@Rob Klyver Thanks, Rob!

Let’s talk about YouTube in a realistic way, because it's definitely worth having a presence on, but it also requires strategic planning and thinking so you don't burn yourself out. First, closed captions are not optional. Use them on every video. Most editing programs can generate transcripts. If yours can’t, Mac Whisper has a very good free version and a one time paid license that’s under $100. Captions matter for a few simple reasons. 1) A lot of YouTube viewing happens with the sound off, especially on phones. 2) Captions improve watch time and retention, which are two of the biggest signals 3) YouTube uses when deciding whether to recommend your video. 4) And the transcript gives you usable text you can embed on your website or reuse for SEO. Captions won’t magically make a video rank, but skipping them puts you at a disadvantage for no good reason. ---- Now, Shorts versus long form. YouTube is absolutely pushing Shorts right now. That part is true. What’s also true is that Shorts viewers don’t automatically want long videos. Shorts are for discovery. Long form is for depth and trust. A strong plan is to make Shorts that point clearly to a specific full episode. Not vague clips. Not random highlights. And here’s the part people don’t like hearing. A Short can do really well and still drive zero long form views. That’s normal. It’s not a failure. ---- The first 5 to t10 seconds of your video matter more than almost anything else. YouTube viewers are far less patient than podcast listeners. If they bounce quickly, YouTube stops recommending the video. This is where a lot of podcasters get tripped up. You may need to rethink your video intro compared to the audio-only version, but it's possible to make one that works for both. You may need to experiment to find the right intro that works for both. Much like audio-only, long theme music, slow setup, or casual banter at the top will lose people fast. Your opening needs to answer one question immediately. Why should I keep watching this?

@Rob Klyver, this podcast might be worth reaching to about guesting on each other's shows: https://www.youtube.com/@DoItForaLiving/videos

@Rob Klyver So with video vs audio, it really depends on a variety of factors. I think a lot of people have poor video production, which is often reflected in the number of downloads they get. Video production takes a lot more work, so if someone is starting from zero knowledge or they're already stressed running their audio-only version, I do not recommend video. YouTube viewers are also incredibly fickle. They'll bounce from a video in seconds, which will impact YouTube recommending the podcast and episodes to other viewers. IMO, I think starting with audio-only first is the better way for most podcasters. Podcasters should learn from their mistakes making audio, get good at running a production, link their RSS feed to YouTube, get some organic growth with audio, and once they can produce a podcast confidently, then make the leap to video if that makes sense and won't cause a burnout.

@Rob Klyver Do you swap Tuesdays and Thursdays? You don't have one of those days picked as your set posting day?

@Rob Klyver How far ahead of your posting cycle are you compared to when you record episodes? So, if Tuesday is when you post, when are you recording that episode? And do you have a cache of episodes so you can stay ahead of your posting cycle?