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At this point, many stories have been written about Spotify’s bid to steal a piece of the video podcasting pie away from YouTube, as well as podcast star Alex Cooper’s subsequent move to make her video content only available on YouTube. It’s clear that online video is the next battleground.
Few have truly reckoned with the broader consequences of podcasting’s shift to video—a process that was already underway, with some studies suggesting that 85% of U.S. listeners have watched a video podcast. Both the podcasting and social media creator spaces are in for some interesting times as the dividing line becomes less clear for audiences, creators, publishers, and advertisers.
After all, podcasting owes its success to the unique qualities of the audio-only format. Its influence has proven to be not only a political kingmaker and a cultural driver, but also a particularly effective medium for brand advertisers. It’s why they have started packing in 39% more ads since 2021. Similarly, social media influencers have earned huge brand sponsorships and a surprising level of audience trust, from health and fashion to everything in between.
What should marketers, creators, and publishers expect when both channels—each with their own rules, norms, and standards—start to share the same video spaces?
The confluence of influences
The cultural impact of podcasts and social media influencers can’t be denied. Still, they serve entirely different roles, making it almost impossible to compare their aggregate influence.
Media may be measured in impressions, but not all impressions are created equal. A podcast impression delivers intimacy, understanding, and connection in a way that short-form content on social simply can’t replicate. Social media is designed to grab attention while podcasting is built to hold it. You’ll never get the sheer volume of impressions with a podcast that you can with a viral TikTok, but the ones you do get go deeper, last longer, and shape perspectives in a more meaningful way.
