YouTube Podcasts: Your New Australian Audio Adventure Destination

Australians are podcast-obsessed and having only launched a few months ago, YouTube is taking centre stage as one of the country's favourite platforms to dive into audio stories. With The Infinite Dial Australia 2023 report showing 43% of Australians listen to a podcast each month, YouTube's familiar interface and endless content are making podcasts even more accessible.

Whether you want to dig into ABC Conversations, true crime stories with Casefile, or a podcast from The Sydney Morning Herald & The Age – YouTube is a one-stop-shop for binge-worthy video or audio-first podcasts.

Why YouTube Podcasts?

• Reach: 85% of Australian adults are already on YouTube, so your favourite podcasters are just a tap away. No need for new apps or unfamiliar interfaces.
• Video and Audio: Experience podcasts in full glory, with behind-the-scenes peeks, live recordings, and bonus video clips just a click away.
• Community and Interactivity: Share your thoughts, ask questions, and connect with fellow fans right on YouTube. It's like having a virtual water cooler for all things podcasts.
• Discovery and Recommendations: YouTube's smart algorithms suggest new podcasts you might love, based on your listening habits and what's trending.

ABC and LiSTNR Embrace YouTube Podcasts

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and Southern Cross Austereo's LiSTNR are among the leading Australian podcast producers embracing YouTube. The ABC's "If You're Listening" podcast has found huge success on the platform, amassing millions of views and solidifying its status as a cross-format powerhouse. LiSTNR also sees the potential of YouTube to reach new global audiences for their podcasts.

“It’s great to see YouTube advancing their ambitions around podcasting, offering publishers like LiSTNR the ability to reach new global audiences on their platform. We look forward to an ongoing partnership with YouTube here in Australia, working together to advance a mutually beneficial YouTube Podcast ecosystem across 2024,” said Grant Tothill, SCA Executive Head LiSTNR Podcasts.

“The ABC distributes podcasts across a range of platforms to ensure we reach a broad audience, we see a strong opportunity to reach and engage new podcast audiences on YouTube and have been experimenting with a variety of video and audio podcast titles on YouTube over the past 18-months,” said Scott Gamble, Head of Social, Australian Broadcasting Corporation .

“'If You're Listening’ has been a huge success for the ABC on YouTube, and across all platforms. Since its YouTube debut in September, the series has amassed an impressive 2.9 million views, with an average of 152,000 views per episode. Standout episodes, like 'China miscounted its population, now the economy is in crisis' have received over 1.2 million views.

The success of ‘If You’re Listening’ extends beyond YouTube, with a total average audience of 200,000 per episode across ABC News Channel and ABC iview, and an impressive #24 entry into the Triton Australian Podcast Ranker in November 2023, with 193,682 listeners and 535,971 downloads across the month, solidifying its status as a cross-format powerhouse. We’re also excited about the production efficiency and incremental audience growth that YouTube’s RSS podcast ingestion functionality may provide for ABC podcasts.”

Get ready to dive into the exciting world of YouTube Podcasts! Head over to the Podcasts section on YouTube and start your audio adventure today.