YouTube has launched a podcast-specific page

By introducing a separate podcast page, YouTube is embracing its inadvertent status as the most-used podcast platform. As the borders between podcasting and YouTube blur, any steps the business takes to consolidate listening might put rivals Spotify and Apple Podcasts on the defensive.

According to reports, the page emerged in late July and is still in the process of being rolled out. It is exclusively available in the United States via youtube.com/podcasts or through the Explore page (in-app or browser), where there is a new podcast tab. The new website offers hot programs and channels with millions of followers, such as The H3 Podcast or Logan Paul’s podcast, but it lacks curation in other areas.

The website isn’t as complex as other podcast sites, but that may not be a big deal. According to a May research by Cumulus, YouTube is already surpassing Apple Podcasts and Spotify due to the increase of video podcasts and simplicity of use, so it may be better to stick to the format listeners are already familiar with.

The emergence of YouTube in the podcasting sector occurred more through osmosis than by design. Apple was the first tech titan to join the field, with the introduction of podcasts in 2005. Spotify began actively exploring podcasting in 2019 with studio and technology acquisitions as well as blockbuster partnerships with celebrities such as Joe Rogan and Alex Cooper. Meanwhile, podcasts on YouTube simply occurred since everything ends up on YouTube somehow.

Podcasting is still a minor player on YouTube. In 2021, the streamer raked in $28.8 billion for its parent firm, Google. Meanwhile, according to an Interactive Advertising Bureau survey, the whole podcast market just crossed $1 billion last year. YouTube doesn’t need to own podcasting, but the website suggests that the corporation may invest more resources in it regardless.