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Podcast Like A YouTuber

Stop doing YouTube like a podcaster.

The playbook my former producer Conor and I used to get 10x more viewers than listeners: guest selection, packaging, interviewing and editing for a new, impatient audience.

Enroll now · $199

Join 230+ students.

Our most-watched interview · 5M views
“If you're ready to go from hundreds of views to thousands (or even millions), this course is your ticket.”
Charlie Connely, PodPost Media
More watch time on YouTube than in audio
10x
At the peak, in October 2023
37x
YouTube views
8M+
YouTube subscribers
145K

YouTube solves discovery… right?

Video without views is frustrating, and expensive.

YouTube became the largest podcasting platform on the planet, with a new promise of discovery. Podcasters flocked to it, ready to welcome new viewers with open arms. For most of them, the viewers never came.

Video is much more work than audio: recording high-quality video for everyone involved, editing it, uploading a second version. All of that would be fine if you were getting the views. Doing more work and spending more money without the benefits is just frustrating.

The problem: you're approaching YouTube like a podcaster.

“One of the biggest takeaways was that we've been approaching podcasting on YouTube backwards, basically starting with the podcast and trying to make it work on YouTube after the fact, which is a losing proposition and why we haven't been getting traction.”

CaitlinDirector of Strategic Communication★★★★★

The power of video

10x more viewers than listeners.

Our audio podcast has grown steadily since it launched in March 2020: a healthy show on Apple and Spotify. Then look what happens when you add YouTube watch time to the same chart.

That success started in June 2023, a year into the channel, when we fundamentally changed our approach. Since then we've consistently generated 10x more video consumption than audio, peaking at 37x in October 2023, the month we published the Jenny Hoyos interview at the top of this page. The podcast took four years to reach 2 million downloads; the channel passed 5 million views in just over two, and has since passed 8 million.

  • The highest-impact changes we made, and why they worked.
  • Our whole process, both the strategy and the reasoning.
  • A new playbook for getting views on your video podcast.
Listen time on Apple and Spotify from March 2020 to September 2024, growing steadily
Audio only: steady growth on Apple and Spotify
The same chart with YouTube watch time added, which dwarfs audio from June 2023
The same chart, with YouTube added

“Approaching my podcast with a YouTube video mindset has exploded my growth… "Podcast Like a YouTuber" filled in all of the gaps and set me up to take that growth even further.”

Travis FerenceGrammy-nominated recording engineer and podcast host★★★★★

The playbook

Three stages, and where the views come from.

Most podcasters overemphasize production and underemphasize what happens before and after it. That's a big mistake.

  1. 1

    Pre-production

    Before you record

    Everything before an interview is recorded, and where the highest-leverage changes are: packaging, guest selection, interview preparation and more.

    “We just tried it out within our first interview… The guest immediately felt comfortable.”David Greiner

  2. 2

    Production

    The conversation

    The performance itself: my approach as an interviewer, for more comfortable, productive and transparent conversations, plus our gear and studio recommendations.

    “Everything from mindset, to guest booking, gear choices, and YouTube technicals is covered in a way ANYONE can understand.”Trevor Burris

  3. 3

    Post-production

    The package

    Everything after recording: editing, and completing the package so each video has its best chance at more views.

    “None… specifically cover the art of turning long-format remote podcast interviews into content that truly performs on the platform—until now.”Charlie Connely

The big idea

Podcast like a YouTuber.

Podcasts are great for deepening relationships with the audience you already have. They're long by design, cozy, and assume the listener knows you and is patient with you. A new YouTube viewer, the one you're trying to reach, is neither.

A video version of your podcast won't work unless it's made for that new, impatient audience. Instead of doing YouTube like a podcaster, you need to podcast like a YouTuber.

And you don't have to put every episode on video. Make the videos that count, and publish the rest as audio.

“We both just spent the entire day inhaling that thing and figured out that we actually sucked at podcasting. On a more serious note, it showed us so many improvement opportunities.”

Mike & Nick FioThe Fio Bros★★★★★

“It's also helpful that you're setting very clear expectations about how many videos a month one can create at the quality level you have… Otherwise, I would have started with great enthusiasm and then ended up exhausted before success kicked in.”

TimonSystemic business coach★★★★★

How it feels to take

Real experience, not random tutorials.

  • Our actual processThe strategy and the reasoning behind every change that turned our channel around, not generic YouTube advice.
  • Built for interview showsMost helpful for interview podcasts, especially remote ones, with the in-person differences called out.
  • Slides includedThe full slide deck comes with the course, so you're not scrambling to take notes.

“Watching random YouTube tutorials isn't the same as having a clear-cut and actionable course. This was money well spent!”

TimonSystemic business coach★★★★★

“Jay and Connor crushed it… as I expected they would. Fantastic information.”

Isaac FrenchCreator and entrepreneur★★★★★

Meet your instructors

Taught by me and my former producer, Conor.

