Video podcasts are becoming a mainstream form of video entertainment, Ampere Analysis says, with 20% of internet users watching them on social video platforms in the past month.
Long-form video podcasts have become a cost-effective way for platforms to succeed in the battle for engagement time. And YouTube is winning on the video podcast front, with 11% of Internet users having watched one on its service in the past month. TikTok is proving popular for clips.
Younger demos–those 18 to 34—are 24% more likely than average to have watched a podcast. Ampere also discovered that audiences watching video pods are more engaged with audio versions; 60% of podcast viewers also listen at least a few times a week, compared with 36% of Internet users on average.
Video podcasts are proving especially popular in mobile-first markets, among them Brazil, India, Indonesia, and Malaysia, but engagement is also on the rise in Spain, the U.S., and Canada.
“As platforms vie for time spent, lower-cost long formats become increasingly appealing,” said Daniel Monaghan, senior research manager at Ampere Analysis. “Video podcasts offer these by providing easy viewing akin to linear chat shows. Netflix’s recent deals with Spotify and Gary Lineker’s Goalhanger highlight the growing importance being placed on this format by major players, especially as they look to take on YouTube’s dominance.”
