YouTube is the new popular podcast platform, but the company fails to recognize it

There are many mainstream audio podcast platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify, where people look for their favorite content. Whereas, now YouTube is also increasingly becoming popular where creators like Logan Paul, Emma Chamberlain, and Marques Brownlee have launched their visual podcasts.

Though YouTube is not designed specifically for podcasts, but creators know how to use its algorithm to increase their viewership, earn more, and use the medium that is expanding rapidly.

According to a recent survey, 43% of the Canadian adults looked for podcasts on YouTube last year, while only 34% of the users used Apple Podcasts, and 23% used Spotify to listen to podcasts.

The top podcasts on YouTube manage to get millions of views within a few days. Some of the creators distribute their podcasts on other platforms, like Apple Podcasts and Spotify, but also release it in video format on YouTube.

To reach a large number of audiences, YouTubers spread their content on multiple channels. Channels like H3 Podcast, Cody Ko and Tiny Met Gang have one main channel where full podcasts are uploaded whereas clips of it are uploaded on other channels as well.

Having a separate YouTube channel for short clips or highlights from long podcasts allow creators to make the most of recommendation algorithm of YouTube. As there is a podcast named “H3 Podcast: Andrew Yang” that have lengthy video of around 90 minutes. Due to its length and lack of specification about the topic discussed, many people might not watch it.

However, when it is cut into different clips of 5 to 20 minutes, it will engage more viewership because it would be easier to watch, share and reach more people who will be interested in the same topic.

Marketing of a podcast is itself a separate issue, and several young YouTubers are opting multiple channels for it. Content creator Joe Rogan is a perfect example of it. His show is of almost 3 hours at times, but he has secondary channels where he uploads shorter clips. These clips altogether have more views than his actual podcasts, despite having fewer subscribers.


The main channels also let creators move their existing audience to their new channels. They release their podcasts in audio format on Apple Podcasts and other platforms and then make it available on YouTube as well, increasing more audience through various platforms. This also creates more ways to generate money by monetizing their content.

Separate channels mean creators can work on different types of content simultaneously. Like on one channel they may have lengthy podcasts, whereas on the other they could do vlogging, pranks or even comedy. This will attract a broad audience with different interests.

Creators see great potential in YouTube as a podcasts platform which is developing and growing over time. However, YouTube has not introduced any changes to meet the demands. Channel owners on their own are taking advantage of YouTube through various experiments, and collaborations to explore it.


Photo: Shutterstock

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