Earlier this year, Google launched the ability to watch and listen to podcasts on YouTube Music in the US, with no paid subscription required.
According to Edison, about 23% of weekly podcast users in the US say YouTube is their most frequently used service, compared to just 4% for Google Podcasts.
Thus, the company has decided to shut down the Google Podcasts service and focus only on Podcasts on YouTube Music. At the same time, Google plans to make Podcasts on YouTube Music available globally by the end of 2023.
End users will get a simple migration tool and the ability to add RSS feeds of podcasts to their YouTube Music library, including shows not currently hosted on YouTube. For those who prefer a different listening platform, the tools will also include an option to download an OPML file of their show subscriptions, which they can upload to an app that supports their import.
For podcast authors, this means providing robust creation and analytics tools, as well as RSS uploads. Additionally, your podcasts will be available wherever YouTube Music is available.
In the coming weeks and months, Google will be gathering feedback to make the process of switching from Google Podcasts to YouTube Music as simple and convenient as possible. Google will then release the migration tools along with a clear guide on how they work.
