[FAQ]

Hi,

I’ve been recording a video version of my podcast since day one, and my current “strategy” is to just upload the full one-hour episode to YouTube every week. It gets some views, mostly from my existing audio listeners, but it’s not really growing or attracting new people on the platform.

I see some of the bigger shows in my niche posting their full episodes, but they also release multiple short clips from each conversation throughout the week. It seems like a lot more work, and I’m wondering if it’s actually effective.

What’s the consensus on the best approach here? Should I focus on the full episodes for watch time, or is the real growth found in creating and optimizing shorter, more discoverable clips? I’m trying to figure out the most effective use of my limited time.

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

[Jeff Bullas]

A smart question, as a YouTube strategy is very different from a standard podcasting one.

Short Answer: The most effective strategy is a hybrid approach—publish full episodes for your dedicated audience and a consistent stream of short, discoverable clips to attract new viewers.

You have to treat YouTube as a search engine and discovery platform first, and a content library second.

Your strategy should utilise three distinct video formats. The first is the full-length episode, which serves your dedicated subscribers who want the complete experience and helps build your channel’s total watch time. The second, and most critical for growth, is the short-form clip format; this involves editing each episode into several 5-15 minute videos, each with a highly specific, searchable title about a single topic. These clips are what the YouTube algorithm will most likely recommend to new viewers. The third format to leverage is YouTube Shorts, creating vertical, sub-60-second clips of your most impactful moments to act as trailers for your main content. The most common and ineffective mistake is simply uploading your audio with a static image; the YouTube algorithm prioritises visual engagement, and this low-effort format is rarely discovered.

Cheers,
Jeff

[Author]

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