)

Within the podcasting community, this has become almost like political party affiliation; 'are you a video or audio guy/gal?'

Personally? I'm an independent.

Yes, I am a part-time musician and audio engineering is a passion. But I'm also a marketer and have picked up some decent video skills in the last few years running Red Cedar Marketing.

I believe each aspect of podcast media—audio and video—plays an important role in the listener journey. So let's unpack it:

Is a video podcast worth it?

The short answer: Yes, but not at the expense of the audio experience.

Recently, we released our 2026 State of Podcasting in Professional Services research study which looked at both listeners and hosts of business podcasts in industries like accounting, AEC, tech, finance, marketing, and more.

The survey found that business podcast listeners were 3x more likely to consume podcast media while driving in a car versus sitting at a computer.

On the surface, this might seem like a silver bullet. Listeners engage more deeply with audio. Heck, across my client portfolio, consumption rates of audio episodes are 2-3x higher than consumption rates of the long-form video versions.

Chalk one up for the audiophiles. But this finding alone illustrates the habits of someone who is tuning into their favorite show. What about when people are discovering a new show for the first time?

Video increases exposure and highlights personality

Your voice is one unique identifier of your personality. Your face is another. Combine the two with your area of expertise, and THAT is your personal brand.

Layering on video increases your chances of exposure. Our research showed 1-in-5 listeners have discovered new business podcasts from clips they've seen on social media.

However, producing short-form video clips requires a different production approach. Yes, the talking head shots are a great foundation, but today's social media users have short attention spans. Video on these channels needs to capture attention right NOW.

For business shows, this can be done using visual elements like slide presentations, reacting to existing video content, and pulling in stock and custom b-roll.

Case Example: Ground Transportation Podcast

Ken Lucci and James Blain launched the Ground Transportation Podcast in an effort to help educate owners/operators in the industry on how to grow a successful and profitable passenger transportation company.

After a year of consistent weekly video episodes published, the show introduced a new episode type: dash cam video breakdowns.

As the show's producer, I curated and shared dash cam videos with Ken and James to get their reaction. The videos and reactions were structured around a central episode theme, so the subject matter was relevant to the audio listeners, who now have a reason to check out the show's YouTube channel for deeper engagement. (Note: the train video in the GIF below is from 2015 and is NOT AI-generated)

Next, we took the clips and reactions an turned them into short-form content for social media. These clips performed well, particularly on Facebook and Instagram (Meta). And while the reach wasn't the same in terms of impressions, LinkedIn is the channel with the most engagement from listeners and ideal clients.

Now, Ken and James both understand the importance of marketing. These results are based on consistency for 50+ episodes and the runway for the show to evolve into an industry media force.

What do you think? Is a video podcast worth it?

In case you missed it...

• ​History of Podcasting: From '80s Radio Tech to Booming Industry​
• ​Podcasting at Conferences: Turning A Booth Into a Pop-Up Studio​
• ​How to Get Podcast Guests For Your Business Show​
• ​Audio vs Video Podcasts: Which Makes Sense for You?​

Take your show to the next level

Red Cedar Marketing help experts and professional services firms launch and grow podcasts that actually make a business impact. Here are a few ways we help clients:

• New show launch + pilot programs
• Podcast audit, benchmarking, and roadmapping
• Managed podcast growth + marketing
• Sponsorship development + monetization
• Video clip production & distribution
• Guest outreach and guest booking

Want to learn more?
Reply to this email to start a conversation.

Cheers,
- John