Earlier this year, it was reported that YouTube would soon launch a dedicated podcasts homepage, indicating that the corporation was becoming more serious about podcast investments and the potential ad revenue they may generate. After the URL was discovered to be up ahead of any formal announcement, YouTube confirmed that the new podcasts destination is now available for US users.
According to 9to5 Google, the dedicated podcast page launched last month and is now connected, at least for some users, on YouTube’s existing Explore page with other major destinations such as Gaming, Sports, Learning, Fashion, and others. However, the podcast section did not appear in the website’s sidebar navigation.
Moreover, YouTube stated that the URL is not currently available globally.
“The podcast destination page on YouTube allows users to find new and popular podcast episodes, artists and their shows, as well as suggested podcast material,” Paul Pennigton, who is a spokesperson for Youtube, revealed.
Podcasting is still a minor player on YouTube. In 2021, the streamer brought in $28.8 billion for its parent company, Google. Meanwhile, according to an Interactive Advertising Bureau survey, the total podcast market just crossed $1 billion last year. YouTube doesn’t need to own podcasting, but the website suggests that the corporation may invest more resources in it regardless.YouTube declined to answer any further questions about the company’s goals for podcasts in general or the destination itself, implying that a larger announcement was still on the way. There were already a few clues that YouTube was growing more serious about podcasts before today, especially after Spotify joined the sector with its support for video podcasts.
