YouTube Music, under the Google umbrella, is gearing up to enhance its podcast offerings, with plans to globally introduce Podcasts on YouTube Music by the end of this year. As part of this evolution, Google will phase out its standalone podcast app, Google Podcasts, by 2024.
YouTube’s Podcast Expansion In a recent blog post, YouTube shared its intentions to bolster the podcast experience within the YouTube Music platform, making it accessible worldwide. This strategic move aims to consolidate podcast content under the YouTube Music umbrella while discontinuing Google Podcasts.
Smooth Transition for Google Podcasts Users Google has committed to facilitating a seamless transition for its existing Google Podcasts users to migrate to Podcasts on YouTube Music. Over the coming weeks, the company will actively seek feedback to refine the migration process, ensuring it is straightforward and user-friendly.
Once the migration tools are deemed ready, Google will release them along with comprehensive guidelines for users. The company’s focus is on simplifying the transition process, making it hassle-free for both podcast enthusiasts and creators.
Enhanced Podcast Experience Earlier this year, YouTube Music introduced podcast streaming capabilities in the United States, granting users access to podcasts without requiring a paid subscription. These podcast features on YouTube Music encompassed download options, background playback, and seamless transitions between audio and video podcast formats.
The platform is committed to perfecting the transition process, giving podcast fans and creators ample time to adapt. Users can anticipate a straightforward migration tool and the ability to incorporate podcast RSS feeds into their YouTube Music library, even for shows not currently hosted on YouTube.
Furthermore, the migration tools will provide an option to download an OPML (Outline Processor Markup Language) file of subscribed shows. This OPML file can be uploaded to apps supporting this import feature, catering to users who prefer different listening platforms.
In parallel, YouTube will work on offering robust podcast creation tools and analytics, along with support for RSS uploads. These enhancements aim to empower podcast creators and expand the reach of their content within the YouTube Music ecosystem.
Status Quo for Now YouTube assured its users that, for the time being, there will be no immediate changes. Access to YouTube, YouTube Music, and Google Podcasts will remain uninterrupted. The company is dedicated to ensuring a smooth transition and a robust podcast experience within YouTube Music while keeping its users connected to their favorite content.
