In a strategic move to centralize and enhance the podcast experience, Google has announced the upcoming discontinuation of Google Podcasts in 2024.
Launched in 2018 and expanded to web and iOS in 2020, Google Podcasts will make way for a more integrated podcast destination on YouTube Music. This shift reflects Google’s vision to leverage the growing popularity of podcasts and create a unified platform that caters to the evolving preferences of listeners and creators alike.
The What
Google Podcasts, which made its debut on Android and subsequently expanded its reach, is set to be phased out as Google shifts its focus towards enhancing the podcast experience on YouTube Music.
The transition is already underway in the US, where users can enjoy podcasts on YouTube Music without a paid membership, complete with features such as background playback, offline downloads, and casting content to smart speakers.
The decision to migrate podcasts to YouTube Music stems from user preferences, with 23% of podcast listeners choosing YouTube as their preferred service, compared to a mere 4% for Podcasts. Google is optimistic about a smooth migration process and aims to make Podcasts on YouTube Music available globally before the end of the year.
The Why
Google’s decision to phase out Podcasts and centralize them on YouTube Music is driven by the desire to create a singular, enriched destination for podcast fans and creators. The company recognizes the golden age of podcasts and the medium’s incredible potential to boost audience growth across audio and video formats.
By focusing on YouTube Music, Google aims to leverage YouTube-only capabilities across community, discovery, and audio/visual switching, thereby enhancing the overall podcast experience.
The transition to a single platform aligns with the listening habits of users and allows Google to invest in building a product that rewards creators and artists while offering fans the best podcast experience.
What They Said
In a statement, Google expressed its commitment to the evolving podcast landscape: “We’re living in the golden age of podcasts. We’ve seen creators and artists really embrace Podcasts on YouTube, and its incredible potential to boost audience growth across audio and video formats.”
The company outlined its plans to increase investment in the podcast experience on YouTube Music, making it a better overall destination with unique YouTube capabilities.
Google emphasized the importance of a smooth transition for users and podcasters, stating, “We want to make sure we get this right and will give fans and podcasters plenty of time to make the transition.” The company assured that robust creation and analytics tools would be provided to podcasters, and users would have access to a simple migration tool and the ability to add podcast RSS feeds to their YouTube Music library.
Acknowledging that the transition will take time, Google concluded, “We know this transition will take time, but these efforts will allow us to build an amazing product and a single destination that rewards creators and artists and provides fans with the best Podcasts experience.”
