Every day, someone asks if it’s too late to start a podcast.
Starting a podcast without a strategy was always a recipe for disaster, even before the current market positioning.
Starting a podcast today with a solid strategy for engagement and targeted goals is still a win.
Podcasting has grown considerably from the days when simply buying a microphone, uploading an episode, and waiting for an audience could qualify as a content plan. Before I opened Khanan House Studios in 2024, we all podcasted from our living rooms using the tools we had on hand.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s still nothing wrong with podcasting from your living room. Not everyone needs a full production studio like ours, but whether you’re DIYing or hiring a team, you’ll need to make sure your production quality is top-tier, and your strategy is well thought out.
Today, there are more voices, more platforms, and more competition for attention, but more people are consuming podcasts than ever before.
According to Edison Research’s 2026 Infinite Dial, 58% of Americans age 12 and older consumed a podcast in the previous month, while 45% did so in the previous week. Even more telling, 57% of Americans have now both listened to and watched a podcast, with watched being the operative word here.
The Podcast Isn’t Just an Audio Podcast Anymore
The biggest change we’re seeing is that podcasting has evolved into a much larger content ecosystem.
A professionally produced conversation can become a full YouTube show, Spotify video podcast, traditional audio podcast, Instagram Reels, TikToks, YouTube Shorts, LinkedIn content, website articles, quotes, and even material for media pitches.
That dissemination makes the ROI very different from looking at downloads alone.
In 2025, YouTube announced that podcast content had surpassed one billion monthly active viewers on its platform. By May 2026, Spotify reported that more than 500 million of its users had streamed a video podcast, an increase of nearly 50% year over year.
The audience isn’t disappearing. The way they discover and consume shows is changing.
Positioning Matters More Than Timing
The better question isn’t, “Am I too late?”
It’s finding the answer to “Why would someone choose to listen to me?”
Before launching a show, you should be able to define your position in the market clearly. Who is the show for? What perspective, access, or expertise do you bring that is hard to find elsewhere? And maybe that’s your personality; it doesn’t need to be full expertise in a niche, but listeners should know what they will consistently get when they press play.
A financial advisor probably doesn’t need another podcast called Money Talk. A financial advisor specializing in helping women navigate wealth after divorce has a much clearer lane.
A physician doesn’t necessarily need a general health podcast. A physician who breaks down longevity trends and separates legitimate science from wellness hype has a point of view.
Clear expectations are what create differentiation.
For Business Owners, the Audience Isn’t the Only Asset
As a publicist and the owner of Khanna Connections, I also look at podcasts through a public relations lens.
We always ask what a potential client, journalist, donor, investor, or strategic partner will find when they research you online.
Long-form content gives people an opportunity to hear how you think, understand your expertise, and build familiarity with you before you’ve ever met. A strong podcast can establish thought leadership, provide searchable content around your expertise, and create a library of materials that keeps working long after an episode is recorded.
At Khanna House Studios, we encourage clients to think less about “becoming a podcaster” and more about building an authority platform.
You don’t need millions of listeners.
You need the right people to find you, understand what you know, and remember your name.
So, is it too late to start a podcast?
Not even close.
But the era of podcasting simply for the sake of having a podcast may be ending, and strategically produced, well-positioned content is becoming far more valuable.
