Did you see what Netflix just announced?

Netflix might have just made one of their biggest creator move yet.

And if you missed it, you need to pay attention.

They announced a partnership with Spotify to bring video podcasts to Netflix starting next year.

Bill Simmons, the Rewatchables, the Ringer's top shows - all coming to the platform first.

And if you're a creator with a podcast, this should make you incredibly bullish.

Here's why…

Netflix has been quietly stacking their creator roster for the last little while.

Ms. Rachel, 17 million subscribers. Blippi, 26 million. The Sidemen, 22 million subscribers. Mark Rober, 71 million.

But podcasting? That's a whole new frontier with massive growth potential.

YouTube is now the most popular platform for podcast listeners with 33% choosing it over Spotify and Apple combined.

YouTube podcasts have over 1 billion monthly views. One billion.

Go back to 2020 - video podcasts made up 18% of all podcast content.

In 2025, they account for 36%.

That's a 100% increase in just five years.

Video podcasts now have 2.7 times higher viewer retention than audio-only formats on mobile.

And 41% of podcast consumers actively watch video podcasts, compared to just 30% who prefer audio only.

Netflix sees where the attention is and they're not just following it - they're buying it.

Because traditional media isn't competing with creators anymore.

They ARE creators now.

Netflix’s entire business model depends on having content people actually want to watch.

And increasingly, that content is creator-led.

They've already proven this with their creator partnerships.

Now they're expanding into podcasting because they've seen what we've all seen - video podcasts are exploding and they're not slowing down.

As I’ve been writing about over the past few weeks.

Traditional media eventually realises they need to become more like creators, or get left behind.

We saw it with YouTube.

We saw it at MIPCOM with Banijay and Fremantle.

Now we're seeing it with Netflix and podcasting.

And if you're a creator with a show, you just became significantly more valuable. Not in the future. Right now.

But here's where most creators will miss the opportunity.

They'll see this news, think "that's cool," and then keep doing exactly what they've been doing.

They won't adapt.

They won't optimise for video.

They won't think strategically about positioning themselves for these kinds of partnerships.

And then in three years when the next wave of podcast-to-Netflix deals happen, they'll wonder why they weren't in the conversation.

So here's my advice if you have a show or you're thinking about starting one.

First, focus on video.

Make it a show, not just an audio experience with cameras pointed at you.

Podcasts with visual elements are 38% more likely to be shared across social.

That's not just a nice stat - that's compounding distribution.

Every share is another potential viewer, another potential subscriber, another signal to platforms like Netflix that your show has reach.

Second, grow your socials intentionally.

Build a captive visual audience on YouTube.

Don't just upload your podcast and hope for the best.

Optimise for the platform.

Create clips that work as standalone content.

Test thumbnails.

Study what's working.

YouTube is now the front door for podcast discovery - treat it like it matters because it does.

Third, compound this over time.

Start now.

Because that seed you plant today could become a Netflix partnership in a few years.

Creators who start now, who take video seriously now, who build their audience now - they're the ones who'll be in position when the next round of deals happen.

And make no mistake, there will be more deals.

Netflix isn't doing this as a one-off experiment.

They're doing this because they've seen the data.

They know where consumption is going.

They know that younger audiences are choosing video podcasts over traditional TV.

They know that creators have audiences traditional media can't reach.

And they're willing to pay for access to those audiences.

This is the creator economy maturing in real time.

Five years ago, getting a Netflix deal meant you made it in Hollywood.

Now it means you built something valuable enough that Hollywood needs you.

Podcasting on Netflix used to be a pipe dream.

Something you'd joke about with your co-host after recording.

"Maybe one day we'll be on Netflix, haha."

It just became very, very real.

Remember, the creator mindset is all you need to grow 🌱

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