The 5 Essential Don'ts of Video Podcasting

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Forget the dos. We’ve been seeing so many poor corporate video podcasts lately that it’s time to put away the do list and bust out the don’ts. Here are the five major mistakes of business video podcasters.

Leesa Barnes

To help us create the definitive list, we turned to the Internet’s foremost business podcasting expert, Leesa Barnes, author of the upcoming Podcasting for Profit. Barnes runs two podcasts herself, Divapreneurs at Work and Online Media Success, and has been podcasting since 2005. As a consultant, she’s helped hundreds of businesses worldwide launch their own podcasts, including Agoracom and Outstanding Women Speakers Inc., a speakers bureau.

Video Podcasting Don’ts:

Don’t Try to Be a One-Hit Wonder
Podcasting isn’t the place to be the next viral video sensation. Don’t expect to put one episode of a podcast together and gain a massive audience, says Barnes. Podcasting is about building up an audience over time. Plan to create a multi-episode series over three to six months, Barnes says. That will give viewers time to fall in love with your content and your brand.
Don’t Forget to Budget for Video
Creating a video podcast is much more expensive than creating an audio podcast, Barnes says, and businesses need to be prepared for that. Understand what the undertaking is before you start and create a realistic budget that includes actors, a script writer, lighting, and a professional videographer. The amateur look doesn’t work well with corporate video podcasting.
Don’t Record a Two-Person Chat
While this is the most common format for business video podcasts, it’s incredibly boring. If you can’t make something that’s “infotaining,” says Barnes, then don’t create a video podcast.
Don’t Choose the Wrong Topic or Style
Technology like the iPhone might be a hot topic, but don’t podcast about it if that’s not your business’s core area. While you might get viewers attracted by the subject’s buzz, you’ll burn out in the long run. Also, choose a podcasting style that’s right for your target viewer. Barnes says that many companies want to imitate the look of Rocketboom in their video podcasts, since it’s highly successful, but that style won’t appeal to every audience.
Don’t Let the “Resident Nerd” Create the Podcast
Many companies look to their IT departments and choose the “resident nerd,” an employee with a strong interest in online technology, to spearhead the video podcast. But, Barnes warns, while that person might understand everything about technology, he or she might not understand how to communicate your brand. Consider hiring an expert to help shape your efforts.