The Podcast Show 2026 brought together creatives, advertisers, executives, and platform leaders in London for one of the most important annual gatherings in the global podcast industry. From the Podnews Report Card for the Year to closing conversations about the state of podcasting at large, a few major themes stood out: video has become the norm, publicity is an underused tool for podcasts, and the industry’s recent commotion is more of a correction than a collapse.
The Podglomerate was at the event, and here’s what we saw and heard. Whether you’re looking for podcast production, trying to grow and monetize an existing show, or you want to stay current on what’s happening in the industry, check out our services or subscribe to our newsletter for ongoing insights from the people shaping podcasting’s future.
Here’s our recap and analysis of The Podcast Show 2026 and what it means for creators, brands, and anyone building something in podcasting right now.
Takeaway #1: Video is the new standard in podcasting
The clearest signal we picked up on throughout The Podcast Show 2026 was that conversations around video podcasting have fundamentally changed. We’re no longer debating on whether video has a place in the industry: our takeaways from this year’s SXSW and On Air Fest Podcast Business Summit reflect this. The question now is how to do it well and on which platforms.
The numbers from Spotify made that shift concrete. Ryan Rummery, Spotify’s Global Head of International Podcast Sales, pointed out that nine of the top ten podcasts on Spotify in the UK are video podcasts, and that audiences are spending an average of two hours a day on the platform. Also, it’s Spotify’s Premium subscribers, not free users, who are consuming video podcasts at higher rates. This signals deeper engagement with podcasts rather than passive listening or scrolling.
Apple Podcasts brought their own announcement of momentum around video podcasts. In March 2026, Apple rolled out a new integrated video and audio experience powered by HLS technology, which allows seamless switching between audio and video to support what they call adaptive streaming. This allows Apple Podcasts to dynamically adjust the video quality in real-time based on the viewer’s current internet connection. Combined, this new experience works alongside a podcast’s regular RSS feed, which means you can distribute video the same way you distribute audio through your hosting provider, and the hosting provider delivers HLS video to Apple Podcasts. This cuts out a huge amount of friction for creators looking to get started.
This video revolution also carries over to advertising. Apple is introducing dynamic host-read ads for the first time. Acast launched with State Farm and T-Mobile as official partners on Apple’s HLS video platform, and brands have responded enthusiastically. Laura Hagen, Acast’s SVP of Regional MD Americas & Global Head of Agency Partnerships, noted that roughly 80% of their audience is already consuming content through HLS, with around 60% daily growth.
At the panel “Visual Voices: The Growth of Video Podcasting,” Art19 stated that video makes podcasts more eligible for larger brand opportunities, and being able to see a product or brand on camera measurably improves sponsorship ROI. The panelists agreed that the key to making video podcasting work is not trying to be everywhere at once. Dan Jeselsohn, head of product at Art19, described leaning into an “upload once, publish everywhere” model, while others noted that fragmented distribution can actually strengthen an overall ad campaign rather than weaken it.
The takeaway here is that video podcasting has crossed the threshold from experimental to expected. That doesn’t mean audio podcasting is going anywhere though. Jessica Lee, director of sales and development at Podcast Nation, noted that audio remains the foundational piece of this industry and it isn’t going anywhere. But creators and brands should still seriously consider a video strategy as part of their podcasting goals. And once you have that strategy in place, the next question is how you get people to find your podcast in the first place.
Takeaway #2: PR and publicity are the most powerful and underused growth tools in podcasting
One of the most practical sessions at The Podcast Show 2026 came from the panel “Publicity is the Growth Engine: How Smart PR Turns Podcasts Into Cultural Moments,” where I spoke alongside Molly DeMellier (Head of Communications at Sounds Profitable) and Farzana Baduel (CEO at Curzon PR and President of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations). The core message was pretty direct: PR and publicity are about building long-term credibility and compounding equity for a podcast. A mention in the press doesn’t simply generate one moment of traffic. It becomes a living asset that strengthens future pitches, supports SEO and GEO, and opens doors to podcast app features and editorial placements that can drive sustained discoverability.
The mechanics of a good pitch matter here. I outlined the importance of personalization and about understanding what a specific host or outlet actually covers. Make sure your host is ready for the podcast’s format, and use tools like Muckrack, Podchaser, or Podscribe to find shows with the right audience fit. The goal is to match your pitch to the platform, not just broadcast it widely.
