As the Business Director at JAR AUDIO, I get asked a lot: “why should we produce audio versus video?”
It’s a great question. When it comes to comparing the two:
Audio is incredibly affordable to make
For the price of producing a 1–3 minutes video, you can produce 25 to 30 minutes of audio. Generally, the episodes we produce for clients are 25 to 35 minutes long and we see an average completion rate of 90 percent. So if your listeners are voluntarily engaging with your audio content for 20–30 minutes for less than the cost of making a short video, that’s a great value.
Podcasting is an intimate medium
By its very nature, podcasting is intimate. It’s in your ear, in your own time. It travels well so it goes with you. Just try watching a video while driving a car (actually, please don’t).
Podcasts become a part of your life
You routinely listen to podcasts brushing your teeth, walking to work, or eating lunch. I know someone who always has a podcast while vacuuming. It’s incredibly rare to have that relationship with a medium’s audience.
There’s something special about subscribing to a podcast
Now that’s not to say that you don’t also subscribe to video (ie. YouTube), but the serial nature of a lot of podcasts tend to cut through the clutter. And the intimate nature creates a stronger “bond” to a show and its personalities. When you fall in love with a podcast you can’t wait for that next episode to be released.
Roger Nairn is Co-Founder and CEO of JAR Audio