Google Podcasts to cease operations in 2024. Instead, the company plans to integrate podcast content into YouTube Music, its music streaming platform, in order to enhance the experience for both listeners and podcast creators.
In the United States, users can already access podcasts on YouTube Music without the need for a paid subscription. This feature offers various perks, including the ability to download podcasts, play them in the background, and seamlessly switch between audio and video podcast formats. Google aims to extend this podcast availability to YouTube Music users worldwide by the end of the year.
Google expressed its commitment to improving the podcast experience on YouTube Music in a blog post, mentioning that they will introduce exclusive YouTube features related to community engagement, content discovery, and the ability to switch between audio and visual content.
Additionally, Google plans to assist current Google Podcasts users in transitioning to the Podcasts feature within YouTube Music. This move aligns with user behavior, as statistics from Edison indicate that approximately 23 percent of weekly podcast listeners in the United States prefer YouTube over Google Podcasts, which has only 4 percent usage.
To facilitate the transition, Google Podcast users will have access to a straightforward migration tool, allowing them to seamlessly transfer their subscriptions to YouTube Music. Users can also add podcast RSS feeds to their YouTube Music library, including those not available on YouTube. For those who prefer alternative platforms, the option to download an OPML file of their subscriptions and import it to a compatible app will be available. Podcast creators will gain access to robust tools for content creation and analytics, as well as the ability to upload content via RSS.
Google intends to gather user feedback to streamline the migration process from Google Podcasts to YouTube Music. They will release migration tools with clear instructions when they are ready. At present, there are no immediate changes, and users can continue to use YouTube, YouTube Music, and Google Podcasts as usual.
