What you need to know
- YouTube executives have confirmed the podcast is coming to YouTube Music.
- This feature includes ad-supported background listening and enhanced library functionality.
- YouTube Studio recently added a new podcast creation tool.
While Spotify has made big strides in the podcast space over the last few years, YouTube Music has sat quietly while the main YouTube app has been getting all the attention with its video podcasts. However, things will soon change as YouTube finally starts getting serious about podcasting on its platform.
As The Verge reported, YouTube’s podcasting director Kai Chuk recently confirmed at the Hot Pod Summit that podcasts will finally be coming to YouTube Music in the “near future.”
This move to extend the current podcast experience on YouTube will also increase the focus on audio-first podcast experiences. This is something YouTube Music especially lacked, even after Spotify’s increased investment in the space. “If someone just wants to listen to podcasts, they should have a great experience with that as well,” Chuk said.
A YouTube spokesperson also confirmed the move in a statement to TechCrunch.
“We will start offering both audio-first and video-first podcasts to YouTube Music for our US users. This will make our podcasts more discoverable and accessible. podcasts will be available everywhere they want to be heard.”
Chuk said users can expect ad-supported background listening, badges that identify audio-first podcasts, and “enhanced library tools.” However, unlike Spotify, YouTube is clearly not concerned with securing exclusive deals, instead focusing on creating a great ecosystem for creators and users.
“We’re focused on YouTube’s users and ecosystem, and we’re bringing podcasts into that,” Chuk continued.
YouTube Premium and YouTube Music recently celebrated reaching 80 million subscribers, which still falls short of Spotify’s over 200 million paying listeners. Despite using the YouTube app to post podcast videos, the service has focused solely on music. That said, with growing interest in podcasts and the introduction of new podcast creation tools, YouTube may finally be able to fill the gap.
