The One Essential Rule Video Podcasters Can’t Ignore

If you’re someone who creates video content for your podcast, it’s easy to find yourself obsessing over things like camera angles, the perfect lighting, and making sure your hair looks good.

But the latest data on YouTube podcast consumption reveals something a lot of video creators won’t like to hear:

Most people aren’t watching your video podcast.

They’re listening to it.

Sounds Profitable ran a study on 5,000 American podcast consumers, revealing some really interesting trends about video podcast consumption. The survey showed that while YouTube is now the most popular platform in the US for consuming podcasts, almost half (47%) of those who use YouTube as their primary platform consume most content as audio-only.

Here’s Tom Webster from Sounds Profitable explaining the findings:

This isn’t the only study that’s highlighted this trend recently, either. Another survey by Culmunus Media and Signal Hill found that only 8% of podcast consumers ‘just watch video’.

Which means that if you want to make sure you’re still engaging the other 92% when making a video-first show, there’s one non-negotiable rule:

Your video podcast must still work for people who never actually watch it.

If someone presses play and immediately looks away – to drive, clean, commute, work, or even just scroll another app – your episode should still be completely coherent, engaging, and easy to follow.

If the experience falls apart without visuals, then it’s not really a podcast at all.

Understanding the Trend: Why Do People Listen to Video Podcasts?

You might be thinking, if most people are consuming audio-only, then why are they consuming video podcasts?

As we’ve explored before, the rise of video consumption in podcasting is more complex than it often seems. The growth of video creation in podcasting has been undeniably huge, but we often conflate consumption with the growth of YouTube, which has been exponential in recent years.

When we’ve asked indie creators in the past about how they’re using YouTube, we learned that the most popular way is to publish the podcast audio with just a static image or audiogram.

We also know that the most popular times people listen to podcasts are when they’re doing chores, on a work commute and when they’re working out. You can’t consume content with your eyes while doing these things.

We’re a multi-tasking bunch that barely sticks to a single screen when watching TV nowadays, and the idea of sitting down to watch a podcast is a bit at odds with this.

So how do you continue creating a video podcast that satisfies everyone’s listening habits, not just that 8% who only watch? Here are some ways to ensure you maximise the best of both worlds.

3 Things to Consider When Creating Video Podcasts

1. Create for listeners first; viewers second

This might sound counterintuitive to recommend you create visual content for listeners, but if only 8% are ‘just watching’, you simply have to create with that other 92% in mind.

When listeners are commuting, cleaning, working, or scrolling another app while consuming your show, then things like clarity, pacing, and audio cues matter a lot more than camera angles. Think about these things when creating your show and this will help your audio stand on its own.

2. If the episode breaks without visuals, it isn’t really a podcast

Any moment that requires watching in order to follow what’s happening – for example, pointing, demonstrating, reacting silently – will instantly lose you the majority of your audience. I’d go as far as saying that if this happens, it’s not really a podcast anymore.

You can solve this by describing what you’re doing, seeing, or showing – either live as you’re recording or you can add an aside in later during the editing process. But be careful of relying too heavily on this strategy, as it can become quite disengaging for listeners, pulling them out of ‘the moment’ of the podcast.

“I’ll describe this for those of you just listening” is a well-meaning statement. But it risks leaving the listener feeling like they’re sitting in the cheap seats rather than part of the “proper” audience.

3. Visuals should enhance, not carry the story

Good video podcasts use visuals to support the story, not to carry it. The opening is your moment to set the scene and give viewers something engaging before many of them switch to audio only. Make this section look good and feel intentional.

After that, the camera becomes secondary. Good angles, solid lighting, and a clean picture help, but they will never matter more than clear audio and strong content. Visuals cannot rescue a flat conversation, and they shouldn’t have to. Focus on what the audience comes for, then let the video enhance it rather than replace it.

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Make The “Look-Away Test” Your New Quality Standard

To make sure your video works for viewers and pure listeners alike, use the ‘look away test’ as a core part of your process.

If you can look away from the screen for five minutes and still follow everything that’s going on, your podcast passes the only test that actually matters.

YouTube may be part of your distribution plan, whether you publish full video, clips, or audio with a static image. But the principle stays the same. Most people will still be listening, not watching, so your video should always support the audio rather than depend on it.