Should I start a podcast, YouTube channel or blog in 2023?
So you’re ready to start being a content creator but perhaps you’re wondering which THING to actually create content on?
You’ve heard podcasting is hot.
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You’ve heard YouTube was great.
Perhaps, you’re being told blogging is where it’s at.
So now you’re wondering… which medium should you start?
With so many options, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed so I’m sharing some pros and cons to decide if you should start a podcast, YouTube channel, or blog right now.
Should You Blog, Podcast, or YouTube?
Watch the video version here: Start a podcast, YouTube channel, or blog?
When deciding which type of content is best for you there are a few factors you want to consider such as:
1. What fits BEST for you?
Do you have a way with words that moves people? Are you super animated with your actions and expressions? Do you love to talk? Certain qualities will align with certain mediums better.
2. Which interests you the most?
Does the thought of being on videos give you hives? If so, blogging or podcast may be better for you for obvious reasons.
Perhaps you enjoy listening to podcasts and do it frequently? Then podcasting may be a better route for you to take.
Think about which medium aligns with your interest but be careful not to confuse skills with interest. You may not be that skilled at creating videos BUT if being on video interest you then definitely look into it.
3. Which medium is best for the content you are creating?
What medium will work best for the content you are creating? For example, if you’re sharing interior decorating then blogging or videos may be a better medium since its visual. On the other hand, if you’re a comedian then starting a YouTube channel or podcast would probably be best since it focuses on the audio aspect.
Think about which medium will benefit your type of content the best.
Blogging
If anyone tells you that blogging is dead they are either seriously misinformed or trying to keep all the blogging-money to themselves.
Blogging is still profitable and a great medium to choose if you enjoy writing.
Unlike creating a podcast or recording a YouTube video, you don’t have to spend a lot of money on equipment such as a camera or microphone. The only expense you truly have to get your blog up and running is a web hosting domain. Check out my step by step guide to starting a profitable blog.
However, there are a lot of blogs so it does take time to build your blog up to where it’s making money and bringing in traffic.
Also, gone are the days of writing blog posts like a dear diary page. If you want to make money with your blog then you will need to create blog posts that are geared towards helping the reader.
Pros to blogging:
- It’s a low-cost investment compared to YouTube and podcasting
- You can update old blog post allowing you to create content that never expires
- It’s profitable in a bunch of different ways
- Can help establish you as an expert in a field
Cons to blogging
- It’s time-consuming and can take a longer time to grow VS other mediums
- Not as personal as YouTube or Podcasting where you can hear and/or see the individual which helps to build a better connection with your audience
- It can take a while to make money from your blog
- Can be difficult if writing does not come naturally to you
YouTube & Video
You can create videos on practically any platform these days such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, Linkedin, and you can even do live-streaming!
However, I’m going to focus on the biggest video platform (and the 2nd more visited website in the world) which is YouTube.
YouTube is a great medium because it allows your audience to SEE and HEAR you which means developing a connection with your audience is easier. However, it’s a double-edged sword since it can be either a HIT or MISS (and honestly, some people will enjoy your videos while others will not).
While YouTube can be more expensive than other mediums to tap into (if you want certain equipment) it can be also pretty profitable (even for smaller YouTubers) since the platform does pay its creators once they hit a certain number of subscribers and watch time. I, personally, earn at least $1,000 month as a YouTuber each month. There is a learning curve to YouTube but it’s not nearly as much competition as blogging.
Pros to YouTube:
- YouTube is free to use
- YouTube pays its creators via AdSense once you hit a certain criterion
- YouTube allows you to build a deeper connection with your audience since they can see and hear you
- It’s profitable a bunch of different ways
- Can help establish you as an expert in a field
Cons to YouTube:
- You do not own YouTube meaning if YouTube wanted to take down your account, they have every right since the platform is not yours
- There is a learning curve
- Creating high-quality videos can be expensive when it comes to equipment (Camera, lights, microphone, etc)
- Once you have uploaded a YouTube video, you cannot go back and edit it like a blog post meaning videos can become dated
- Recording and editing can be a hassle
Despite the cons to YouTube, I can say first hand the benefits that having a YouTube channel has given me.
Podcast
Podcasting has become extremely popular in the past few years and it’s growing each year!
The great thing about a podcast is it can be as cheap or expensive as you want. You can create a podcast for absolutely free on platforms like anchor or choose to house it on your website and pay for a podcasting host.
If you want to secure sponsorships with your podcast, I highly recommend housing your podcast on your website as you do not owe any of your podcast housed on anchor. Additionally, podcasting equipment can be as minimum as a microphone or your phone that you record on.
Pros to podcasting:
- It’s profitable a bunch of different ways
- People listen to podcasts for a much longer percentage of time than they watch video content.
- Can help establish you as an expert in a field
- Podcasts can be listened to from just about anywhere (to watch a video… you have to actually watch it. To read a blog post, you have to actually read it but with podcasting, you can be driving, washing dishes and even working out!)
Cons to podcasting:
- Can take time to grow your audience
- You will have to market your podcast heavy especially if you do not have an established audience
- Once you have uploaded a podcast episode, you cannot go back and edit it like a blog post meaning episodes can become dated
- Editing can be a hassle
You don’t have to choose
The thing is… there doesn’t have to be an either/or
Now I realize that you can spread yourself thin focusing on all three and if you’re focusing in many different areas at once, it’s hard to master one or expect any kind of growth… But you can actually do all the 3 or 2 if you’re strategic about it.
Podcast VS Blog
You can create a podcast and then use a transcription service to convert your speech into audio form.
Simply upload your podcast to Rev.com and they will provide you the written form of your podcast which you can turn into a podcast.
Click here to get $10 off transcribing your podcast
YouTube VS Blog
You can also use a transcription service to turn your YouTube video into a blog post.
Simply upload your YouTube video to rev.com, and they will turn your speech into written form. Click here to get $10 off transcribing your YouTube video
YouTube VS Podcast
Once you have recorded a YouTube video, separate out the video from the audio and turn the audio into an MP4 for your podcast. It’s super easy to do and can be done on most video editors including iMovie and Wondershare.
You can also pay people to turn your podcast into a blog post, turn your YouTube video into a blog, and/or turn your YouTube video into a podcast! I recommend sites like Fiverr where you can pay as low as $5 to get it done.
When it comes to deciding if you should launch a YouTube channel, podcast, or blog, I say choose what makes the MOST sense to you!
As someone who has a YouTube channel, a podcast, and a blog. I, first, started off with YouTube. Once I mastered that then I moved on to blogging too.
All of this took time. I didn’t start off doing everything, which allowed me to focus without becoming burnt out or overwhelmed.
When it comes to if you should start a podcast, YouTube channel or blog, think about which medium you can be the most consistent on right now and which medium excites you the most. I think that’s the option you should ultimately choose.
