YouTube has launched a page specifically dedicated to podcasts in the United States. — Photography Austin Distel/Unsplash/AFP Relaxnews
Podcasts have decidedly become part of our information and entertainment landscape. After becoming a mainstream trend during pandemic lockdowns, the podcast era has continued to evolve with the use of video. That format is now the favorite among a majority of listeners who rank YouTube as their favorite platform for podcasts.
Nearly a third of Americans (32%) say they prefer to watch video podcasts, while a quarter (26%) opt more often for the original audio version, according to a survey by Morning Consult.*
Regular podcast listeners (those who have listened to at least one podcast in the past month) are even more inclined towards video podcasts with 46% saying they preferred them, compared to 42% who choose the audio-only version. Reasons for this preference include being able to see the expressions and reactions of hosts and guests (51%) and being able to better focus on the podcast (50%).
Differences can be seen depending on the generation. On one hand, Generation Z, Millennials, and even Baby Boomers prefer video podcasts (at 42%, 43% and 25% respectively) while Generation X is more inclined towards audio (31%)
On social networks, podcasts and audio can account for a lot of content generated, whether they're parodies or repostings of filmed shows. In the world of TV shows, this is a format that has been widely used.
YouTube, the preferred platform for consuming podcasts
Highlighting the trend of video podcasts, one in three listeners say they prefer YouTube** as a podcasting platform, ahead of Spotify (24%) and even Apple Podcasts (12%).
As with video podcasts, listeners are also becoming increasingly fond of live, in-person events. According to the Morning Consult study, 15% of podcast consumers say they would be willing to pay between $10 and $25 to attend podcast recordings, while 46% are not yet fully convinced.
Something that podcast producers have noticed. Recently, the "rewatch podcast" "Drama Queens," presented by Bethany Joy Lenz, Sophia Bush and Hilarie Burton Morgan, the three main actresses of the series "One Tree Hill" who participate in all the episodes, launched a tour in the United States to record their shows in front of an audience. The series of events proved to be a huge success with nostalgic fans. – AFP Relaxnews
*study conducted between October 29 and 31, 2022, on approximately 2202 American adults.
**survey of 1172 U.S. listeners who reported listening to a podcast in the past month, conducted October 29-31, 2022.
