Ever wondered why your podcast racks up more views on YouTube than on traditional podcasting platforms like Apple Podcasts or Spotify? It's a common question we get from our clients, and the answer lies in the fundamental differences between how these platforms operate. The good news is that this is a sign of a successful growth strategy. Let's dive into why your podcast is thriving on YouTube and how that benefits your brand.
The Different Worlds of Audio and Video Algorithms
Think of traditional podcast apps like Apple Podcasts and Spotify as curated libraries. Listeners primarily find new shows through browsing charts, seeing what's featured, or searching for specific titles or hosts. While they have some recommendation features, their algorithms are not as sophisticated or aggressive as YouTube's. For the most part, listeners on these platforms are already podcast enthusiasts who know what they're looking for.
Podcast apps prioritize things like:
Downloads and Subscribers: These are strong indicators of a podcast's popularity.
Ratings and Reviews: While they don't directly impact search, they provide social proof for potential listeners.
Keyword-Rich Titles and Descriptions: This is the primary way your podcast gets discovered through search on these platforms.
Essentially, podcast apps are great for serving a dedicated audience but are less effective at helping new listeners discover your content organically.
Why YouTube is a Game-Changer for Podcast Discovery
YouTube, on the other hand, is the second-largest search engine in the world, owned by the largest search engine, Google. Its algorithm is designed to do one thing: keep people on the platform by showing them content they'll love. This means it's constantly working to put your podcast in front of new, relevant audiences.
Here’s what makes YouTube so powerful for podcast discovery:
A Powerful Recommendation Engine: YouTube analyzes a user's watch history, what they've liked, and what's trending to recommend your podcast to people who are likely to be interested in your topics.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO): By optimizing your video titles, descriptions, and tags with relevant keywords, we can tap into what your target audience is searching for.
Engaging Visuals: Even for audio-only podcasts, a simple visual with your branding can be enough to capture a viewer's attention. For video podcasts, the visual element creates a much deeper connection with the audience.
Multiple Content Formats: With full-length episodes and short clips (YouTube Shorts), there are more opportunities for your content to be discovered.
How We Leverage YouTube for Your Podcast's Growth
At Podcast Studio X, we understand the power of YouTube, and it's a core part of our strategy. Here’s how we help your podcast get more visibility on the platform:
SEO-Optimized Titles and Descriptions: We research the best keywords for your niche and craft titles and descriptions that will help your podcast rank in search results.
Strategic Use of YouTube Shorts: We create engaging clips from your full-length episodes and post them as YouTube Shorts. The Shorts algorithm is fantastic for discoverability, introducing your podcast to a massive new audience.
Engaging Thumbnails: We design custom thumbnails that are eye-catching and clickable, which is a huge factor in getting people to watch your videos.
This multi-pronged approach means that even if someone isn't actively looking for a new podcast, your content can appear on their homepage or as a recommended video, leading to more views and subscribers.
It's Not a Competition, It's a Strategy
It's important to remember that podcast apps and YouTube serve different but equally important functions in your podcast's ecosystem. Podcast apps are where your most dedicated fans will likely listen and subscribe, while YouTube is your engine for growth and discovery. Seeing more views on YouTube is a fantastic sign that your podcast is reaching new people and that your brand is growing.
So, the next time you see your YouTube views outpacing your podcast app downloads, don't worry. It means our strategy is working, and your message is reaching a wider audience than ever before.