Conor approached me in 2022 about turning my podcast into a video show on YouTube. He started as a video editor and grew into the producer who handled scripting, packaging, editing, uploading and more.

Simply put, the channel wouldn't exist without Conor, nor would it be as successful. He breaks down his pre- and post-production process; I cover guest selection, prep and interviewing.

If you don't have a producer, then you are the producer. We'll teach you how to do that.

Conor and Jay laughing on a remote call
Conor and me
Ali Abdaal's pinned comment, "Amazing interview", on one of the channel's interviews
Some of my favorite YouTubers started watching too

Reviews

What podcasters and creators say.

“Creator Science's 'Podcast Like a YouTuber' is a game changing training I can't recommend enough… You will 100% walk away better at YouTube AND podcasting after this training.”

Trevor BurrisPodcaster★★★★★

“This course has caused us to look critically at our whole production schedule and rebuild it from the ground up!”

CaitlinDirector of Strategic Communication★★★★★

“Jay and Conor have created a goldmine of actionable insights that actually move the needle… Thanks, Jay and Conor, for completely overdelivering!”

Charlie ConnelyFounder of PodPost Media★★★★★

Creators who know Jay's work

What other creators say about my work.

“Jay Clouse understands the business of content creation like very very few people do. He's a real creator, helping real creators. I recommend him to people all the time.”

Paddy GallowayYouTube strategist★★★★★

“Everyone is sleeping on Jay Clouse and he's one of the best thought leaders in our entire industry.”

Roberto BlakeYouTube creator★★★★★

“As a creator, Jay Clouse has been able to successfully grow his audience on multiple channels. I've always wondered: 'How does he do all that?' Now I know: he has a killer system.”

Justin JacksonCo-founder of Transistor★★★★★

“I think you're this dark horse in the creator space, Jay. You're coming for the top spot and moving really smart and stealthily.”

Justin WelshSolopreneur★★★★★

Pricing

The playbook behind 8M+ views.

One price, instant access, and a full refund within 14 days if it isn't helpful.

“Mike and I felt like you could have charged way more money for that course in terms of the value we felt we got.”

Mike & Nick FioThe Fio Bros★★★★★

In The Lab? This course, and all my others, is included free with your membership. See what's inside The Lab →

Who it's for

Built for interview podcasters.

It's most helpful for interview podcasts, especially ones recorded remotely. If you publish long-form video you'll get value too, but this isn't a catch-all how-to-YouTube course.

You're considering video

You haven't started on YouTube yet and want to begin with an approach that works.

“Wish I'd had this when I tried to move from audio to video. It's a brutal transition, and it took me 2 or 3 years to figure it out.”Rob Walling, MicroConf

You're publishing without the views

You already produce video, but it isn't getting the views you want.

“If you're struggling to grow a podcast, video is the answer and Jay has it dialed.”Travis Ference

You record solo or in person

Solo shows get about half of it. In-person interviews have a slight advantage, and we call out what's different.

Jay Clouse with YouTube's Silver Play Button for 100,000 subscribers

About Jay

Hey! I'm Jay Clouse.

I'm the founder of Creator Science. Through our newsletter, podcast, membership and YouTube channel, Creator Science helps you become a smarter creator.

In 2022 Conor and I turned the podcast into a video show. A year in, we changed our approach, and the channel took off: 100,000 subscribers two years after it launched, and still growing.

Before that, I led the Community Experience team for Pat Flynn and Smart Passive Income, designing their paid membership community and cohort-based courses.

  • $3.28 million in creator earnings
  • 2,483,432 podcast downloads
  • LinkedIn Top Voice7 LinkedIn Learning courses
  • 2 company exits1 kid at home (another on the way)
YouTube
subscribers
145,000
Email (Kit)
subscribers
65,858
LinkedIn
followers
64,149
X
followers
55,528
Instagram
followers
12,757
Threads
followers
7,495

FAQ

Questions, answered.

What is your refund policy?

If you watch it and don't find it helpful, we'll give you a full refund within 14 days. But be honest! Karma is not something you want to mess with.

Will this work for anyone trying to do YouTube?

If you publish long-form videos, you'll still get value from it. But it isn't a catch-all how-to-YouTube course: it's built for podcasters.

What if I just want to hire someone to do this for me?

Hiring great help is a great idea. Most aspiring YouTubers hire an editor or thumbnail designer, which puts you in the role of producer. This course trains you to be a great producer, so you can hire and work with specialists, or train a producer well if you hire one.

What if I do solo video podcasts?

You'll benefit from about half of it. A lot of it is geared towards interview podcasts, but many of the concepts apply to long-form video in general.

What if I record in person rather than remotely?

Frankly, you have a slight advantage. Most of the course still applies, and we call out the advantages you have and the problems that don't apply to you.

Is it included in The Lab?

Yes. Podcast Like A YouTuber is included in membership of The Lab.

Podcast Like A YouTuber

Podcast like a YouTuber.

The playbook behind 10x more viewers than listeners.

Join 230+ students.