Podcasting continues to evolve in 2025, not just in how it sounds, but in where and how it’s consumed. Recent findings from Sounds Profitable’s Podcast Landscape study offer some surprising data about listener behavior on two of the most popular platforms: YouTube and Spotify. The results challenge a few long-standing assumptions and highlight important implications for creators producing both audio and video content.
YouTube: Not Just a Video Platform
YouTube is often viewed as the center of video podcasting, and for good reason. The platform’s design encourages visual content, and the top-performing shows there typically include a video component. But one surprising finding shows that YouTube is still widely used for audio consumption.
While a slight majority of YouTube podcast users say they watch more than half of their podcasts, nearly half still listen more than they watch, even when the content is designed for video. In fact, over one in five listeners report consuming the majority of their YouTube podcast content with the video minimized or running in the background.
This reveals something important: YouTube’s strength is not only in visuals, but in its functionality as a podcast app. Its discovery features, community tools, and playback experience make it appealing for both watchers and listeners. If you’re producing video content specifically for YouTube, it still needs to work as a standalone audio experience. If your show can’t be followed without visuals, you risk losing a sizable portion of your audience.
Spotify: Quietly Growing as a Video Podcast Destination
Spotify has long been associated with audio. For years, users came to the platform for music, playlists, and traditional podcast listening. But this year’s data shows that Spotify is quietly becoming a destination for video as well.
Over 30% of Spotify podcast consumers say they watch more than half of their episodes, with 15% reporting that they watch nearly all of them. This level of video engagement was unexpected, even within the industry. While much of this shift is likely influenced by high-profile shows like The Joe Rogan Experience, it’s clear that Spotify’s users are more open to video content than previously assumed.
This development suggests that creators uploading video content to Spotify are meeting a growing appetite. While Spotify may still be an audio-first platform, video is no longer a novelty, it’s becoming part of the expected experience for many listeners.
What This Means for Creators
If you’re producing a podcast, these insights point to one clear takeaway: don’t assume how people are consuming your content based on platform alone. YouTube requires strong audio because a large portion of its podcast audience listens without watching. Spotify, meanwhile, is becoming a meaningful space for video, even if that wasn’t the case a few years ago.
The goal shouldn’t be choosing between audio and video, it should be delivering an experience that works for both. Your content needs to sound great regardless of the screen, while still offering something visually engaging for those who want to watch. Platforms may be shifting, but one thing hasn’t changed: the most successful podcasts meet listeners where they are, in the format they prefer.
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