The Power Behind The Word “Podcast”
The term podcast has had a spectacular run. What started as a niche hobby for tech tinkerers became a global and commercial medium. Podcasts are now so mainstream that every brand, celebrity, and media company seems to have one. The term itself carries cultural weight, a built-in sense of now, clout, and authenticity. It’s not just a format; for many, being a podcaster is an identity.
Not many forms of media have such a simple and great “handle.”
So what happens when the very definition of a podcast begins to dissolve? That’s precisely where we are today as video continues to flood into the space.
The Podcast Identity Crisis
For nearly two decades, “podcasting” was understood as audio-first, on-demand programming. Whether delivered via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or RSS feed to other apps, the defining attribute was portability. You listened anywhere, often while doing something else. It was the ultimate companion medium.
Enter YouTube.
If a “podcast” lives primarily on YouTube, is it still a podcast? Or is it something else? In a recent interview on Semafor’s Mixed Signals podcast, Ben Smith asked YouTube CEO Neal Mohan what to call someone who posts podcasts on YouTube. Mohan said: “Podcasters that are on YouTube are YouTubers.”
That one line may go down as the most succinct signpost of this inflection point.
The Blurring of Lines
The audio and video worlds are colliding at an accelerating rate:
· Spotify now hosts video podcasts.
· YouTube has launched a dedicated “Podcasts” tab and a weekly chart, even as most of the content is simply long-form video interviews.
· TikTok and Instagram have inspired creators to design podcasts as short clips designed for algorithmic discovery.
Meanwhile, thousands of creators on YouTube have borrowed the aesthetic of podcasting (two people, studio mics, headphones, talking into the camera), yet their shows never touch Spotify or RSS feeds. The presence of microphones and studio setups in videos doesn't necessarily indicate a podcast, yet the visual cues can blur perceptions. They look like podcasts. They sound like podcasts. But by technical definition, they are not podcasts.
The industry may need to accept that podcasting has become more of an experience than a platform
And this creates a strange liminal space.
Oxford Road & Veritone One CEO Dan Granger assembled a smart study with Edison Research to define “what’s a podcast?” that surveyed 4000+ Americans and they interviewed industry thought leaders, including yours truly. The results came out in April. Dan says, “Why does the definition of a podcast even matter? If we don't define it clearly, we leave it to others to decide.”
Around the same time, in a keynote at Podcast Movement Evolutions, Coleman Insights VP Jay Nachlis and I shared fresh data on how consumers of all ages have rapidly pivoted to video, which certainly raises the elasticity of the word podcast.
Why the Word Podcast Still Matters
Despite the confusion, “podcast” remains an incredibly sticky word. It signals intimacy, credibility, and community. Ask any talent agent, advertiser, or brand manager: being a “podcaster” opens more doors than being called a “long-form YouTuber.”
The cultural cachet of the word may be the last line of defense. Even as the distribution model fractures, the brand value of a podcast is still powerful:
· Podcasting suggests depth, extended conversations, and thoughtful content.
· Podcasting implies loyalty. Listeners follow week after week.
· Podcasting infers trust. Multiple studies (Edison, Sounds Profitable) find podcasts are the most trusted media format.
This is why so many YouTubers are now calling themselves podcasters, whether they are or not.
The aura of podcasting matters.
The definition of “podcast” is changing, but the opportunity may be bigger than ever.
The Case for Redefinition
The industry may need to accept that podcasting has become more of an experience than a platform. It no longer matters to the audience if they consume a podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts or any other app. They just want great content, however, and wherever they consume it.
So, is it still a podcast? Perhaps the industry doesn’t need to be off-balance trying to figure out what all of this means.
As Amplifi has advised many clients, the winning strategy is to be platform-agnostic. Make your show findable and consumable in all the places your target audience hangs out. Some shows will be great video podcasts, but many won’t. Lots of audio podcasts will survive and thrive without a robust video initiative.
The audience will increasingly dictate the answer, not industry insiders.
The people who consume these shows may never think twice about whether they clicked play on an RSS feed, a YouTube video, or a TikTok clip. They’re there for the host, the conversation, the value.
At Amplifi, we call that “owning the audience, not just the format.”
The definition of a “podcast” is changing, but the opportunity may be bigger than ever.
Today, there is magnificent power behind the word “podcast.”
Jay Nachlis and I will share valuable research at Podcast Show London on Wednesday, 5/21, at 10:10am during our keynote: The State of Video Podcasting. We have fresh and actionable info on how video podcasting is changing what it means for creators, platforms, and brands. See you in London.