One particularly useful tactic that we all flagged is pitching podcast critics and podcast newsletters for including on listicles and trade publication lists. Landing on a “best podcast” roundup from a credible outlet could give you a concrete hook for all your subsequent outreach to podcasts, sponsors, and other outlets. I mentioned how you could also use this to re-engage contacts you’ve already pitched, giving them a new reason to revisit your show.
The panel “True Crime Cracking The Code: Why True Crime Travels – Stories, Strategy & Global Appeal” supported this takeaway when they talked about building trust as a long-term editorial commitment. Colette McGonigle, writer and creator of “Beware Book,” described the patience required to report on a cold case: knocking on doors, earning the confidence of families slowly, and holding institutions accountable over time. This methodical process is a direct example of what makes podcast publicity work. You’re building a body of work (press mentions, awards, etc.) that proves your show deserves attention. For further evidence of how this works, our case study on “The 13th Step” goes into greater detail.
The takeaway: your podcast growth strategy should include a PR and publicity component. Publicity done well has a compounding effect, and it should be treated as a sustained commitment, not a one-time campaign. That long game thinking connects directly to a bigger question hanging over the industry right now: as the money and noise of the last few years subside, what does a sustainable path forward actually look like?
Takeaway #3: The podcast industry is correcting itself, and better data will define what comes next
Some of the most candid conversations at The Podcast Show 2026 happened in a panel titled “Podcasting Did Not Collapse. It Corrected.” The panelists addressed the state of the industry head on, acknowledging that the headlines of the past couple of years regarding acquisitions, layoffs, and consolidation were not signs of failure. Instead, they talked about how these were actually signs of the industry shedding the money and inflated expectations that didn’t belong there in the first place.
Colin Anderson, founder at Play and Media, put it plainly: the original wave of investment came from companies that didn’t actually understand what podcasts were. When that money went away, so did many of the marketing teams and infrastructure that podcasts had come to rely upon. That’s a hard adjustment, but it also brings something useful to light. The shows and companies that are still standing now are doing it with real audiences and real value propositions.
The other side of that story is what Dan Miesner, co-founder of Bumper, made the case for in his session “The Post-Download World: How Better Data Unlocks Ad Revenue.”
“If we want more investment in the space and net new advertisers and participation from folks who have not traditionally invested in podcast advertising, then the data and measurement needs to get better because better data leads to better trust and greater investment in the space.”
This boils down to how you tell a story around your podcast data. Metrics like podcast completion rates and low ad-skip behavior are good indicators of engagement that you can sell against to advertisers. But communicating and verifying that data is extremely important. Like Dan said, better measurements build trust, and trust builds spend.
Serita Wesley, executive producer at SNACKS!, flagged a point about consolidation that’s worth mentioning. With the recent Lupa Systems purchase of three major divisions of Vox Media and OpenAI buying TBPN, “we might be back in podcast acquisition mode.” For shows, networks, and brands paying attention, that means the window to build equity and audience on your own terms may not feel as open as it does right now.
The takeaway here is that the industry’s correction wasn’t a collapse, and that the podcasting fundamentals of intimacy, trust, and engagement have not changed. However, the next phase of growth depends on better measurement, smarter investment, and a clearer story about what podcasting delivers for advertisers. The companies and shows that get ahead of that now will be well-positioned for whatever comes next.
Conclusion
Across every session at The Podcast Show 2026, a consistent theme emerged: podcasting is more mature, more competitive, and more full of opportunity than it has ever been. Video is now the baseline for podcasts, and it’s no longer a differentiator. Publicity is one of the most underused tools for long-term show growth. And the industry’s path forward must include better data, clearer measurement, and a return to authenticity. As we’ve seen here, and at On Air Fest Podcast Business Summit and our time at SXSW, the vibrant community and the creator-listener relationship that made podcasting worth investing in from the beginning is still alive and well.
At The Podglomerate, we help creators, brands, and networks navigate these challenges, from podcast production to marketing and PR to monetization strategy. If these findings from The Podcast Show 2026 spark a question about where your show or brand fits in the current landscape, schedule a free consultation. And subscribe to our newsletter for ongoing insights from the people shaping podcasting’s future.
