Video podcasting is no longer just an add-on to audio.
That’s right – this year, the biggest shift isn’t about gear, budgets, or studio builds. It’s about intention. Video podcasts are now judged as video first, not just as repurposed audio content. That changes everything from how episodes are recorded to how they’re edited, structured, distributed, and, of course, grown.
Nowadays, the most effective video podcasts aren’t copying television formats or chasing viral trends. They’re finding practical ways to make conversations easier to watch, clearer to follow, and more rewarding to stick with by using editing, structure, and visual storytelling.
Below, we’ve highlighted the video podcasting trends worth keeping on your radar this year. They’re strategies we’re seeing emerge from creators, agencies, and brands that are adapting to how people actually consume video in 2026.
Here’s the TL;DR:
- Editing and visual variety matter more than ever: Successful video podcasts use editing, multiple angles, and pacing to signal that the content is worth watching and to keep people engaged longer.
- Hybrid recording is raising the bar for video quality: Recording interviews remotely while capturing video locally with a videographer combines efficiency with better visuals.
- Voiceover is evolving into on-camera standups: Scripted voiceover works well in audio, but video benefits from seeing the host speak directly to the camera. Short standups filmed in relevant locations help break up long interviews and add clarity without changing the core content.
- Repurpose video into clips, segments, or parts: Viewers commit to shorter videos far more readily than long ones. Breaking episodes into standalone clips, recurring segments, or multi-part videos helps video content match how most people watch online.
- A multi-platform strategy is becoming the default: Creators are moving away from platform-first thinking and designing shows that work across audio, YouTube, and social from the start.
- Visual storytelling can’t be an afterthought: Video needs to show ideas, not just talk about them. Clear sequences, movement, and context help viewers understand what’s happening even without sound and make content easier to follow on screen.
- Creative b-roll fills the visual gaps: When on-location filming isn’t possible, designed visuals, simple animation, and stock footage help keep the video moving. These tools add flexibility in the edit and support the conversation without changing its substance.
The state of video podcasting in 2026
- 49% of Gen Z monthly podcast listeners say video provides a better understanding of context and tone through facial expressions and gestures.
- 45% of listeners feel more connected to podcasters through video.
- 84% of Gen Z monthly podcast listeners consume podcasts with a video component
- YouTube is ranked the top platform for consumption at 34%.
- 64% of podcast listeners found YouTube to be a better podcast experience compared to audio-only formats.
- Over half of the US population (aged 12+) has now watched a video podcast; 37% have watched one in the last month.
- Despite the hype, as of May 2025, only 17% of current podcasts record video.
- This means that there’s less competition for video podcasts. You only need 30 views to crack the top 50% of podcasts and 1,100 to make it in the top 5%.
Video podcasting trends that are worth your attention
1. Editing and visual variety
This may seem obvious, but unedited, single-camera footage loses people fast. Not because the conversation is bad, but because the visual experience isn’t giving the brain anything to do. In video, pacing matters as much as substance.
“Creating a strong hook at the beginning of your content is so important. In podcasting, we often think about achieving this through scripting and the written word, but in a visual medium, that hook needs to be supported by visuals as well. I’m always asking: what can we do visually to match the gravitas of the work? In many cases, I’m writing with the visual in mind from the start, and I find it helpful to think about how the story will be experienced both aurally and visually.”
–Dania Wood, Producer, Quill Inc.
In 2026, podcasters are realizing that strong video is built on variety. Different angles. Cutaways. Changes in framing. A rhythm created through editing.
Look at what audiences are conditioned to expect. The first minute of almost anything on Netflix. A high-performing YouTube channel. Even short commercials. The camera moves, the shots change, and the edit sets a tempo. This is the visual environment audio-first shows are competing in.
Now compare that to a typical remote podcast upload:
- One or two static frames
- Long stretches with no cuts
- Minimal visual cues that anything is happening
The result often feels slow, even when the conversation itself isn’t.
When video is thoughtfully edited, people behave differently. They look up. They stay longer. They engage. We can see this in the numbers: 70% of viewers watch video podcasts in the foreground with full attention.
At a minimum, video needs to signal that it’s worth someone’s time. Thumbnails, opening moments, and visual pacing all communicate whether a show feels intentional or incidental. A static frame and a slow start are usually enough to make that decision for the viewer.
