Video podcasts are moving into the mainstream, with global advertising revenues from podcasts and vodcasts expected to reach about $5 billion in 2026, marking a nearly 20% year-on-year increase, according to Deloitte’s TMT Predictions report. The audience has jumped to over 200 million in 2025 from about 100 million in 2024, the report added.
More than 60% of Spotify’s most popular shows had a video component as of September 2025, the report noted. In the US, 27% of consumers report watching video podcasts weekly, with Gen Z and millennials leading adoption, the report added. YouTube, as per the report, had 1 billion monthly vodcast viewers in early 2025.
Users who watch vodcasts consume 1.5 times more content than those who only listen to audio podcasts. Viewer behaviour is also changing. About 44% of vodcast viewers say they never multitask, compared with 29% of audio-only listeners, indicating more focused attention, the report noted.
What is happening in India?
A big reason behind this growth is better internet access. With 5G rolling out quickly, users are now consuming around 40 GB of data every month on average, making it easier to stream long audio and video content without worrying about data limits.
At the same time, India is still at an early stage compared to global markets. Only about 12% of people currently listen to podcasts, much lower than in countries like the US. But instead of being a weakness, this points to huge room for growth.
Data in India is extremely cheap, around Rs 9 per GB, so consuming long-form content is affordable for a large population. Add to that nearly 955 million wireless internet users, most of whom rely on smartphones, and it becomes clear why podcasts are spreading quickly beyond big cities.
Smaller towns lead the way
In Tier II and Tier III cities, people are connecting more with content that speaks their language and reflects their everyday experiences, the report noted. Podcasts in languages like Tamil and Marathi are growing fast, especially in areas like business, health, and finance, the report added.
The Gen Z shift
According to the report, Gen Z and millennials are moving away from traditional TV and scheduled programming. The report noted that they prefer content they can choose and play anytime. Furthermore, many of them are also using podcasts for more than entertainment. On top of that, they are listening to discussions on news, policy, entrepreneurship, and leadership to get deeper insights.
The report further noted that India is becoming a video-first podcast market. With the rise of connected TVs, people are now watching long podcast episodes, sometimes over two hours, on bigger screens at home. Video also adds a new layer of engagement, as viewers can see expressions and body language, making the connection with the hosts feel more real, the report added.
While the space grows, it is high time for the segment to be included in the legal space too. The proposed Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2024, could bring podcasters, especially those talking about news and current affairs, under more formal guidelines. On top of that, new rules around AI-generated content are expected to require clear labelling and transparency.