You can turn an entire YouTube channel into a podcast series in a single weekend. The process involves selecting the right videos, establishing an episode format, setting up a podcast feed, and building a conversion workflow that scales. Channels with 20 or more talk-style videos are ideal candidates because the content already works in audio form.
This guide covers strategy, not just mechanics. Anyone can rip audio from a video. The harder part is building a podcast that feels intentional rather than like a YouTube afterthought.
Step 1: Audit your back catalog
Open your YouTube analytics and sort videos by watch time. Your top 20 videos by total watch time are your best candidates for podcast episodes. These videos already proved they hold attention.
Next, filter out videos that depend on visuals. Screen recordings, product demos with on-screen annotations, and slideshow walkthroughs lose too much context in audio. Keep:
- Interviews
- Commentary
- Monologues
- Panel discussions
- Tutorials that use verbal explanations
For a channel with 100 videos, you'll typically find 30–50 that work as podcast episodes without major edits.
Step 2: Define your podcast format
A podcast series converted from YouTube needs its own identity. Decide on:
- Show name. It can match your YouTube channel name or be a spin-off (e.g.,
The [Channel Name] Audio Experience). - Episode structure. Add a ~20-second intro, the converted content, and a ~15-second outro with a subscribe prompt.
- Release cadence. Weekly works best. If you have 40 backlog episodes, that's nearly 10 months of content before you need to create anything new.
- Episode numbering. Start at Episode 1 regardless of the original YouTube upload date. Order episodes by topic or quality, not chronology.
Step 3: Set up your conversion workflow
For one-off conversions, manual editing works fine. For a full series, you need a repeatable process.
Option A: Manual workflow
- Export audio from your editing software.
- Add intro and outro in Audacity or GarageBand.
- Export as MP3 (128kbps, mono for speech).
- Upload to your podcast host.
- Write show notes and add metadata.
This takes 15–20 minutes per episode.
Option B: Automated workflow with Jellypod
- Paste the YouTube URL into Jellypod.
- Review and edit the generated transcript.
- Jellypod produces a podcast-ready audio file.
- Distribute through Jellypod's hosting or export to another host.
This takes under 3 minutes per episode and handles formatting automatically.
Use Jellypod’s batch processing to handle multiple YouTube URLs at once and dramatically cut down setup time.
Step 4: Launch with a batch
Don't launch with a single episode. Upload 3–5 episodes on day one so new listeners can binge. Podcast apps favor shows with multiple episodes because they signal commitment.
After the launch batch, release one episode per week. Consistency matters more than frequency. A show that publishes every Tuesday at 8am builds a habit with listeners.
Step 5: Cross-promote between platforms
Your YouTube audience is your built-in marketing channel for the podcast.
On YouTube:
- Mention the podcast in your videos with a verbal callout.
- Add an end screen link to the podcast.
- Put the podcast RSS link in your channel description.
- Share new episodes in the Community tab.
On the podcast:
- Mention your YouTube channel in intros or outros.
- Encourage listeners to watch video versions or related playlists.
Some listeners will discover you through audio first and then migrate to video.
How Jellypod helps
Jellypod turns channel-scale conversion from a weekend project into an afternoon project.
- Batch processing handles multiple YouTube URLs at once.
- The hosting feature generates your RSS feed automatically.
- You skip manual audio editing, metadata entry, and platform submission steps.
Creators who convert 20+ videos report that Jellypod reduces total setup time from 6–8 hours to under 2 hours.
Final thoughts
The channels that succeed as podcasts treat audio as a first-class format, not a recycling bin for video content.
That means:
- Reordering episodes for the best listener experience
- Writing show notes that stand alone from the video description
- Choosing episode artwork that works at podcast-app thumbnail sizes
The content is the same. The packaging changes everything.
