Key Points
- Ampere Analysis found 20 percent of global Internet users watched a video podcast monthly in Q3, with YouTube leading as the dominant platform.
- Younger viewers drive growth, with those ages 18 to 34 being 24 percent more likely to watch, and 60 percent of video viewers also listening to audio podcasts weekly.
- Platforms including Netflix and Apple are expanding video podcast offerings as competition intensifies for engagement and ad revenue.
One-fifth of global Internet users are consuming video-based podcasts on a monthly basis, according to a new report released by Ampere Analysis on Tuesday.
The report claims 20 percent of online users regularly watched a video podcast on a social platform during the third quarter (Q3) of last year, which Ampere said demonstrates the growing popularity of the format.
YouTube has emerged as the dominant destination for video podcasts: Ampere said 11 percent of Internet users watched a video podcast on YouTube in the past month, making it the leading platform for the format.
That said, short-form video platform TikTok is gaining traction as a distribution hub for shorter podcast clips that funnel viewers toward full-length episodes on other services, Ampere said. In that sense, YouTube is likely gaining the most benefit from clips distributed on TikTok.
The report comes at a time when other platforms are trying to tap into the trend of video podcast viewership. In December, Netflix announced a deal to bring video podcasts from popular iHeartMedia-produced shows to its platform on an exclusive basis, a move that will see some shows stop offering full-length episodes and clips on YouTube.
Last month, Apple announced it was refreshing its Podcast app experience to allow content distributors to offer audio and video versions of their shows from a single feed. The move will allow audiences to seamlessly switch between the two formats, while giving video producers a way to dynamically insert advertisements into their episodes. Previously, shows had to distribute video and audio through separate fees, leading to duplication within Apple’s podcast directory.
Younger audiences tend to favor video podcasts, Ampere noted. Consumers between the ages of 18 and 34 are 24 percent more likely than the average Internet user to have watched a video podcast, on account of that demographic’s willingness to consume media content across formats and screens.
Around 60 percent of those who watch video podcasts also listen to audio podcasts at least a few times per week, compared with 36 percent of Internet users overall, Ampere said. The data suggests video is not cannibalizing audio listening, but rather deepening engagement among existing podcast fans while potentially expanding the audience base.
Geographically, video podcast viewing is particularly pronounced in mobile-first markets such as Brazil, India, Indonesia and Malaysia. However, engagement has broadened significantly in more mature media markets, with around 20 percent of Internet users in Spain, the United States and Canada also reporting recent viewing.
Daniel Monaghan, a Senior Research Manager at Ampere Analysis, said platforms are increasingly drawn to video podcasts because of their relatively low production costs and ability to drive sustained viewing time.
“As platforms vie for time spent, lower-cost long formats become increasingly appealing,” Monaghan said. “Video podcasts offer these by providing easy viewing akin to linear chat shows. Netflix’s recent deals with Spotify and Gary Lineker’s Goalhanger highlight the growing importance being placed on this format by major players, especially as they look to take on YouTube’s dominance.”