The upside is straightforward. Investing in editing and visual variety doesn’t change the content; it changes how long people stick with it.
2. Hybrid recording
Remote recording changed everything. It made podcasting faster, cheaper, and wildly more accessible. But it also quietly lowered the bar for video.
Most remote interviews happen in spaces that were never meant to be on camera: spare bedrooms, basements, corporate offices with abrasive lighting. There’s no visual intention because, for a long time, there didn’t need to be. Audio was the product; video was just along for the ride.
Here’s the thing, though: location matters. In video, every visual choice tells a story — whether you planned it or not. The background, the lighting, and the environment all signal context, credibility, and care. And in 2026, audiences can absolutely tell when none of those things were considered.
That’s why we’re seeing a rise in hybrid recording: interviews that are still conducted remotely, but recorded locally with an in-person videographer. You don’t need to fly the host across the country or build a studio in every city.
You just need a human with:
- A camera
- A few lights
- Solid microphones
- A good eye
The setup is simple. The guest meets a videographer in an interesting, relevant location. The host joins remotely and runs the interview as usual. The videographer captures clean audio, multi-camera video, and (this part is key) extra footage.
Because once you’re on location, you should be shooting more than just the talking head. If they work on a factory floor, show the floor. If they’re in sustainability, show the place where the work happens. These visuals don’t just make the video look better; they make the story clearer.
The interview feels intentional. The edits are smoother. You have visual variety to work with. And suddenly, the same conversation works beautifully across YouTube, social, and short-form video without feeling static or low-effort.
3. Turn voiceover into standups
Voiceover has always played a functional role in podcasts. It connects ideas, fills in context, and moves the listener from one moment to the next. Most of the time, it’s recorded in a controlled environment and meant to disappear into the background.
That works for audio. It’s less effective for video.
In video storytelling, the equivalent of voiceover is the standup. It’s a familiar device from news and documentary formats: the host speaks directly to the camera, often from a location that reinforces the story. The purpose isn’t performance, but clarity. The audience knows exactly who’s speaking and why.
For video podcasts, this is a big and still relatively untapped opportunity.
Instead of keeping voiceover entirely off-camera, consider filming those same scripted moments as short on-location standups. The host can still record pristine audio separately, but the video version benefits from context, movement, and direct address. A sidewalk, a workplace, or any setting tied to the topic will almost always be more engaging than a studio wall.
This approach solves a common video problem: visual monotony. Long interviews cut together with more interviews can start to feel flat.
Standups can:
- Create natural breaks in the edit
- Hhelp hide cuts
- Give viewers a reason to stay visually engaged without changing the substance of the content
If your show doesn’t currently use voiceover, this may also be a prompt to add it. Introductions, transitions, or short explanatory moments are easy places to start. You’re not reinventing the format, just making the existing structure visible.
4. Repurpose your video into clips, segments, and parts
People behave differently when they’re watching versus listening. Audio podcasts can hold attention for 30, 45, or even 60 minutes with impressive completion rates.
Video? Not so much. Short-form platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels have trained audiences to swipe the second something isn’t gripping.
Think about your own habits: before hitting play on a YouTube video, what’s the first thing you check? I’m willing to bet that you said either length or view count. You’re far more likely to commit to one minute than one hour, or five minutes than thirty. That’s a big contrast to audio, where listeners are used to longer sessions and slower pacing.
The takeaway: video has to earn attention every second. If you get bored watching your own content, chances are your audience did too.
- Keep it shorter
- Keep it punchy
- Leave people wanting more
So how does this translate to video strategy? There are a few approaches:
- Clips: Pull short, standalone moments from your audio recordings that work on their own. These aren’t just promos, they’re self-contained content that can thrive on YouTube or social.
- Segments: If your show has recurring segments, highlight the ones that can hold attention as mini-episodes. Think of each segment as a video unit that can live independently.
- Parts: For story-driven or idea-heavy episodes, consider splitting the content into multiple videos — Part 1, Part 2, Part 3. This keeps the content digestible while giving viewers a reason to return.
The broader point: audio and video are different experiences. Trying to treat one like the other will rarely work. Start with the best possible experience for each platform, and let the content shine in the context it was made for.
