"YouTube 's rapid rise as the leading destination for podcast consumption marked a turning point. YouTube is now central to audience growth, discovery, and, increasingly, primary consumption. Data released this year from Edison Research shows most new podcast viewers and listeners start out on YouTube rather than in audio-only apps. I've seen this firsthand with my NYU Business of Podcasting students, many of whom asked a simple question: "Why can't we get podcasts on YouTube?" Now they can."
"Spotify Pushed Into Video Spotify spent much of 2025 reinforcing a clear message: podcasts are no longer just audio experiences. With expanded support for video uploads, improved creator tools, and more in-app promotion of video podcasts, Spotify made it clear it sees YouTube as competition. Importantly, Spotify put real money behind their strategy sharing revenue with podcasters based upon video watch time."
In 2025 podcast consumption shifted heavily toward video-centric platforms, with YouTube emerging as the primary destination for new listeners and viewers. Big-screen viewing on connected TVs increased, moving many podcast sessions away from phones and laptops. Spotify expanded support for video uploads, creator tools, and in-app promotion, and introduced revenue sharing tied to video watch time. Short-form vertical video on TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels became essential for discovery, especially among younger audiences. Corporate consolidation continued as Amazon integrated Wondery into Audible, aligning content labels with centralized backend and advertising operations. These shifts pressured legacy metrics, business models, and distribution assumptions.
Read at RAIN News
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