Walking away from Podfest in January, Blubrry CEO Todd Cochrane says it became evident to him that many YouTubers have no clue about traditional podcasting and have no time to figure out how to do the extra work to publish an audio-only podcast. That got company cofounder Barry Kantz thinking about what role Blurry could play to help video-first creators turn their content into an audio-friendly format. Two months later, the result is a new service it is calling Vid2Pod that has the potential to bring an entirely new field of producers into podcasting.
Users of Vid2Pod can now take any of their YouTube playlists and automatically create an audio podcast with no overhead, making their YouTube content available to podcast audiences via traditional podcast apps and platforms. Blubrry claims it is as simple as creating a podcast hosting account and linking their YouTube playlist. The rest is done by Blubrry. It ingests the video and converts the audio to a high-quality file, pulling in episode titles and metadata to include chapters from YouTube. Blubrry says “within minutes” of the release of a new video, it can publish a new podcast that will be distributed to more than a dozen podcast platforms via an RSS feed.
“This launch is not merely about introducing a new feature to the digital content realm; it’s about breaking down the barriers between content formats and making content more accessible and inclusive,” Blubrry says in the announcement. “Whether for those who prefer audio over video or for visually impaired individuals, this service opens up new avenues for content consumption that were previously untapped.”
In addition to distribution, Blubrry’s pitch to YouTube creators also includes the potential of growing their revenue. Unlike on the video platform, they will not be required to wait until they have gained 4,000 listener hours to tap into YouTube advertising. Users of Vid2Pod will immediately be able to leverage Blubrry’s programmatic ad channel for audio. Blubrry will also be making comprehensive analytics and insights available as part of its service.
In addition to more money, some YouTube creators may also find appeal in audio podcasts. The medium continues to grow, and as Blubrry points out, there is little risk of cannibalizing an audience since people have more time to listen to content than they do to watch it. It also says while some YouTube channels are great visual experiences, the content can also be just as valuable when listened to on-demand or without connectivity, such as on an airplane.
“The digital content landscape is constantly changing, and with the introduction of this video-to-podcast service, creators have a unique opportunity to open new audience growth,” Blubrry says. “By enabling YouTubers to effortlessly extend their reach into the podcasting world, this service is not just a tool but a catalyst for innovation in content creation and consumption.”