This shift has made the big winner in this segment precisely the one who seemed to have been left behind.
Podcasts were once defined by audio. Now, they’re becoming as much about video as sound. In a surprising twist, YouTube, not Spotify or Apple, has emerged as the top platform for podcasts.
This shift. Something amazing has happened to this format. A few years ago, Google and YouTube didn’t seem to have an answer for the rise of podcasts, but they didn’t need to because people were changing how they consumed them. It was no longer enough to listen to them, people wanted to watch them.
Hello, video podcast. The transition to video podcasts was quiet and gradual. Creators began uploading their podcasts to YouTube with a straightforward approach: placing a camera in front of them to record both video and audio. The result was a format that has resonated with users and gained widespread popularity.
YouTube dominates the segment. The rise of video podcasts has propelled YouTube to a 31% share of the U.S. podcast market, outpacing Spotify at 29% and Apple at 15%, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Changing the reference. In 2020, the landscape was markedly different: Apple led with a 24% share, followed by Spotify at 20% and YouTube at 18%. Since then, YouTube’s influence has steadily grown, driven by a format that allows listeners to watch podcasters in action.
Election-driven success. According to the Journal, video podcasts gained additional momentum during the 2024 U.S. presidential election. President-elect Donald Trump appeared on a dozen video podcasts during his campaign, generating 100 million views on YouTube, underscoring the format’s mass appeal.
Spotify shifts to video. Spotify CEO Daniel Ek, whose platform has invested heavily in podcasts, acknowledges the trend. “Everything is shifting to video,” Ek said, noting that Spotify is ramping up its video podcast offerings.
“If you said five years ago that people would want to watch people talking and sitting in front of a microphone, I’d say probably not,” Ek added.
YouTube capitalizes on the trend. This format gained traction during the pandemic as podcasters uploaded Zoom conversations to YouTube, meeting a demand for more personal and visual interactions. The platform has invested heavily in supporting video podcasts, leveraging its popularity as a go-to destination for content creators. Spotify did the same thing years ago, but YouTube’s vast reach and adaptability have helped solidify its dominance.
People are consuming more and more of everything on YouTube. This shift aligns with broader viewing habits. YouTube has become a fixture in living rooms, rivaling Netflix and other streaming platforms. Nielsen data shows that 150 million Americans watch YouTube on TV monthly, making it the most-watched platform in the U.S.
Gen Z leads the charge. Gen Z, particularly those aged 13 to 24, has embraced video podcasts. An Edison Research survey found that 84% of this demographic consumes video podcasts, drawn by the visual connection to creators. As the podcasting landscape evolves, video has transformed what was once an audio-first medium. YouTube’s rise reflects how audiences increasingly want to see the people they’re listening to—a shift that’s redefining the industry.
Image | Austin Distel (Unsplash)
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