Should you start a podcast or a YouTube channel?
Which platform is better for marketing your business?
Is podcasting or YouTube better for building authority?
And which one actually helps you get clients?
These are the kinds of questions entrepreneurs ask me all the time. The answer isn’t one-size-fits-all. It depends on three things: your audience, your content, and your ability to be consistent.
Podcast vs YouTube: Start with Your Audience
Before you decide on a platform, ask yourself: Who am I trying to reach?
If your audience is on the move (think, commuting, walking the dog, cooking or hitting the gym), audio is king. That’s podcast territory. But if they’re sitting at their desk searching for tutorials or how-to content, YouTube is where they’ll be.
Don’t make life hard for yourself. Create and post content that your ideal customer will find on their own (because you’re putting it where they already are!)
Podcasting and YouTube attract different types of consumers, so you need to put yourself in your audience’s shoes. Better yet, survey them to find out how they actually consume content.
When YouTube is the Right Choice (Over Podcasting) for Entrepreneurs
If your content requires visual demonstration, like yoga poses, Photoshop tutorials, or DIY projects, YouTube is the clear winner. Viewers need to see what you’re teaching.
YouTube is also an SEO powerhouse. Posting your content there can increase your discoverability and visibility online. But that doesn’t mean you need to become a full-fledged, video-savvy YouTuber. By publishing your audio podcast to YouTube and YouTube Music, you can still benefit from the platform’s massive reach (and you should!) I publish a very basic, faceless video to YouTube for each episode. Surprisingly, it still gets some traction. Ask yourself whether you need to go ‘whole hog’ or if there is a way for you to reap the benefits of YouTube without having to go all-in.
Why Podcasting is Often the Best Place to Start for Business Owners
For many entrepreneurs, podcasting is the easier, smarter starting point. Video can add layers of complexity: lighting, performance, editing, and even worrying about bad hair days. All of that is additional time to your content creation. These barriers can kill your consistency. And, consistency is the lifeblood of authority.
Starting with audio-only allows you to build systems, establish your voice, and stay consistent without the extra friction of video. Once you’ve developed that rhythm, you can layer in the video portion and expand to YouTube with confidence.
Podcast or YouTube: How to Decide
To choose between podcasting and YouTube, answer these three questions:
- Who is your audience and how (and where) do they consume content?
- Does your content need to be seen, or can it be absorbed through audio?
- What can you realistically commit to producing every single week?
The right choice isn’t about trends or ego. It’s about alignment. When you focus on your audience, your content, and your capacity, the decision becomes clear.
Get Support Choosing Your Platform
Still torn between launching a podcast or starting a YouTube channel? Let’s figure it out together. I offer a free private coaching call where we can talk through your goals, your audience, and your content to map out the right starting point for you and your business.
👉 Book your free private podcast coaching call
