Think Media Podcast Episode 497: "Why You Should Start a Podcast (Even If No One Listens Yet)"

Date: March 19, 2026
Host: Sean Cannell & Nathan Eswine

Episode Overview

In this compelling episode, Sean Cannell and Nathan Eswine break down twelve data-driven reasons why now is the best time to start a video podcast, even if you think the market is saturated or your audience is small (or non-existent!). Drawing on industry trends, personal experience, student success stories, and actionable tech tips, the hosts demystify the modern podcasting landscape—especially the massive untapped potential on platforms like YouTube, Spotify, and Apple. Ultimately, the episode aims to motivate aspiring creators, entrepreneurs, and business owners to get in early, build consistent habits, and reap the deep personal and financial rewards of long-form content.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

[00:33] The Podcasting Boom: Not Too Late, Not Too Crowded

• Podcast listenership is booming, surpassing even major political events for reach.
  • Statistic: 156 million Americans voted in 2024, but 158 million listened to a podcast in a single month.
  • Over 584 million global podcast consumers in 2025; YouTube alone has over 1 billion podcast viewers monthly.
  • Podcasting is "mainstream and maturing."
    (Sean at 01:06: "That's not a niche hobby anymore. It's not even really an early adopter thing at this point. It's maturing.")

[02:55] The Era of Video Podcasting: Tech Giants Race Ahead

• Major platform news in 2026:
  • Netflix launched its own video podcast section.
  • Apple upgraded to support and prioritize video podcasts.
  • Spotify accepts video podcasts and lets creators monetize with just 1,000 engaged listeners.
• Result: Video podcasting lets you create once and distribute everywhere, multiplying your content reach and monetization avenues.
  • “The four tech giants are competing for video podcasts. YouTube, Apple, Spotify, and Netflix—they're all building video podcast ecosystems.” (Sean, 04:02)

[04:56] Why Video Podcasts Trump Audio-Only

1. Video Podcasting Connects on a Deeper Level:

   • 32% of US listeners now prefer video podcasts.
   • Video format "unlocks a whole other dimension" of connection. (Nathan at 05:17: "It feels like we're hanging out. Like, it feels like I can see. I can see the person I'm listening to.")
   • Video lets you distribute both the visual and audio versions, maximizing reach.

2. Discovery & Algorithmic Growth:

   • YouTube is the #1 podcast discovery engine.
   • YouTube's tools—thumbnails, titles, tags, description fields—empower creators to get found faster.
   • Algorithm rewards smart content choices, even from brand new channels. (Sean at 09:26: "If you position and package your podcast properly, you can start getting discovered even if you're starting from zero on YouTube, at a hundred X or a thousand times greater than any other platform.”)

[11:43] Monetization: The Business Case for Video Podcasts

• Podcasting is a $47.75B industry (2025) projected to hit $171B by 2030.
• Multiple revenue streams: ads, brand deals, products, services, YouTube revenue, Super Chats, memberships, dynamic audio/video ad insertion.
• Dynamic Ad Insertion is unique to this space (soon coming to YouTube too): add or replace sponsors across your whole library—even retroactively.
  • Case studies:
    • Michael Zuber ("One Rental at a Time")—grew AdSense from $1,500 in 2019 to $78,000 in 2022; now a $500K–700K/year business.
    • Kimber Leia—true crime podcast now ranking #2 in the US (behind Joe Rogan).
  • (Sean, 15:32: “Podcasting has the highest RPMs. Basically, it pays the most RPMs andPMs, which is the amount of money per a thousand listens or views out of anything. Because there's all these stats that say podcast listeners are the most affluent. So if you're listening to this, you're probably affluent and really smart.")

[19:40] The Post-Pandemic Open Door: Your Competition is Quitting

• Pandemic FOMO is over: Of the 1 million podcasts launched in 2020, most quit.

  • 47% stop at 3 episodes, 90% don’t make it past episode 20.
  • Consistency = Top 1%: Just getting to episode 21 puts you in elite company.
  • (Nathan, 21:19: "The competition actually isn't other podcasters at this point. The competition is yourself. The competition is your own consistency.")

• Sean’s Mindset: Be resilient, stay patient, and set expectations for a long journey. Expect results after 100 episodes, not three.

[24:10] Tech & Gear: It’s Never Been Easier (or Cheaper) to Start

• $250 Setup Possible: Phone/webcam, USB mic, desk light, affordable software.

• All-in-One Editing/Recording Tools: Riverside.fm praised for its user-friendly simplicity ("magic buttons” for edits, transcripts, and clips).

• Buzzsprout streamlines distribution to all major podcast directories.

• Free Step-by-Step Guide: videopodcastguide.com

  (Sean at 25:56: "It's crazy...the accessibility of creating a high quality podcast from your home office, your home studio...has never been more accessible.")

