Pod Insights The $100 MBA Show MBA2640 Is Video The Future of Podcasting? About this episode Is the future of podcasting all about swapping out your headphones for a screen? Are audio shows destined to take a backseat to video, or does pure audio still hold a unique power? If you’ve wondered whether to put your podcast—or even your learning time—on camera, this episode is essential listening. Today’s lesson dives into where podcasting is really headed, straight from Omar’s experience at The Podcast Show London. You’ll get a practical breakdown of the "audio first" vs. "video first" debate, why each format matters, and how to make both work for your business. Omar shares what’s actually effective in the industry right now, his personal approach to editing for audio and video, and expert tips to grow your audience on every major platform. Whether you’re just starting out or ready to level up your show, this episode delivers the clear, actionable insights you need. Ready to learn how to make your podcast stand out and future-proof your content strategy? Smash the play button at the top of the page and get the full lesson now—before everyone else catches on. Watch the episodes on YouTube: https://lm.fm/GgRPPHiSUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed
Transcript 0:00 Speaker 00 Small business owners, listen up. You started your business, but you can't do it alone. And that means you have to hire people to help. That's where Justworks comes in. Justworks is the payroll, benefits, and global hiring platform to unburden your brain from all the complicated small business stuff. They handle the things you can't afford to get wrong, so you don't have to worry. So you can focus on the parts of running a business that you enjoy, knowing everything else is running smoothly. You don't have to worry when it just works. Ever invest in something that seemed incredible at first, but didn't live up to the hype? For example, I really wanted to love the show Mad Men. I really tried to watch it and love it, but it just didn't do anything for me. As a marketer and business person, the show was a little bit of a disappointment.
0:45 Speaker 00 Marketers know that feeling. They optimize for the numbers that look great, like impressions. But then we don't see revenue. LinkedIn has a word for that: bullspend. Instead, you can get the highest ROAS of major ad networks with LinkedIn Ads. Cut the bullspend, advertise on LinkedIn. Spend $250 and get a $250 credit. Go to LinkedIn.com/MBAShow. Terms apply. I just got back from the Podcast Show London 2025, and the one conversation that kept coming up is, is podcasting going to be video first? Is that the future of podcasting? It came up in the sessions. It came up in the hallway discussions, when we were having coffee, when we're having lunch in a pub.
1:30 Speaker 00 And the industry seems split. Some say podcasting should always be audio first, while others feel that video is the future. And if you're not on camera, you're going to be left behind. So what's the truth? Today, I'm going to give you my take, based on what I've seen, what I've done, and what actually is working.
1:58 Speaker 00 Welcome back to the $100 MBA Show. I'm your host, Omar Zenhome, where I deliver practical business lessons three times a week, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, to help you start, grow, and scale your business.
2:11 Speaker 00 Let's zoom out for a second. As of 2025, podcasting is projected to be a $23.5 billion global industry by 2028. That's a study that was done by Statistia, and it's pretty shocking. There's over 5 million podcasts available with over 70 million episodes for you to download. According to Edison Research in 2024, in the US alone, over 60% of people listen to podcasts monthly, and that number's climbing. So no, podcasts are not dying. They're actually growing and evolving. So when I was at the Podcast Show London 2025, which
2:50 Speaker 00 is a major conference with over 6,000 people attending, there were two clear camps. The first camp is Audio First Advocates. These folks believe podcasting is meant to be audio. They feel that audio podcasts are personal. They're immersive. It's about voice. It's about nuance and slowing down. The other camp is Video First Champions. They believe that video-first podcasts are the future. They see that podcasts as video are great for discoverability, for marketing, for growth, for people that like watching video. And they're not wrong either. You know, YouTube is now the number one platform for podcast discoverability in several major markets. So here's my take, and more importantly, what
3:35 Speaker 00 we do and why. Well, we actually create two versions of every episode of the podcast. A lot of people don't know this, but our audio podcast is edited differently. The content is the same. The value is the same, but we edit the audio podcasts to cater for the audio experience. We edit for flow, for pacing, for clarity. It's designed to be a great listening experience.
4:03 Speaker 00 When you try to rip audio from video, it just doesn't work because there's so much going on in video that is not really conducive to the audio experience. You have to remember, when you're listening to something, you're actually creating the images in your head, your thinking, your contemplating. It's different from video. Now, we do create a video version of our podcasts and we upload it to YouTube. And that caters for visual viewers and it's easier, honestly, to share like on YouTube or Instagram or TikTok. Taking video clips and sharing our podcast allows us to grow our podcast. But the biggest takeaway I want to give you is that audio and video serve different purposes and different people.
