Summary
- YouTube has announced that it has over one billion monthly podcast viewers.
- According to Edison Research, YouTube is the leading platform for podcast listening in the US and is the top choice for discovering new podcasts.
- In September 2023, Spotify reported it had 100 million regular podcast listeners, a far cry from YouTube's current numbers.
Podcastshave become a major phenomenon in the past few years, and many creators are pivoting to the popular format to grow their audiences. While podcasts initially started out as an audio-only experience, many creators quickly turned to publishing them in a video format also on places like YouTube, and it seems their popularity has exploded.
"Podcasts with video are more than just a trend, they meet audiences where they are: on YouTube," the company said in a blog post. "We've specifically developed our podcast product experience to make it easier for fans to find podcasts they love, discover new ones, and watch (or listen!) wherever they want."
YouTube Premium
- What's included?
- YouTube mostly ad-free
- Price
- $8 a month
- Live TV
- No
Where you watch your video podcasts matters. Here's how the two biggest platforms stack up
It's becoming a more popular way to consume podcasts, so which platform is the best?
Viewers flock to YouTube for podcasts in the US
Spotify is doubling down on its video efforts
According to Edison Research, YouTube is the leading platform for podcast listening in the US and the first place people turn to for discovering new podcasts. YouTube also seems to be outperforming its competitors significantly. In September 2023, Spotify announced it had 100 million regular podcast listeners, with half a billion users having listened to a podcast on its platform since 2019. Although those figures are over a year old, they still fall far short of YouTube's billion monthly podcast viewers.
Spotify has been pushing for video podcasts recently, and creators can upload video formats of their podcasts for users to watch or listen to. Last year, Spotify said it was doubling down on its efforts to deliver "best-in-class-video" and a podcasting experience that is "superior to any platform." However, it seems the company has its work cut out to catch up to YouTube.
As someone who subscribes to both Spotify and YouTube Premium, I'm not too surprised to hear about these numbers for YouTube. I find myself turning to full-length podcasts on YouTube more than on Spotify simply because the video format is more engaging. However, one drawback of YouTube for podcasts is that if you're listening on a mobile device, you have to pay for YouTube Premium to hear it in the background.
Why I'm done with YouTube TV (and all other live streaming services) forever
Don't keep paying for live TV just because it's a habit.