YouTube is launching a Podcasts destination page on YouTube Music in the UK to expand ways to listen to podcasts.
Users will be able to watch and listen to podcasts on YouTube Music without needing a paid membership, moving between an audio and audiovisual experience with the ability to background listen on the go.
It means it’s possible to listen to podcasts in YouTube Music and download episodes even if the app isn’t open. These features are available to all users where podcasts have launched in YouTube Music. Background play was previously a feature exclusive to YouTube Premium but is now free, exclusively for podcasts.
Podcasts can be found in various ways within YouTube Music – dedicated podcast discovery pages, search and filter and you can create your own library.
YouTube is already a successful audio platform for music and podcasts, and with the launch of podcasts in YouTube Music, you can listen to your favourite podcasts on YouTube in a listen-centric experience.
Creators can either upload audio content with a static image, with a dynamic image or a full video. Later this year, support for creators to directly submit their RSS feeds to YouTube to distribute their audio podcasts will be added.
Robbie Lyle, Founder of AFTV and CEO of Global Fan Network said: “AFTV is the largest football fan network in the world and we love being able to explore new ways of getting our viewers involved in the conversation on YouTube.
“With ‘The Invincible’ and ‘The Fourever Arsenal’ podcasts already proving a success on the channel, we are delighted that this announcement will make it even easier for more viewers to discover and engage with all our podcasts through YouTube Music”.
YouTube UK’s Lead Alison Lomax says: “We’re thrilled to be launching podcasts in the UK on YouTube Music. Podcasts have soared in popularity in recent years among all age groups, particularly Gen Z users, and there is clearly an appetite for this longer–form audio visual content.
“YouTube is a platform that thrives on community and finding your tribe, and podcasts will be another way of bringing like-minded people together to engage in the content they love.
“With long-form, Shorts, VOD and now podcasts, YouTube is cementing itself as *the* platform for multiformat creators and ushering in a new era of creativity on the platform.”
