As video podcasts soar in popularity, YouTube is reaping the benefits. The video platform revealed that 1 billion monthly active users view video podcasts on it.
The platform has come a long way since 2021, when it hired its first Head of Podcasts. YouTube’s podcast strategy has been carefully crafted from the start. It aggressively targeted podcast audiences with audio ads, adding podcasts to YouTube Music, and wooing creators with cash rewards.
All that work has paid off, with YouTube CEO Neal Mohan recently announcing that the platform “is the most frequently used service for listening to podcasts in the U.S.”
“Podcasts with video are more than just a trend; they meet audiences where they are: on YouTube,” the platform announced. “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. We’ve also added more and more podcasters into our revenue-sharing program, the YouTube Partner Program.”
Helping people watch podcasts how they want has been a big success for YouTube. The company has revealed that viewers watched 400 million hours of podcasts per month just on television in 2024. That number doesn’t include podcasts watched on mobile or computers.
Ultimately, these figures show that the way we consume podcasts is changing. If your podcast is audio-only, you might be missing out on a substantial video-loving audience.
Perhaps the success of YouTube has prompted you to start your own podcasts. If so, be sure to check out our guide on how to build a podcast with no audience.
