Why The Daily 5 isn’t a video podcast

This is a note. Notes are work-in-progress thoughts and ponderings that I choose to share “out loud”, subject to change and revision.

I got asked yesterday why The Daily 5 isn’t a video podcast, and I started writing a post on Mastodon about it, but decided to make it a small note instead.

There are a bunch of reasons why, let’s go through them.

1. I already have a video podcast, viewSource, that I produce with a cohost.

   viewSource is a pretty high effort show. When Brian first proposed that we start a podcast together, he was thinking something simpler, and certainly not video. I came into the idea and blew it up a little bit. I’m not saying I scope-creeped, but I definitely did expand that scope. The return on that has been fantastic, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a high effort show.

   I’m just not ready to do yet another video podcast because..see number 2.

2. I’m not (yet) equipped to do a Daily Video.

   Recording and releasing audio every single day is still not the easiest thing in the world. It takes about 25 minutes of sit-at-my-desk time, but it consumes a lot more of my mental time. I’m constantly evaluating my experiences every single day, looking for nuggets of insights and things I can bring to The Daily 5. The Daily 5 is hard work. Video is even harder, y’all. Until audio starts to feel a bit easier, there’s no way I’m ready to level up to video.

3. Less production friction

   This season, I’m recording mostly in the mornings. And there have absolutely been days where I open my eyes in the morning, and I have a fully formed thought in my head. On those days, I will literally roll out of bed and get into my office. That’s right, I’ll do it before I even wash my face. I’ll sit down at my desk, make the few notes I like to make before hitting record, and then record.

   I could never do that with video! I’d have to get dressed, check my face, get the lights right, do a camera check, take a few deep breaths, and it would be a far bigger production. With audio, no one can see me, as long as my voice is alright and my thoughts are coherent, I’m good to go.

4. Less focus on metrics

   YouTube puts your metrics front and centre. They are right there staring you in the face, you can see them and the world can see them. With podcasts, it’s not quite the same thing. There are analytics, and I do look at them, but I don’t know, they don’t matter quite as much. The Daily 5 is never going to be some super duper popular show because I’m not some famous person. Not everyone is interesting in listening to me talk about the insights I’m having as I figure out how to create my best life. Since I’ve made peace with that, and metrics aren’t really the goal, I don’t let it bother me.

   Somehow, with video though, metrics are always there digging into my brain. I worry about them (to my own detriment, let’s be honest). So it’s just nice to have a medium where I can step away from the metrics a little bit. It’s a mind game, sure, but it’s a mind game that works for me.

Listen in if you like

If you’re curious about The Daily 5, here’s some of the recent episodes. The goal for this season is 100 daily episodes. 🙂