Click here to download a PDF of the full report.

Click here to view a 6-minute video of the key findings.

2023 has been a banner year for YouTube as a podcast destination.

In 2021, YouTube was the third most accessed destination for podcasts. In 2022, it tied Spotify as the platform used most among weekly podcast listeners. Now across two studies in 2023, YouTube has pulled away from the pack and leads as the most used podcast platform in the U.S.

For the eleventh edition of the Podcast Download series, Cumulus Media and Signal Hill Insights retained MARU/Matchbox to conduct an in-depth study of 608 weekly podcast consumers from October 13-19, 2023. Two studies are conducted annually. The Fall 2023 Report highlights trends from prior studies and examines topics such as platform preference, content trends, perceptions of brand safety and content appropriateness, and more.

Liz Mayer, Insights Manager of the Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group®, and Paul Riismandel, Chief Insights Officer and Partner of Signal Hill Insights, conducted an extensive analysis of the Podcast Download consumer study. Here are the key findings on the ascendance of YouTube as a podcast destination:

Those who only watch podcasts have grown from 8% to 14% of the weekly podcast audience

Given that video is becoming a growing podcast tuning option, the definition of podcast consumption was expanded in the April 2022 study. Since then, those who only watch podcasts have been accepted into the Podcast Download survey of the weekly podcast audience.

The inclusion of those who only watch podcasts expanded the podcast consumer universe. Over the last three studies, 8% to 10% of the weekly podcast audience only consume podcasts via “watching.” This Fall 2023 wave saw the weekly “only watcher” segment grow to 14% of the sample.

YouTube is the most utilized podcast listening platform in the U.S. for two waves running: 28% say it is the platform they use the most, followed by Spotify (15%) and Apple (12%)

A tale of two studies: At 33%, Triton’s Digital Podcast Metrics study also finds YouTube is the number one “used most” podcast platform

Signal Hill Insights powers the Demo+ survey for Triton’s Podcast Metrics service. Their Q3 2023 survey also found YouTube was “used most” for podcast consumption at 33%, validating the Podcast Download data. According to Triton, Spotify is a stronger number two platform.

YouTube is used most among Podcast Newcomers, Podcast Pioneers, and heavy podcast consumers

YouTube is the number one “used most” platform among:

• Heavy podcast consumers (those who spend 6+ hours in the past week)
• Podcast Newcomers who began with podcasts in the last year
• Podcast Pioneers who started consuming podcasts 4 or more years ago

YouTube podcast audience profile: Male and younger than the Apple Podcasts audience

Spotify skews young. Apple skews female. YouTube leans male (59%) and more 18-34 than the Apple Podcasts audience. 

As the world’s entertainment search engine, YouTube is the dominant podcast discovery platform where audiences are more likely to find podcasts

A whopping one-third of the weekly podcast audience indicate YouTube was where they started listening to a new podcast. That’s twice as many who say Apple Podcasts.

Those who discover a podcast on YouTube say they stick with the platform for video, entertainment, recommendations, comments, community, and platform features

Yet the YouTube podcast audience is not exclusively tied to the platform

56% of those who listen to/watch podcasts on YouTube say they consume the same podcasts on other platforms.

If a podcast were to become exclusive on a platform outside of YouTube, 73% of the YouTube audience say they would use the new platform to listen to/watch the show.

Watching and listening to podcasts are equally favored

• 35% prefer the audio-only experience
• 37% say they like actively watching a podcast
• 27% indicate they prefer listening to a podcast while the video is minimized or playing in the background

Those who prefer actively watching a video while listening (37%) is up from the October 2022 study (28%).

Podcast Newcomers are more likely to prefer actively watching podcast videos; Those who began listening to podcasts 4+ years ago favor the audio-only experience

YouTube dominates association as the platform where podcasts can be watched and heard

While Spotify and Apple’s recently expanded access to video provides more choice to consumers, the two platforms have a lot of work to do to build their image association for a visual podcast experience.

Preference for watchable video is a key driver in platform used most: YouTube is a runway #1 among podcast consumers who prefer video

For podcast consumers who are seeking out content, the ease of accessing watchable video is key. Among those who prefer video to actively watch while consuming a podcast, YouTube is by far the podcast platform used most (39%). Among those who prefer an audio-only podcast experience, YouTube falls to 9% as the platform used most.

Not all genres work for watchable podcasts: Consumers who prefer to watch are more likely to like Music and Sports podcasts

Watchable podcasts aren’t a perfect fit for every genre. While those who prefer the video experience seek out Music and Sports podcasts, the audio-only experience is preferred by those who are True Crime fans.

The vast majority of the Apple and Spotify platform audience uses the smartphone, while a third of YouTube’s podcast audience uses laptops and TV

Edison’s Podcast Metrics study queries the podcast audience on the device they use most to consume podcasts. The YouTube audience is much more likely to use visual devices to consume podcasts.

15% of the YouTube podcast audience use a TV the most. 19% use a computer/laptop most.

Key takeaways:

• YouTube is the most utilized podcast listening platform in the U.S. for two waves running: 28% say it is the platform they use the most, followed by Spotify (15%) and Apple (12%)
• YouTube is used most among Podcast Newcomers, Podcast Pioneers, and heavy podcast consumers
• YouTube podcast audience profile: Male and younger than the Apple Podcasts audience
• As the world’s entertainment search engine, YouTube is the dominant podcast discovery platform where audiences are more likely to find podcasts
• Those who discover a podcast on YouTube say they stick with the platform for video, entertainment, recommendations, comments, community, and platform features
• The YouTube podcast audience is not exclusively tied to the platform
• Watching and listening to podcasts are equally favored
• Podcast Newcomers are more likely to prefer actively watching podcast videos; Those who began listening to podcasts 4+ years ago favor the audio-only experience
• YouTube dominates association as the platform where podcasts can be watched and heard
• Preference for watchable video is a key driver in platform used most: YouTube is a runway #1 among podcast consumers who prefer video
• Not all genres work for watchable podcasts: Consumers who prefer to watch are more likely to like Music and Sports podcasts
• The vast majority of the Apple and Spotify platform audience uses the smartphone, while a third of YouTube’s podcast audience uses laptops and TV

Click here to download a PDF of the full report.

Click here to view a 6-minute video of the key findings.

Liz Mayer is the Insights Manager of the Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group^®.

Paul Riismandel is the Chief Insights Officer/Partner of Signal Hill Insights.

Contact the Insights team at CorpMarketing@westwoodone.com