5. Embrace a multi-platform strategy
One of the biggest video podcasting shifts we’re seeing in 2026 is that creators are finally stepping out of the habit of defining themselves by a single platform.
Historically, podcasts have been built platform-first. You’re a podcaster, which means audio comes first, and everything else — YouTube clips, LinkedIn snippets, Instagram reels — exists mainly to funnel people back to the podcast feed. That approach made sense when podcasting was just an RSS feed. But here’s the problem: when you define yourself by a distribution channel, you limit how your show can grow.
In 2026, the smarter move is platform-agnostic thinking. Instead of asking, “How do we promote our podcast on YouTube?” the question becomes, “How do we design a show that works everywhere people already are?”
That shift has real implications for how shows are developed. A multi-platform video strategy can’t be an afterthought. If you want a single show to perform well in both audio and video environments, it has to be designed that way from day one.
Look at what strong video-first shows have in common: a recognizable set, thoughtful lighting, clean sightlines, multiple cameras, and microphones that don’t block faces. These shows feel like something you’d want to watch — not just listen to while doing the dishes.
That often means investing in video-specific expertise: editors, camera operators, and producers who understand pacing, framing, and visual storytelling. It also usually means fewer remote guests and more in-studio conversations.
Ultimately, the trend is clear: the strongest video podcasts aren’t thinking like podcasters anymore. They’re thinking like content brands—built for multiple platforms, not owned by any single one.
6. Lean into visual storytelling
Unlike audio, where your words, voice, and soundscapes paint the picture, video needs to demonstrate the story. If viewers can’t understand what’s happening without sound, you’ll need to focus on your visual storytelling.
This is where many audio-first creators stumble. The same explanation that works beautifully in a podcast can feel flat or confusing on screen if it isn’t paired with compelling visuals.
Take a simple example: an interview about checking fruit for freshness. You could have someone describe it in detail, but it’s far more effective to show hands picking up apples, poking avocados, and inspecting berries. A sequence of shots, multiple angles, and framing can communicate the same point in a fraction of the time — and in a way that sticks.
Visual storytelling isn’t just about recording more footage; it’s about thinking in sequences:
- Which shots tell the story best?
- In what order should they appear?
- How do you use movement and context to make the idea immediately understandable?
Capture multiple angles, close-ups, and actions that illustrate what’s being discussed. The goal is simple: let the visuals do the work so your audience doesn’t have to rely on sound alone.
In 2026, strong video podcasts don’t rely on audio to do all the heavy lifting. Visual storytelling plays an active role in holding attention, clarifying ideas, and keeping viewers engaged. When the visuals add meaning by showing context, action, or progression, the content becomes easier to follow and more compelling to watch.
7. Tap into creative b-roll
Not every show can record on location, but (as we’ve mentioned) leaving the video static for long stretches is rarely effective. In 2026, more video podcasts are using simple forms of b-roll to add visual movement and support what’s being said.
B-roll does not need to be literal or high-budget. It just needs to give the viewer something to follow visually while ideas are being explained.
Common approaches include:
- Designed visuals: Diagrams, charts, drawings, or text-based graphics created in tools like Canva. These are especially useful when someone is explaining a concept, process, or comparison.
- Simple animation: Basic animated elements that help illustrate an idea or sequence. This works best when the animation is clear and restrained rather than complex.
- Stock video: Short clips that relate to the subject being discussed. Stock libraries are widely available and can be used to add context or visual pacing.
All of these techniques give you more flexibility when editing and more ways to hold visual interest without changing the substance of the conversation.
Stepping into video
Video podcasts in 2026 demand more than just a camera on top of an audio show. The shows that stand out are the ones that design every episode for the screen: editing with rhythm, visuals that clarify ideas, and sequences that keep viewers engaged from start to finish.
This isn’t about bigger budgets or fancier equipment. It’s about understanding how people watch, what holds their attention, and how to use the tools available — hybrid recording, b-roll, standups, and platform-specific strategies — to make content easier to follow and more compelling.
In short: if your video podcasts aren’t built for the way people actually watch, they won’t reach their potential. 2026 is the year to rethink how audio translates to video — and how visuals can carry your story forward.
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