Michael Epps Utley 
Do podcasts play a significant role in promoting your business?
If so, you’ll want to know about a new opportunity for distributing them.
YouTube, the leader in online video distribution, is entering the podcast market.
This article explains what you need to know about this novel podcasting opportunity so you can take advantage of it.
What Are YouTube Podcasts?
YouTube podcasts are playlists built around podcast content. If you can create a playlist on YouTube, you can leverage its podcast functionality. Essentially, YouTube assigns a special tag to your playlist that includes podcasts.
Your podcast should only contain full-length episodes and be organized in the order you want them to be listened to. If your podcast has more than one season, include all of them in the same podcast.
What’s the Value of YouTube Podcasts for Brands?
YouTube Music’s more than 50 million paid subscribers can access content tagged as podcasts. YouTube podcast-tagged content is featured in podcast-specific searches on its platform. It could also be featured on its podcast home page. YouTube may recommend your content to people who listen to recordings with similar content or themes.
So, if you want to increase your existing podcast promotional efforts or your current video distribution use of YouTube, taking advantage of its new podcast features is a smart move.
How to Create a YouTube Podcast
Use this checklist to create a new podcast on YouTube or to make changes to your existing ones.
Here’s what you need to do to create a new podcast:
Log into YouTube Studio
- Click Create New Podcast
You may need to verify your account before creating a podcast
- Enter podcast details, including:
Title
Description
Visibility (public or private)
Click Create to save
Next, add episodes by uploading new or existing content to your podcast.
Remember:
On YouTube, each episode of a podcast must be a video. MP3s cannot be used as podcasts on YouTube.
Podcast videos are available for audio-only playback. To turn off audio-only playback for a video, remove it from all podcasts in your video settings.
If a podcast episode violates YouTube copyright policies, your content may not be allowed to appear on the platform.
To upload new videos to a podcast:
Log into YouTube Studio
Go to Content, then >>> Podcasts
Select your podcast
Click Add Videos, then >>> Upload Videos
Upload the videos you want to add to your podcast
Enter video details
Click Create to save changes
To add existing videos to a podcast:
Log into YouTube Studio
Go to Content, then >>> Podcasts
Choose your podcast
Click Add Videos, then >>> Add Your Existing Videos
Choose the videos you want to add
Click Add to Playlist and choose your podcast
Click Save to add videos to your podcast
Here’s how to change a playlist to a podcast:
Log into YouTube Studio
Go to Content, then >>> Playlists
Hover over the playlist you want to turn into a podcast
Click Menu, then >>> Set as Podcast
Review your podcast details, including the title, description, and who can view your podcast
Add a podcast icon
Click Done when everything is correct
Remember: Only change a playlist into a podcast if it contains complete episodes. If you have an additional set of playlists for other seasons, don’t set these playlists as podcasts.
YouTube Podcast Tips
When setting up a podcast, give it a concise, descriptive title. Don’t add unnecessary words to it. Never include the word “podcast” unless it’s part of your show’s name.
Avoid generic podcast names, such as Complete Episodes, Latest Uploads, or just plain Podcasts. If your title is too ambiguous, YouTube will replace it with your channel name when it’s served up.
How to Understand Your Podcast’s Performance
Use this checklist to figure out how your podcast is doing.
Log into YouTube Studio
Go to the Analytics tab
Click Overview
Select the podcast you want to analyze from Your Podcast(s)
In this section, you’ll find basic information like the number of views and watch time
- For a deeper dive into your podcast’s performance:
Return to the Analytics tab
Click Overview
- Choose See Podcast Analytics From this view, you’ll find:
Overview of podcast performance
Sources of traffic
Information about your audience
Audience retention metrics
Revenue data
And more
Following these steps will help ensure you post your podcasts correctly so they can be found by YouTube users.
YouTube Podcasts: The Final Word
If you depend on podcasts to get the word out about your business, it makes sense to extend their reach on YouTube. Similarly, if you rely on YouTube for your video distribution, adding podcasts gives your audience new options for connecting with your business.
Follow the guidance in this article to get started posting your podcasts to YouTube.
Added reading: Learn what you can do to get your videos found online.
