Video podcasts dominate: Opportunity for brands, competition for traditional video

Some streaming music and audio services, including Spotify, Wondery, Podbean, and YouTube,² have integrated podcast video feeds directly into their user interfaces in recent years, making them accessible and available to consumers. In tandem, some major providers have equipped podcasters with the tools and know-how needed to create and monetize their video assets, making vodcast offerings more plentiful.³ Although some of the other podcast services that are supporting vodcasts are long-time and well-known players in the space, YouTube is a relatively new entrant as of 2022,⁴ but is already having an impact: They boasted one billion monthly vodcast viewers in early 2025, launched a ranking of top podcasts list for the US market,⁵ and set a Guinness World Record for a vodcast episode of “New Heights” in August of 2025 with a live audience of 1.3 million concurrent viewers.⁶ Making these vodcasts available on popular platforms and services—where many people are already spending their time and subscription dollars—lowers the barriers to entry for many consumers and increases uptake and engagement with both content and ads. Different podcast platforms have different approaches to video versus audio-only formats: Some are audio only, or nearly so, while others feature all podcasts with video versions. Spotify, which only started offering video versions in 2022, now has over 60% of its most popular shows offering a video component as of mid-September 2025.⁷ We predict that the percentage of popular podcasts with video will rise and consumers will increasingly gravitate toward platforms that embrace video. For their part, as of the Fall 2025 Digital Media Trends report, 27% of US consumers say they watch vodcasts weekly, a trend that is led by Gen Zs and millennials.⁸

The video component of vodcasts brings audiences into the conversation in a way audio alone simply can’t. Viewers see hosts’ facial expressions, body language, and the visual context of the environment, which creates a sense of closeness. When viewers see the podcast hosts they know and love, the parasocial relationship strengthens—along with trust and perceived authenticity—which drives community and engagement.⁹ All this engagement adds up: Users who watch vodcasts consume 1.5 times more content than users who only listen to podcast content.¹⁰ Video also adds a compelling visual storytelling layer that appeals to younger, digitally native audiences and enables creators to reach new viewers across platforms. Advertising and sponsorship opportunities also increase with a visual format, as they allow for logo and product placements and the creation of short clips ready-made for social sharing.¹¹

As such, social media platforms are also key to the success of vodcasts.¹² Short vodcast clips can be repurposed and shared across social media platforms to reach different audiences and highlight the most engaging and buzzworthy parts of an episode. The use of social platforms and viral social clips extends the reach of the vodcast, allows for discoverability, expands the scope for ads, and gives the podcast creator a chance to directly interact with their audiences.

The vodcast boom may continue to put pressure on other video entertainment offerings and platforms, as these video assets compete for coveted—and finite—screen and TV time. Already in 2024, almost half of podcast viewers say they watch on a connected TV.¹³ And competition from this format may be what’s pushing some traditional streaming video providers to think about entering the podcast space.¹⁴ As video podcasts popularize and take over the living room, it’s clear the format is changing consumers’ behaviors in ways worth paying attention to: Whereas audio podcasts can be consumed while doing other activities like commuting or exercising, vodcasts require more focused attention. Forty-four percent of US vodcast watchers say they never multitask while watching compared with 29% of podcast listeners who say they never multitask while listening.¹⁵

This more focused attention on the content could lead to greater engagement and increased subscriber growth, which can attract more attention and investments from advertisers and sponsors who want in. As it stands, roughly a quarter of US podcast watchers and listeners (and more than a third of Gen Z and millennial podcast watchers and listeners) say they often purchase products or services that they hear advertised on podcasts, according to the latest Fall 2025 Digital Media Trends data.¹⁶ More advertisers and sponsors mean increased revenue, which will drive reach, growth, and innovation. In short, the rise of vodcasts is likely to define the next chapter of the podcast industry’s evolution.

The expansion of mobile internet access globally has democratized connectivity and content consumption. In countries like India, Nigeria, and Brazil, affordable smartphones and data plans have brought millions online.¹⁹ For example, mobile data costs in Nigeria have dropped by roughly 97% over the past decade: While 1GB of mobile data cost US$11.15 in 2014, by 2023, it decreased to US$0.39.²⁰ Access to lower-cost devices and plans is making on-demand audio and video content—like podcasts and vodcasts—accessible to more people in more places.

Established audio streamers are expanding globally and fueling podcast growth by investing in local language content. Spotify, for instance, is funding creators and forming exclusive partnerships across Latin America, Africa, and Asia to develop regionally relevant shows.²¹ Other platforms are licensing popular local podcasts, producing original content, and building tools to support regional talent.²² Despite much of the industry being English centric, there is a growing understanding that multilingual and culturally specific programming could be key to sustaining global podcast growth. Meanwhile, new platforms in countries like Lebanon, India, and Nigeria ²³ are emerging as hubs for local content and are increasingly partnering with global players to expand their reach.

New formats like vodcasts are also driving engagement, as they appeal to younger, digitally native audiences in emerging markets that typically have younger populations than more developed economies.²⁴

The global rise of podcasts has implications for monetization strategies, with platforms boosting discovery and consumption especially for non-English content.²⁵ More and more, multinational brands might lean into ad placements in regional shows and within culturally relevant storytelling to reach diverse, engaged audiences—though cost per mille in emerging markets remain low, making revenue generation challenging for creators. Despite the obstacles, market globalization is fueling a surge in localized ads, branded content, and creator partnerships that cross borders.²⁶

These same platforms should explore expansions into emerging markets, which might include investing in local and regional content and personalities (as well as gen AI capabilities to auto-translate and lip-synch audio and video content ²⁷) to appeal to new markets and grow audiences. Though there are upsides, globalizing the market involves a nuanced understanding of regional preferences, regulatory environments, and monetization models. Success will likely depend on the ability to localize content, build trust with diverse audiences, and navigate an increasingly complex competitive landscape. Streaming audio providers should also explore offering offline access to content, file compression, and lower bitrate streaming modes, especially in regions where bandwidth is still expensive and networks are unstable. 

There may also be unique opportunities for subscription video-on-demand providers to capitalize on the vodcast boom—most notably by launching companion vodcasts that keep audiences engaged between seasons while expanding their content slate.²⁸ Streamers might also consider podcasts as low-cost incubators for new stories and emerging talent, with the podcast-to-screen funnel tapping into existing fanbases and reducing development risk.²⁹ Likewise, partnering with established creators who already command loyal followings and understand how to spark social buzz offers a fast track to cultural relevance. These tactics aren’t about chasing the vodcast hype. They transform audio-first storytelling into a strategic engine for retention, deeper fan engagement, and sustainable long-term growth.