In this year’s YouTube Music Recap, my number one podcast was Waveform—it didn’t appear on my top five from Spotify’s Wrapped, and I wasn’t surprised.
In recent years, podcasting has evolved from an audio-only medium to a major industry increasingly centered on video content. The rise of platforms like YouTube and the influence of TikTok-style short videos have largely driven this evolution. YouTube is now the most popular platform for podcast consumption, taking a third of the pie, with Spotify and Apple Podcasts coming in close. Early this month, YouTube reported that people are watching 400 million hours of podcasts monthly on TVs—it looks like YouTube podcasts have replaced news and talk shows.
Morning Consult has been monitoring consumer interest in video podcasts, which has seen double-digit growth across almost every generation over the past few years. Currently, 50% of Gen Z and millennials are watching podcasts in video format.
Short, video-centric clips on platforms such as TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels have significantly contributed to the transition from audio content to video. These snippets showcase captivating highlights and serve as powerful marketing assets, encouraging viewers to go and watch complete episodes on platforms like YouTube. This change has turned podcasts into a visual medium similar to television, with video enabling audiences to establish a stronger connection with the hosts.
The increasing power of platforms such as YouTube and Spotify indicates a move away from the historically independent, RSS-driven distribution model of podcasting. Although these platforms present considerable opportunities for growth, they also centralize authority, which could expose podcasters to similar difficulties encountered by influencers on social media. This new phase provides chances for greater exposure and the peril of diminished independence, as podcasters become more dependent on platform ecosystems for visibility and revenue.
As the top platform for podcasts, YouTube is enabling creators to tap into its vast audience and generate new income, confirming that video podcasts are emerging as a major trend.
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