[29:20] Networking, Growth & Learning: Compounding Non-Financial Benefits

• Every guest interview = Networking, Content Asset, Learning

  • Podcasts open doors to meet industry experts, potential collaborators, and even future team members.
  • Interview-Only Guest Tip: Most guests only agree if you’ve already proven consistency (21+ published episodes).
  • “A lot of people will say yes to being on your podcast. It doesn't have to be gigantic. If it's clean and professional and actually one of my filters is I won't say yes to a lot of people's podcasts unless they're past 21 episodes.” (Sean, 31:36)

• Video Podcast as a Personal Growth Engine

  • The act of researching, interviewing, and teaching forces self-improvement and broadens skillsets across communication, marketing, media production, and more.
  • (Sean, 33:45: "Your video podcast show schedules growth for you. It makes growth inevitable.")

[35:42] Long-Form Episodes = Deep Trust and Real Audience Loyalty

• Google’s 7-11-4 Rule: 7 hours, 11 interactions, 4 platforms before someone buys from you.
  • One 60-min podcast makes fast progress toward this benchmark.
  • Short-form content is fleeting; long-form builds meaningful connections.
  • (Sean, 38:49: "If you said, Sean, you have two choices. Choice number one, you could get a thousand views on a YouTube short, or would you take option number two and take a hundred views on a long form podcast? I'd take a hundred views all day long on the long form...")

[41:29] Your Back Catalog: Evergreen Value & Compound Growth

• Content works for you 24/7.
  • With YouTube's algorithm and platforms like Spotify/Apple, old episodes get discovered and binged.
  • Example: Think Media Podcast gets 564 listeners/hour on long-form episodes—even on older content.
  • Solo shows can thrive too (ex: Meadow Devore’s solo episodes get 30–40 views/hour, even 8–12 months old).
  • (Sean, 44:04: "What can I do today that'll give me more time tomorrow?...YouTube specifically...a lot like compound interest in financial investing.")

[51:04] Content Multiplication: One Episode, Many Assets

• Single video podcast = content for a week (or more).
  • Video upload
  • Audio for Spotify/Apple
  • Blog posts via transcript & AI
  • Social media posts, emails, captions, Shorts/Reels from clips
• AI & Riverside streamline this: Turn raw episode into dozens of assets with minimal extra effort.
  • (Nathan, 51:27: "One video podcast episode can fuel your entire content strategy.")
• Tip: Quality inputs upstream ("don't multiply crap") means better output from repurposing.

[58:17] Consistency Is the Ultimate Cheat Code: Your Advantage

• The real challenge isn’t the gear, tech, or even money—it’s sticking with it and showing up consistently.

• Milestones:

  • Episode #4: Treat yourself, you’ve outlasted nearly half of all podcasts.
  • Episode #21: Top 1% in consistency.
  • 100+ episodes/2 years: 69% chance you’re monetizing.

• Support and Accountability:

  • Success is much more likely with a community or a coach. (Coaching available at viralvideocoach.com)

• “Consistency is the cheat code. And here's some of the stats that I think we need to know. If you publish 21 episodes, that puts you in the top 1% of podcasters ever.” (Sean, 61:00)

• The average podcast lifespan: just 174 days (<6 months)—don’t be average!

Notable Quotes

• Sean: "Don't start a podcast, start a video podcast." [05:52]
• Nathan: "The competition is yourself… your own consistency." [21:19]
• Sean: “Long form video and audio builds the deepest trust online.” [38:49]
• Sean: "Your back catalog works while you sleep." [43:33]
• Nathan: "One video podcast episode can fuel your entire content strategy." [51:04]
• Sean: "Consistency is the cheat code." [61:00]

Segment Timestamps

| Time | Topic | |----------|----------------------------------------------------------| | 00:33 | Podcast boom: audience size & market maturity | | 02:55 | Latest platform shifts: Netflix, Apple, Spotify, YouTube | | 04:56 | Why ‘video podcasting’ is key in 2026 and beyond | | 08:21 | YouTube’s unique discoverability for new creators | | 11:43 | Monetizing podcasts: numbers, case studies, tech | | 19:40 | The Big Quit: why you can outlast your ‘competition’ | | 24:10 | Tech & affordability: realistic startup costs & tools | | 29:20 | Interviewing: networking + content + learning benefits | | 33:45 | Video podcast as a personal growth tool | | 35:42 | Trust: the power of long-form/Google’s 7-11-4 rule | | 41:29 | Evergreen value: building your back catalog | | 51:04 | Repurposing: one episode = full content strategy | | 58:17 | Consistency: top 1% and the journey to monetization | | 61:00 | Stats on consistency, growth milestones, final encouragement |

Resources Mentioned

• videopodcastguide.com — Free video podcast starter guide
• thinkmasterclass.com — Free class on YouTube discoverability
• viralvideocoach.com — Free strategy/call & coaching info
• Tech stack: Riverside.fm (recording/editing), Buzzsprout (distribution)

Conclusion

This episode is a call to action: Start a video podcast, not just audio. The audience is bigger than ever, the tools have never been cheaper, and the competition is mostly your own willingness to stick with it. A quality video podcast is a powerful engine for personal growth, networking, discovery, passive income, and deep brand trust—if you stay consistent long enough to see the compounding returns.

"Consistency is the cheat code." — Sean Cannell (61:00)