Long-Form Content FACE OFF: YouTube vs. Podcasting vs. Blogging

Hey Friend!

Alright, it’s going down. We’re having a showdown today. We’re pitting three major long-form content outlets against each other: YouTube, podcasting, and blogging. It’s happening!

Do you have one of these and wonder if you should repurpose all three? Whether you’ve tried one and it didn’t work, or you’re pondering, “Which one should I pour into Stef?”

This blog aims to provide clarity. You should choose the long-form content outlet that suits you. I want to emphasize that if you wish to build a successful online business today, particularly over the next decade, it’s crucial to establish your presence in whatever your long-form strategy will be.

The podcast market isn’t too saturated, and it’s not too late for you to start. Yes, it will be hard, but anything worth having requires hard work. So, pick your hard and dig in!

But it all starts with these questions:

• Where are you going to go?
• What are you actually going to create so that you can get started?

So, without further ado, let’s do this.

The First Example of Long-Form Content: Blogging

Let’s begin with blogging as our first example of long-form content.

So, what is blogging? It’s a long-form essay or tutorial focused on a specific topic. This blog is featured on a particular website, where you can direct traffic to that site through Pinterest, other blogs, and SEO.

Let’s look at the pros and cons of blogging.

The Pros of Blogging

• SEO: SEO blogs are a great way to get seen. With strategically placed keywords, you can help would-be listeners find your website and podcast. SEO blogs discover your site organically through search engines like Google or Yahoo. It enhances the visibility of your long-form content.
• Versatility: Your topic is versatile. There’s freedom when you’re blogging. You can cover a wide variety of topics. You can also touch on many different SEO keywords that you want to rank for, and that’s really great.
• Easy for Writers: Blogging is easy for people with writing skills. So, if you excel at writing, blogging is a fantastic way to leverage your strengths and skills.

The Cons of Blogging

• Time-Consuming: Blogging is very time-consuming. Writing high-quality, long-form blog posts takes a lot of time and effort, and it’s super challenging for those of you who have a full-time job.
• Declining Attention Span: Readers’ attention spans are decreasing. I recently noted in one of the episodes that attention spans have dropped to seven or eight seconds. It’s a significant challenge to expect consumers to sit down, read your blog, and remain engaged and focused for any extended period.
• Limited Personal Connection: Blogging creates a limited personal connection. When someone reads something, particularly in a blog format, it lacks the intimacy of hearing your voice or seeing your face. Although this is fine for building traffic, I haven’t found it effective for generating conversions.
• AI: Sorry, but that’s the reality we’re facing. Blogging has become a commodity because AI can generate a blog in 0.2 seconds. It’s not that it’s irrelevant, but it’s much more challenging since everyone can now become a blogger by using AI. Of course, AI-generated blogs won’t receive as much SEO favoritism as organic, handcrafted blogs. Nonetheless, it’s still something to think about.

The Second Example of Long-Form Content: YouTube

Let’s consider YouTube as our second example of long-form content.

YouTube has over 2 billion monthly users. Seventy-two hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every single minute.

Raise your hand if you use YouTube. I do. I totally use YouTube. I use it to research eschatology, political issues, food and macro planning, and workouts.

We’re going to use YouTube as our face-off challenger. First, you post a video, and then you allow it to do a few things for you. Your YouTube video will:

• Grow your brand using SEO keywords in the channel and video titles.
• Create conversion by allowing the people who watch that video to get to know, like, and trust you.
• Enable you to attract traffic to a sale or offer.

Let’s look at the Pros and Cons of YouTube.

The Pros of YouTube

• Visual Engagement and Reach: YouTube is a gangster at curating the perfect algorithm. Users spend an average of 40 minutes per session. YouTube reaches more 18 to 49-year-olds than any cable network in the U.S. If you have a target market under 50, YouTube is a great place to show up.
• Diverse Content: You can create a wide variety of long-form content on YouTube, including video tutorials, vlogs, and documentaries. You can also share training on topics like how to prepare a recipe or do your own makeup. If you have a visual brand and need to teach someone through demonstration, YouTube might be a perfect fit for you.
• Monetization Opportunities: Other monetization opportunities can be lucrative if you build a large YouTube brand. YouTube has a partner program where you can earn an average of $16,800 per video if you’re in the top 1%. However, the question remains: How does one become a top 1% YouTuber?

The Cons of YouTube

• Higher Production Costs: Before I started podcasting, I had a YouTube channel where I worked hard to become a YouTuber. I can personally attest to the investment in the right cameras and editing software. If I were to take it seriously, I would need to start paying people to handle the editing because it was so time-intensive. It was a lot of work.
• Time Intensive: Creating a YouTube video, as well as video curation in general, requires a significant amount of time. You’ll need to outline the video and prepare accordingly. This typically involves activities like applying makeup, dressing appropriately, and ensuring the lighting is just right. Additionally, you must ensure that your kids are cared for and not creating excessive noise in the background. The production time alone can range from two to ten hours. Afterward, you will need to edit and market the video.
• Higher Competition: It’s a struggle to stand out among millions of videos. The only way you’ll do that is by getting laser-focused on who you serve and on the power of one, which I talk about a lot. Then, you need to be super clear, be extra consistent, and dig in no matter how long it takes.

