Turns out Gen Z doesn’t like video podcasts. Now what?

If you’ve been anywhere near YouTube or Spotify in the last year, you probably know they’re both trying very hard to make video podcasts happen. Podcasting in general has experienced a boom since the start of the COVID pandemic, but video podcasts are what host platforms are really interested in, because video ad spots are more lucrative than audio-only ads.

Both YouTube and Spotify have seen some notable traction with video podcasts, but so far, the format doesn’t appear to have quite taken off.

Not even with one of our most video-forward generations.

According to the latest study from Transistor, a podcast hosting and monetization platform, Gen Z “overwhelmingly chooses audio-only formats” when it comes to podcasts.

76% of Gen Z’ers involved in Transistor’s study said they primarily listen to audio podcasts, while 18% said they listen to a mix of audio and video. Only 6% said they primarily watch video podcasts.

“These findings challenge common assumptions about young listeners’ podcast consumption habits,” Transistor says–and we agree. Gen Z is known for its engagement with platforms like TikTok, where users consume hundreds of hours of short-form content a month. But it seems The Youths prefer something different for longer-form, storytelling-focused content.

There is a difference in the data between platforms, though. 58% of Gen Z said they use Spotify as their primary podcast-listening app, and 88% of those respondents said they primarily listen to audio-only. That leaves only 12% of Gen Z Spotify users watching video podcasts some or all of the time.

However, of the 21% of Gen Z that said YouTube is their primary podcast app, 52% said they watch video podcasts some or all of the time.

Basically, YouTube is still known as the internet’s video destination, and young users who go there are more likely to embrace video, while Spotify–which started as an audio-only company–is struggling to catch up.

Another interesting and perhaps unexpected point of data: The vast majority of Gen Z listens to podcasts at home, on their phone or tablet, rather than in transit or while doing an activity like exercise.

You might think Gen Z would be more keen on video podcasts, since they’re listening on their phones/tablets and not listening to audio while driving or running, but nope–they still prefer audio-only.

Now, it’s possible that preference is because Gen Z treats podcasts as a sort of “second screen” they listen to while gaming or doing another digital activity. We get it; all of us here at Tubefilter are above Gen Z age, but I’ve still been known to crank out a little Final Fantasy XIV resource harvesting while listening to podcasts.

A couple other intriguing data points:

• 28% of respondents said “Joe Rogan” when asked who the most popular podcasters in the world were. Alex Cooper was second with 8%, and Theo Von was third with 5%.
• Fictional podcasts are a big hit with Gen Z: 11% of respondents said they listen to Welcome to Night Vale, another 11% said they listen to The Magnus Archives, and 5% said they listen to My Brother My Brother and Me. WTNV and The Magnus Archives are both fictional, and MBMBAM is known for its long Dungeons & Dragons campaigns.

So what does all this mean? Should YouTube and Spotify bother continuing to pursue video podcasts?

We wouldn’t say this is an indication to stop–but it may be an indication to temper expectations that video podcasting will, in the near future, become the behemoth they’re hoping for.