My Podcast Guy® Newsletter

A lot of podcasters think the video question is about format. Most of the time, it is really about clarity.

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If you're thinking about adding video to your podcast, I want to encourage you to pause before you make any decision.

Not because video is wrong, or because audio-only is always better. But because the smartest production decisions usually come after strategy clarity, not before it.

In this week’s episode of The Podcast Why, I talk about what I believe is one of the most useful questions a podcaster can answer: what's the core job of your podcast?

That question matters because a podcast can do a lot of things, but most shows have one primary job. In my experience, that job usually comes down to one of four things: growth, authority, community, or leads. Once you know which one matters most, a lot of your other decisions start to get easier.

That includes the video decision.

If your show is mainly about growth, video may be a strong move. It can improve discoverability and give your content more reach. If the primary job is authority, video may help strengthen trust and professional presence in a way that supports your brand.

But if your show is mainly about community, video may not add much at all. Some audiences aren't looking for more production. They're looking for a steady connection from a host who sounds clear and real. And if the job is leads, the question becomes even more specific: does video help the right people move toward a conversation. Or does it simply make the workflow more expensive?

That gets to the heart of this episode.

Video without a clear job becomes expensive content.

I don't only mean financially. I mean expensive in time, energy, editing, complexity, and the pressure it puts on your ability to stay consistent. I've seen podcasters add cameras, clips, and more moving parts before they had clarified what the show was actually supposed to accomplish. The result was a more complicated process without clearer outcomes.

That's why this season keeps circling back to clarity.

In Episode 1 of this series, I talk about the noise around video and why panic isn't a strategy. This week, I want take the next step and give you a framework for thinking more clearly. When you know the job of the show, you can evaluate whether video supports it or distracts from it.

Here is the exercise I would encourage you to try.

Finish this sentence, “My podcast exists primarily to…”

Then finish this second sentence: “A video version of my podcast would help by…”

If you can finish that second sentence clearly without hesitation, you may have a strong reason to explore video. If you can't, that doesn't mean you're behind. It probably means the next best move isn't more production. It's more clarity.

That kind of clarity is what helps a podcast become more sustainable, more strategic, and more connected to the bigger picture of your business.

Our clients now focus on the ‘why’ they’re podcasting.

Not on the ‘how’ to podcast.

With personalized consulting from My Podcast Guy®, you’ll discover your “podcast why” to help define your podcast’s core purpose.

My Podcast Guy® works with businesses, entrepreneurs, authors, and speakers to develop, launch, and optimize podcasts as part of their marketing strategy.

Ready to create authentic connections and drive meaningful impact?

​Schedule a conversation with Brett Johnson, My Podcast Guy®, Ohio’s first and only full-time podcast consultant.