YouTube is embracing its place because the (unintentional) most-used podcast platform by launching a devoted podcast web page. Because the traces between podcasting and YouTube blur, any step the corporate takes towards consolidating listening might pose a problem for rivals Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
The web page debuted in late July and remains to be within the rollout course of, based on 9to5Google. It may be accessed at youtube.com/podcasts or by way of the Discover web page (in-app or browser), the place there’s a new podcast tab. The brand new web page options trending reveals and channels that have already got thousands and thousands of subscribers, like The H3 Podcast or Logan Paul’s podcast, however in any other case doesn’t exhibit a ton of curation.
The web page is just not almost as subtle as rival podcast platforms, however that won’t matter all that a lot. A examine by Cumulus in Might discovered that YouTube is already outperforming Apple Podcasts and Spotify, because of the rise of video podcasts and ease of use, so perhaps it’s smarter to stay to the format audiences already know.
YouTube’s presence within the podcasting area occurred extra by osmosis than as a deliberate technique. Apple was the primary tech big to enter the area, launching podcasts in 2005. Spotify began aggressively pursuing podcasting in 2019 with studio and tech acquisitions and blockbuster offers with stars like Joe Rogan and Alex Cooper. In the meantime, podcasts on YouTube simply form of occurred as a result of every little thing finally ends up on YouTube a method or one other.
Podcasting remains to be small potatoes for YouTube. The streamer introduced in $28.8 billion for its guardian firm, Google, in 2021. In the meantime, the complete podcast trade simply handed $1 billion final yr, based on a examine by the Interactive Promoting Bureau. YouTube doesn’t really want to personal podcasting, however the web page is a sign that the corporate could put extra sources into it anyway. The corporate didn’t instantly reply to request for touch upon additional podcast initiatives.