4:46 Speaker 00 The interesting thing is I'm finding out through the conference and the talks and the experts that spoke are that the fact that the people that listen to podcasts are actually different. It's a different audience than people that watch podcasts or watch videos on YouTube because they're going for a different reason. They're going to the audio or the video for a different purpose. Audio is for deep learning, for connection, for long-form storytelling. It lets people slow down and think. And with this podcast, it's really important to recognize that because I'm teaching a lot of content in a short period of time and I need to allow people to digest that content when they're listening to it in audio format. Now, I love that about audio.
5:31 Speaker 00 I love the fact that it allows you to think and contemplate and let the information absorb because you're not being overstimulated by video. Now, that's not, you know, poo-pooing video, but I'm just sharing what I love about audio. I don't want to lose it. I don't think we're ever lose it because I love that about audio. And as James Kridlin says, who is the founder of PodNews and a leader in podcasting, podcasts, in his opinion, are something that you listen to when your eyes are busy. Now, video, on the other hand, serves a different purpose. Video is fully immersive. You are being bombarded with audio, with visuals, with all kinds of things that are keeping your attention, keeping you engaged.
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8:25 Speaker 00 Think about it, when you're watching a movie in the theater, let's say like an action movie like Mission Impossible, right? You're engaged, you're kind of in the story, you're fully focused on what's happening, what's gonna happen next. You're in awe of all the different effects and the action. Your mind is not really wandering, it's not thinking about what this means in your life, because you're being stimulated by so many different inputs. And in my opinion, that's a great experience and it's good to actually give that to people. But it's especially great at marketing. Video is a great tool as a marketing arm. You could take your video podcast and you can clip it, you can share it, and make it
9:07 Speaker 00 something that the algorithm is going to help you bolster and share with other people. It builds awareness, really, and that awareness leads people back to the podcast or to your YouTube channel, and that's really where the relationship begins, when they come to your core content. The key is to respect both mediums. If you're going to do both, and I think you should do both, then don't just throw the audio file over a static image on YouTube and call it a video podcast. Don't do the opposite either, don't rip the audio from a video that's highly produced and call it an audio podcast. Each format deserves its own attention. Video needs energy, visual rhythm, better pacing.
9:49 Speaker 00 Audio needs editing that allows for pauses, for clarity, for some breathing room. We've learned to edit differently for each version of the 100 MBA Show because it makes a difference. Because your YouTube audience, they're watching, right? And your audio audience, they're immersed in the audio. So why does this matter for you? If you're just starting out, or you're already running a podcast, here's my advice. Commit to audio first, right? For depth and consistency. This is where real listeners form, trust. I'm telling you, people are a lot more loyal via audio. And trust drives conversion, whether it's for products, for programs, or relationships. Then, start adding video.
10:33 Speaker 00 Right? Start podcasting with video and you can use it for growth, right? Use it to reach people who never will find you on Apple or Spotify. They're video-first people, the people that love video, whether they live on YouTube or Instagram or TikTok, wherever it might be. That leads me to making sure you repurpose your video and you do it intelligently by clipping your best moments and making them into shorts or reels or TikToks. This is how people get curious. They're like, hey, where can I learn more? Where can I consume this whole episode? So is the future of podcasting video? Yes, and also audio. They're not fighting each other. They're feeding each other. In a lot of ways, video is a bridge to audio. And let's not forget, video can stand on its own as well.
11:16 Speaker 00 Some people just like video and they're not interested in audio. So give it to those who like video. In my opinion, if you embrace both strategically, you'll grow faster, you'll build deeper connections and future-proof your podcast for years to come.
11:33 Speaker 00 Well, there you have it. I just saved you a flight to London, a ticket to Podcast Show London, now that it's done and dusted. But I wanted to share with you what I learned along the way. I do encourage you, though, if you're into podcasting, you're thinking about starting a podcast, you want to get into the podcast industry, to check out the Podcast Show London. It's a great conference. If you want to continue to grow with me at a deeper level, you want to join my Three Things newsletter. It's my way to coach you from afar. Every week I give you something to think about, something to do and something to learn. This allows you to know that you are growing every single week. And all you got to do is go to 100mba.net, sign up for any of our freebies, any of our guides, and you get added to our newsletter automatically. It's absolutely free. I'll see you there.
12:19 Speaker 00 Until next time, I'll check you in the next episode. Take care.
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