A new report from YouGov has found that podcast advertising continues to deliver strong results for brands, while audio-only podcasts remain the preferred format for most British listeners despite the rapid rise of video podcasting.
More Than Meets the Ear: The Great Britain Podcast Advertising Report 2026 reveals that nearly half of Britons now listen to audio podcasts, while four in ten watch video podcasts.
However, the majority of podcast consumers engage with both formats, giving advertisers multiple ways to reach audiences.
According to the research, 49% of Britons listen to audio podcasts and 40% watch video podcasts. Around 32% consume both audio and video podcasts, meaning most podcast audiences can be reached across either format.
Only 9% of Britons consume video podcasts without also listening to audio podcasts.
Despite growing interest in video, audio remains the preferred option for British podcast fans. Almost half of podcast consumers (46%) say they prefer audio-only podcasts, compared with 28% who favour video and 21% who enjoy both equally.
The preference for audio is particularly strong among higher-income listeners, with 59% of affluent consumers choosing audio-only formats.
The report also suggests that heavier podcast listeners are more likely to favour audio. Among those consuming more than five hours of podcast content each week, 14% listen to audio podcasts compared with 8% who spend the same amount of time watching video podcasts.
Podcast listening continues to fit naturally into daily routines. More than four in ten podcast consumers listen while doing household chores, while a third tune in during their commute.
Other popular listening occasions include walking, cooking, eating and before going to sleep.
Younger listeners show different habits. Gen Z listeners are more likely to consume podcasts while eating or walking, while Gen X listeners are the most likely to listen during household chores. Baby Boomers generally record lower podcast consumption across most listening situations.
The research highlights a clear difference between audio and video podcast consumption. Audio-first listeners are far more likely to listen while commuting, walking or doing household tasks, while video podcast fans are more likely to consume content while eating.
When it comes to content, news and current affairs remains the most popular podcast genre overall. Comedy, entertainment and pop culture also perform strongly.
Video podcast fans are more likely to consume entertainment and pop culture content, while audio listeners show a greater preference for comedy.
For advertisers, the report suggests podcasting is delivering meaningful engagement. More than half of consumers who prefer video podcasts have taken some form of action after hearing or seeing an advert on a podcast, radio or streaming audio platform. The figure stands at 49% for audio-only podcast listeners.
Among video podcast consumers, common actions include visiting a brand’s website, searching online for a product, following a brand on social media or engaging with related content. Audio listeners also show strong response rates across these measures.
Internationally, Britain stands out as one of the strongest audio-first podcast markets. The UK joins countries including Denmark and Germany in showing a preference for audio-only podcasts, while markets such as Singapore and the UAE lean more heavily towards video consumption.
The findings are based on YouGov research conducted between 13 March and 1 April this year, surveying more than 2,000 adults in Great Britain and over 1,100 podcast consumers.
