The news: Podcast monetization platform Acast unveiled the UK’s largest integrated audio-and-video podcast marketplace, introducing a major YouTube expansion through a new partnership with Little Dot Studios.
- The deal gives Acast creators access to Little Dot’s 11 billion monthly YouTube views across premium sports, entertainment, and documentary channels—instantly elevating Acast’s inventory to one of the biggest omnichannel offerings in the country.
- More than 20 top UK podcasts will pilot the program. Together, these shows already generate more than 45 million monthly plays across audio feeds and YouTube.
- Acast says it now reaches 8 in 10 UK podcast fans weekly.
Acast will pair premium CPMs with dynamic YouTube video ads, branded video sponsorships, and unified analytics that combine audio, YouTube, and social performance into a single reporting layer. The beta launches in January 2026, with full rollout later in the year.
Why it matters: Video is increasingly central to podcast consumption, especially in the UK.
- According to EMARKETER, 48% of consumers in Great Britain now prefer watching podcasts, compared with 42% who prefer audio-only.
- Nearly 4 in 5 listeners worldwide interact with podcast video in some form, per Acast research; 40% primarily listen but watch occasionally, 27% blend formats equally, and 29% lean video-first. Only 5% stay purely audio-only.
- YouTube is the gravitational center of podcast viewing. The platform will grow from 51.2 million UK viewers in 2025 to 54.8 million in 2029, when 76.7% of the country will watch monthly.
- Growth for podcast video specifically will climb from 10.9 million viewers in 2025 to 13.9 million by 2029, though YoY gains will dramatically slow—a sign the category is maturing into a stable, predictable channel rather than an explosive new format.
Key takeaway for marketers: As podcast video growth slows but stabilizes, marketers should treat it like a reliable, premium environment for both storytelling and performance rather than a test-and-learn environment.
- Podcast video is no longer optional—nearly half of UK consumers now prefer it, and YouTube’s rising reach guarantees distribution at scale.
- Acast’s new marketplace will let advertisers pair podcast trust with measurable YouTube reach inside one buy, which should improve efficiency and simplify cross-format planning.
- Unified analytics across audio, video, and social will help brands justify bigger creator and sponsorship budgets, especially as podcast video enters its maturation phase.