JAKARTA - YouTube is embracing its position as a podcast platform, by no means and by far the most widely used, by launching a dedicated podcast page. As the line between podcasting and YouTube is now blurred, any step the company takes to consolidate and listen could pose challenges for competitors like Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
According to 9to5Google, the YouTube Podcast page debuted at the end of last July and is still in the process of being rolled out. This page is only accessible in the US at the address youtube.com/podcasts or via the Explore page (in app or browser), where there is a new podcast tab.
This new page features trending shows and channels that already have millions of subscribers, such as the H3 Podcast or the Logan Paul podcast, but otherwise don't show much curation.
This page isn't nearly as sophisticated as their competitor's podcast platform, but that probably doesn't really matter. A study by Cumulus in May found that YouTube is already outperforming Apple Podcasts and Spotify, thanks to the rise of video podcasts and their ease of use, so it might be smarter to stick with these formats that viewers already know.
YouTube's presence in the podcasting space happened more by osmosis than as a deliberate strategy by themselves. While Apple was the first tech giant to enter the space, launching a podcast in 2005.
Instead, Spotify began aggressively pursuing podcasting in 2019 with studio and tech acquisitions and blockbuster deals with stars like Joe Rogan and Alex Cooper.
Meanwhile, podcasts on YouTube just happen because they all end up on YouTube one way or another.
Podcasting is still a “little potato” for YouTube. Streamers made just $28.8 billion for their parent company, Google, in 2021. Meanwhile, the entire podcast industry just crossed $1 billion last year, according to a study by the Interactive Advertising Bureau.
YouTube doesn't really need to have podcasting, but the page is an indication that the company could put more resources into it. YouTube did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Verge, about their podcast initiative further.
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