As with any long-form content, you don’t get just to show up and be an overnight success. That is a lie from the enemy to keep you stopping and starting and staying stuck.

The Third Example of Long-Form Content: Podcasting

You’ve got to pick your thing and go all in, even with the cons. Even though some of these things will be hard about your chosen platform, any of these are okay for you. You have to go with your heart and your gut. I’m just giving you an honest depiction of the pros and cons. Finally, let’s look at the pros and cons of my personal favorite long-form content, podcasting.

Edison Research reports that 75% of Americans are familiar with podcasts, and 55% have listened to one. I listen to an episode every day. I love to binge-listen to a podcast when I’m interested in a topic. I listen while I’m cleaning, doing laundry, or working out.

The Pros of Podcasting

• Convenient and Accessible: Podcasting helps you shine as the creator. It helps you get into more ears quickly than a blog, where you have to stop what you’re doing to read, or a video, where you have to stop what you’re doing to watch.
• Low Barrier to Entry: All you need to start is a phone and software. You can become a super gangster or scrappy. In my course, I teach you how to get a $100 microphone and use free editing software. Hosting costs about $7 a month, so starting a podcast is extremely inexpensive.
• No Vanity Metrics: Although there are many podcasts, vanity metrics are lacking, which I believe benefits your consistency since others pursue them. My students aren’t focused on those metrics. We prioritize income-generating data and specific growth among superfans. We seek insights beyond the numbers. I’m far more interested in how many sales you’re making than how many downloads you have.
• Niche Community Potential: You can cultivate a dedicated, engaged audience that is excited about your teaching. Eighty percent of podcast listeners tune in to all or most episodes. When you find someone who loves your show, they will likely binge-listen and become part of your community. Niche communities also convert quickly.

Bonus Pros of Podcasting

• Bonus #1: Faster Than Other Long-Form Content: Although I’ve been doing this for five years, I can produce three episodes in two and a half hours—sometimes even in just two hours. I’ve streamlined the process, and I teach you how to record your podcast in my courses with minimal pre-work and no need for editing. You edit as you go along.
• Bonus #2 Do Around Your Family: If my kids are here and they need something, I can pause the episode. If my dog barks, I can edit it out. I can’t do that in a video. And forget writing for me because, “WHOA,” it’s so much easier for me to talk than to write.

The Cons of Podcasting

• Limited Visual Appeal: If you’re trying to convey something to people, podcasting may not be the best medium. You could direct people to a Facebook group for a video follow-up or send them a follow-up video via email, although that can be more challenging. If your brand revolves around makeup application, hairstyling, eyelash application, or teaching people how to prepare recipes, you might consider platforms like YouTube.
• It’s a Slow Grow: Building something sustainable and foundational requires substantial time and effort. Some of my most successful students took 24 to 36 months. I’ve been at this for five years now. It takes time to move up. Podcasting is a genuine platform where you can work your way to the top. The algorithm doesn’t automatically elevate others. I’m dedicated to that!
• You Need to Be Super Strategic: I guess I could say this for blogging and YouTubing as well, but you can’t just throw a podcast out there. Maybe you’re a really exciting person to watch, and they don’t really care what you’re saying. But when you’re podcasting, the visual element is gone. So, it really does matter how you strategically position yourself. What does your messaging say? What does your marketing say, and what are the titles of your show? You do have to have a little bit more education about how to grow a successful podcast so it can grow more quickly.

Follow Your Dream

If you’re obsessed with writing and it has stolen your heart, or if your dream has always been to be a blogger, then go for it, girl!

Maybe you have a brand where you visually create something and teach using visual methods. You love video. If you have more time than some of us who have kids, jobs, and other commitments, creating YouTube content could be great for long-form engagement. For everyone else, I suggest podcasting. All it takes is carving out just two hours a week to do a podcast.

You can remove all the unnecessary elements. It’s a time-saving approach to reach a wide audience. It’s straightforward and simple. Most people quit and give up before they ever reach twelve months. You can out-podcast 99% of others just by staying engaged.

A Fantastic Way to Build Your Brand and Business

Podcasting is a fantastic way to build your brand and business from behind a mic. I appreciate the flexibility and the ease of the entire process. It’s something you can learn, grow in, and continuously improve at.

I want you to know that committing to long-form content is essential if you want to stand out. You need to create a space where people can come to know, like, and trust you. This will lead to future sales and clients. Simply showing up on social media won’t achieve this, nor will TikTok videos.

Avoid anything that offers vanity metrics, as they waste your time. Discover your passion. Commit fully, and don’t look back. I trust you to make this choice. I believe in your abilities.

I know you’re resourceful enough to make it happen. It’s time to start, to take that big leap of faith.

I pray this blesses you!

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