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Hey Podcasters!

One of the reasons I love highlighting Buzzsprout creators is that they often find uses for podcasting that most of us would never think of!

Take ​Got Any Cows​.

It's a podcast hosted by Seth Christensen, who runs a cattle operation in Idaho. He originally started the show because he wanted a more consistent way to connect with customers than the occasional Facebook post.

Then listeners started asking: "Can we see the cows?"

And that question changed the podcast!

Instead of recording in a studio, Seth and his producer Jacob started recording on the ranch, in the truck, and anywhere the work was actually happening. 

Video became a way to bring listeners into the story. When Seth talks about a cow he's selling, people can see the animal. When he's discussing ranch operations, they can see the ranch itself.

What stood out to me is that they didn't add video because they felt pressure to. They added it because it made the podcast better!

And they didn't build a giant production around it either. Most episodes are recorded with a couple of cameras and a lavalier mic. The focus is still on the conversation and the story.

It's easy to get intimidated by video podcasts, but that feels like an important lesson for the rest of us: you don't need a lot of fancy gear. 

Jacob, the producer of Got Any Cows?, recommends, "If someone is considering starting a video podcast but feels overwhelmed by the amount of work involved, start small. Sit in front of a window for natural lighting, skip buying equipment at first, use your phone to record, and get a simple $20 tripod to hold it."

The best video podcasts are shows where video adds something listeners couldn't get from audio alone.

And for ​Got Any Cows​, that approach is working! 

They've been early adopters of video on Apple Podcasts, using Buzzsprout to help them stand out in a niche where very few creators are doing the same.

If you've ever thought about trying video, I'd take a page from Seth and Jacob's playbook: start with what makes your podcast interesting and ask yourself whether video helps tell that story.

And if the answer is yes, you can upgrade to a Buzzsprout video plan and start publishing video episodes to Apple Podcasts!

Learn About Video

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That's all for this week! Thanks for listening & keep podcasting!