YouTube and Twitter are moving to give podcasts more space
Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2025 8:41 am
And while Spotify and Apple have a big slice of this pie, it's YouTube that's taking the lion's share of listeners , so it's no surprise that the platform is launching a landing page entirely dedicated to podcasts.
But wait, YouTube isn't the only one: Twitter has also purchase shareholder database been moving to make more room for this type of content on the app .
Let me explain in detail how these updates will be implemented and, more importantly, what are the new opportunities for us marketers, brands, and creators . Let's see it together!
Yes, podcasts are a phenomenon. But is the industry saturated?
Many podcast professionals agree that the industry can be considered saturated . After all, a ton of new content is uploaded to all kinds of audio and streaming platforms every hour, and it's hard for users to keep up with already established podcasts.
Most listeners stick to their favorite creators, making it difficult to find new target audiences.
With all these obstacles, how should new podcasters and marketers find their golden opportunity? That's where the new features of YouTube and Twitter come in.
The YouTube homepage for podcasts
YouTube is the largest platform for podcasting, with 24.2% of listeners, Spotify comes in second with 23.8% and Apple third with 16%.
Their new page (available only in the US for now) is made to make it easier for listeners to browse content (and podcasters to be found easily). Users can explore new and popular podcast episodes, shows, and creators, as well as recommend content.
This is something particularly interesting, especially since Spotify's algorithm doesn't really allow for growing and reaching large audiences without the help of other social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and, look, Youtube.
YouTube does exactly the opposite, giving you visibility as a creator based on the interest of a topic for a particular audience, making it easier for you to reach your target audience.
The video giant also hired a new Podcast executive, Kai Chuk, which further shows how the company is looking to lead the industry and provide more to its 2 billion Youtube Music users (50 million of whom will be paid users in 2021). These tools will make it easier for listeners to find content to consume.
But of course… they’re not alone. Within days of launching the podcasts landing page in the US, Twitter responded with an Audio tab in the app, which highlights audio content.
Twitter's integrated podcast screen
Recent research from Twitter indicates that 45% of people who use the bluebird social channel in the US listen to podcasts on a monthly basis. So it makes sense that the platform would find new ways to better explore this type of content.
Last week, Twitter launched a new integrated podcasts screen in the “ Spaces ” tab (in fact, they even renamed it the “Audio” tab). This new tab will highlight podcasts, pre-recorded content, and live content all in one screen, separated by specific topics.
Source: Hollywood Reporter
As Twitter's own words put it :
“ Fans love seeing when their favorite podcasts are releasing a new season, going on tour, or endorsing a partner podcast for their next listen. Both emerging and established podcasters are using Twitter to expand and inform their audiences .”
New tools and audio content far beyond podcasts
It's important to mention that podcasting is just one of several ways to work with audio content, and streaming platforms are taking notice.
While YouTube and Twitter are testing new tools to expand the reach of podcasts, Spotify has been investing in audiobooks, trying to cope with the exponential growth of the industry, with a huge 60% increase in consumption among young Americans (between 13 and 45), and even embracing video and gaming.
So who wins in this battle? The answer is: us; listeners, brands and creators.
All of these new features could be a great opportunity for new creators and marketers who want to reach their target audience without having to fight with the Podcasting giants.
The younger generation is shifting their search behavior to quick information platforms like TikTok, which is the exact opposite of a podcast. But Youtube has thought about that too and plans to implement audio mechanisms, which creators could integrate and reach a new audience.
The new podcast landing pages are also of great interest to new creators, as they allow more visibility of options to people searching for podcasts, boosting reach and audience growth by making smaller podcasters visible to the general public.
In short, the podcast industry is a very diverse and interesting investment for aspiring creators, and its exponential growth only exposes the endless possibilities that can be explored within it. The new world of podcasts has proven to be the future for all audiences and the new tools being launched are proof of the opportunities to come, and you don’t want to be left out, right?
But wait, YouTube isn't the only one: Twitter has also purchase shareholder database been moving to make more room for this type of content on the app .
Let me explain in detail how these updates will be implemented and, more importantly, what are the new opportunities for us marketers, brands, and creators . Let's see it together!
Yes, podcasts are a phenomenon. But is the industry saturated?
Many podcast professionals agree that the industry can be considered saturated . After all, a ton of new content is uploaded to all kinds of audio and streaming platforms every hour, and it's hard for users to keep up with already established podcasts.
Most listeners stick to their favorite creators, making it difficult to find new target audiences.
With all these obstacles, how should new podcasters and marketers find their golden opportunity? That's where the new features of YouTube and Twitter come in.
The YouTube homepage for podcasts
YouTube is the largest platform for podcasting, with 24.2% of listeners, Spotify comes in second with 23.8% and Apple third with 16%.
Their new page (available only in the US for now) is made to make it easier for listeners to browse content (and podcasters to be found easily). Users can explore new and popular podcast episodes, shows, and creators, as well as recommend content.
This is something particularly interesting, especially since Spotify's algorithm doesn't really allow for growing and reaching large audiences without the help of other social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and, look, Youtube.
YouTube does exactly the opposite, giving you visibility as a creator based on the interest of a topic for a particular audience, making it easier for you to reach your target audience.
The video giant also hired a new Podcast executive, Kai Chuk, which further shows how the company is looking to lead the industry and provide more to its 2 billion Youtube Music users (50 million of whom will be paid users in 2021). These tools will make it easier for listeners to find content to consume.
But of course… they’re not alone. Within days of launching the podcasts landing page in the US, Twitter responded with an Audio tab in the app, which highlights audio content.
Twitter's integrated podcast screen
Recent research from Twitter indicates that 45% of people who use the bluebird social channel in the US listen to podcasts on a monthly basis. So it makes sense that the platform would find new ways to better explore this type of content.
Last week, Twitter launched a new integrated podcasts screen in the “ Spaces ” tab (in fact, they even renamed it the “Audio” tab). This new tab will highlight podcasts, pre-recorded content, and live content all in one screen, separated by specific topics.
Source: Hollywood Reporter
As Twitter's own words put it :
“ Fans love seeing when their favorite podcasts are releasing a new season, going on tour, or endorsing a partner podcast for their next listen. Both emerging and established podcasters are using Twitter to expand and inform their audiences .”
New tools and audio content far beyond podcasts
It's important to mention that podcasting is just one of several ways to work with audio content, and streaming platforms are taking notice.
While YouTube and Twitter are testing new tools to expand the reach of podcasts, Spotify has been investing in audiobooks, trying to cope with the exponential growth of the industry, with a huge 60% increase in consumption among young Americans (between 13 and 45), and even embracing video and gaming.
So who wins in this battle? The answer is: us; listeners, brands and creators.
All of these new features could be a great opportunity for new creators and marketers who want to reach their target audience without having to fight with the Podcasting giants.
The younger generation is shifting their search behavior to quick information platforms like TikTok, which is the exact opposite of a podcast. But Youtube has thought about that too and plans to implement audio mechanisms, which creators could integrate and reach a new audience.
The new podcast landing pages are also of great interest to new creators, as they allow more visibility of options to people searching for podcasts, boosting reach and audience growth by making smaller podcasters visible to the general public.
In short, the podcast industry is a very diverse and interesting investment for aspiring creators, and its exponential growth only exposes the endless possibilities that can be explored within it. The new world of podcasts has proven to be the future for all audiences and the new tools being launched are proof of the opportunities to come, and you don’t want to be left out, right?