The 5 Types of Video Podcasts (and How to Decide Which is Right for You)
So you’re interested in building a rock-solid video podcast to fuel your entire content engine?
Great! Now it’s time to decide which type of podcast is best suited to meet your goals (without breaking your budget or overwhelming your schedule).
Today, we’re breaking down 5 main types of video podcasts:
- Static video
- In-studio
- Remote
- Animation
- Interview + b-roll
1. Static video
A static video podcast is one of the simplest, most beginner-friendly formats out there. It’s basically where you take your podcast audio and pair it with a single, static image — like your podcast logo or cover art.
That’s it! Super easy and cost-effective, especially since you don’t have to invest in extra equipment or spend time editing video footage.
However, you’ll never tap in to the full potential of video podcasting with this method.
Benefits of a still-image podcast:
- Low effort and budget-friendly: You don’t need fancy cameras or complicated editing. If you’re just starting out and want to keep things simple and cheap, this format could work for you.
- Simple to produce: Converting your audio into a video format requires little extra effort, so it’s a nice way to get your content out on video platforms without adding much work.
Setbacks:
- Lower engagement: Since there’s no moving content, it doesn’t grab or hold attention as well as formats that show the hosts or guests interacting on camera.
- Minimal visual appeal: With no visuals like facial expressions or body language, it’s harder to create the essential personal connection with your audience.
- Loss of relationship-building potential: This method fails to leverage the relationship-building power of video content by shifting the hosts’ personality further into the background.
2. In-studio
In-studio podcasts are a popular and professional format where the host and guests are physically in the same space.
This setup lets you use multiple cameras to capture things like body language, facial expressions, and real-time reactions, which makes the whole experience feel more engaging and dynamic for viewers — not to mention, more human.
Think of this format as a way to welcome your viewers to fully experience the conversation — you’re welcoming them to the table. Normally, this type needs a few cameras and good lighting to create high-quality visuals that really stand out.
In-studio is by far, the most effective way to grow your audience and build a genuine relationship with them.
Benefits of recording your podcast in-studio:
- Highly engaging: You get to capture real reactions, gestures, and expressions, which makes the podcast feel more personal.
- Professional visuals and audio: With multiple camera angles and proper lighting, the final product looks clean, high-quality and professional.
Setbacks:
- More equipment and space: In-studio podcasts do take more resources. You’ll need to invest in cameras, microphones, lighting, editing software and a decent-sized space to set it all up or partner with a professional studio, like The Creator House, to take care of the technical side.
- Longer production time: Handling multiple cameras, managing lighting, and keeping everything in sync can be time-consuming or require additional experts to work on your content.
3. Remote recording
Remote interviews have become a practical and increasingly popular way to record podcast episodes, especially when guests can’t be in the same place as the host.
With tools like Zoom, Riverside.fm, and Squadcast, podcasters can easily connect with guests from anywhere, capturing both video and audio.
Typically, these podcasts show a split-screen view, with the host and guest side-by-side, which, while simple, still keeps things as engaging as possible for the audience.
Benefits of a remote podcast:
- Convenient for guests from anywhere: One of the best things about this format is the flexibility. Guests don’t have to travel, which makes it easy to feature people from all over the world.
Setbacks:
- Inconsistent quality: The biggest downside to remote interviews is that the video and audio quality can vary depending on the guest’s internet connection or equipment.
- Human connection setbacks: It can be difficult to make people feel comfortable in a virtual room. Sometimes, content quality, storytelling, host chemistry and relationship development can suffer with this remote-only approach.
- Inconsistent scheduling: The #1 driver of success in podcasting is consistency. If you’re relying on guest interviews, you’ll likely run into issues with scheduling and cancellations. Guest booking services can help — but can cost a pretty penny.
While remote recording is simple, it’s no longer ideal to stand out against the many competitors. If remote is your only option, skip the interviews and partner with co-hosts to maximize your show’s potential.
4. Animation
Animated video podcasts are a fun and creative way to bring your audio to life by adding illustrations or digital animations.
This format really shines when it comes to making complex or abstract topics more engaging and easier to understand. It’s a great option for podcasts that rely heavily on storytelling or need visual aids to explain certain ideas.
Benefits of animating your podcast:
- Super engaging: Animation grabs attention. It lets you visually explain concepts, add some creative flair, and keep your audience interested. Perfect for educational podcasts or content where visuals really help explain things better.
- Great for storytelling: With animation, you have the freedom to design custom characters and scenes that perfectly match your story.
Setbacks:
- Time-consuming: Even a short animated video can take a while to produce. Depending on how detailed the animation is, it can take weeks — or even months — to finish just a minute or two of content. Not to mention the talent and skill you need on staff to make this format work well.
- Expensive: Great animators aren’t cheap. If you’re looking for consistent content creation and audience growth, animation may not be a good fit for your show.
- Lack of personal connection: The goal of video podcasts today most often includes building brand awareness and industry authority. With animation, you often miss out of the power of personality-led content.
4. Interview + B-roll
The interview and B-roll format is a great way to combine standard interview footage with additional clips, images, or scenes (B-roll) that relate to what’s being discussed. This approach is very common in documentaries, but it works just as well for podcasts, especially when you want to show footage of events, products, or anything relevant to the conversation.
Benefits of an interview + b-roll podcast:
- Adds visual context: B-roll is perfect for breaking up long stretches of talking. Instead of just staring at the same shot of people talking, viewers get to see footage that matches the conversation. This makes the content flow smoother and helps fill in gaps or boring moments.
- Keeps viewers interested: B-roll gives you the chance to show what’s being discussed, spotlight important moments or bring more emotion into the story, pulling viewers deeper into the content.
Setbacks:
- Time-consuming: Gathering B-roll footage isn’t as simple as recording the interview. It takes extra planning to capture or find the right supplementary clips, which adds more time during both production and editing.
- Resource-heavy: You’ll need more footage, equipment, and possibly people to shoot a B-roll, and syncing everything with the interview can take a lot of time. It also needs careful editing, which can get complicated, especially when trying to match the visual style and video quality of the different shots.
Ready to Build a Podcast Strategy That Works?
Choosing the right type of video podcast is just the beginning. Whether you're aiming to boost engagement, grow your brand authority, or streamline your content production, having a clear strategy tailored to your goals is essential.
We specialize in helping brands like yours create video podcasts that don't just sound great but drive real results.
Our team knows how to craft strategies that align with your goals, budget, and capacity — so you can focus on what you do best while we handle the rest.
Ready to take the next step? Book a free call with our team today, and let’s discuss how we can turn your video podcast into a powerful content engine for your business.