Spotify is making a big play for the future of video podcasts, with exciting possibilities for big and small creators alike. It all starts with the introduction of Spotify for Creators.
As a platform, Spotify has found incredible success with video podcasts. Since their introduction, over 250 million users have used the service to stream video podcasts.
During its Nov. 13 “Now Playing” event, Spotify announced plans to double down on video podcasts with new monetization tools for creators. In fact, many of these tools are available immediately for creators who qualify.
Starting Nov. 13, the company has renamed its Spotify for Podcasters space Spotify for Creators. This is an all-in-one space on Spotify for managing your show, from audio, video, analytics, and monetization. Let’s take a look at what’s been announced.
Spotify Partner Program
Starting in January 2025, the company will launch the Spotify Partner Program for creators in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Creators in the Partner Program will earn a share of revenue whenever an ad run by Spotify plays during their show, even if the episode is played off the platform.
There are two elements to this monetization: Premium Video and Ads. Premium video revenue is earned when Spotify Premium subscribers stream or view your show. Conversely, Ads give creators a share of the revenue earned when free users stream your content.
Spotify did not share what percentage of overall revenue would be shared with creators.
According to Jordan Newman, Head of Content Partnerships, the goal is to diversify how creators earn, especially when ad sales are struggling. Newman told Passionfruit, “It allows creators to rely less on advertising and have a dual, or even more than dual, revenue stream.
“(Smaller) creators can still monetize via ads on our free tier and other listening platforms. But if you’re distributing video, you will now receive these premium audience-driven payments if you’re eligible,” he continued. “We think that will be a meaningful addition and could help creators make more money. It could help with the volatility and just give them another way to grow their business.”
Who is eligible for monetization through the Spotify Partner Program?
All good ideas come with rules and guidelines. Spotify’s Partner Program is no exception, especially if you have a happy long-term relationship with your podcast host. Here are the criteria for eligibility in Spotify’s Partner Program.
- The show must be hosted and uploaded through Spotify for Creators.
- You must have 10,000 streamed hours on Spotify in the last 30 days.
- Your show will need to be streamed by 2,000 unique Spotify users in the previous 30 days.
- Finally, you’ll need to have at least 12 published episodes.
This monetization program offers a lot to be excited about if you’ve got a large audience on Spotify.
The program incentivizes creators to host their content with Spotify directly and encourages their audience to watch and listen on Spotify. Shows hosted by Spotify will still be distributed to other platforms like iTunes. However, now there will be a monetary incentive for your audience to stream on Spotify itself.
In many ways, this is a play for YouTube’s domination of the podcast market. According to an April 2024 study by Cumulus Media, YouTube accounted for 31% of the weekly podcast market. Spotify was in second place with 21%.
Giving Spotify Premium subscribers access to their favorite video podcasts without ad breaks is a big advantage for the company over YouTube.
How can you monetize your video and podcast content on Spotify if you’re not eligible?
We asked Jordan Newman about monetization options for smaller creators who might not be eligible for the new program yet. He pointed out other monetization options that are open to all creators.
“We support paywall and subscription,” he explained, “which, for a lot of smaller creators who have that really dedicated following, is a really clever way to monetize that audience as well.”
What other new tools will be on Spotify for Creators?
Even if your show doesn’t isn’t eligible for monetization yet, the new Spotify for Creators offers some interesting new ways to grow your audience. According to Newman, these new tools are designed to help creators grow their audience.
Newman explained to Passionfruit, “The tools that we launched today are specifically designed to help people meet those eligibility criteria if they don’t. The ability to upload short clips, custom thumbnails; these are things we know are going to drive a live audience and help people reach those eligibility requirements.”
Here are the new features Spotify is introducing.
Short-form video clips for discovery
If you make a video podcast, you’re likely already in the short-form video clip game. Whether you’re promoting your work on Shorts, Reels, TikTok, or other social media sites, short-form clips are a powerful tool for attracting new audience members.
However, just because you’ve got a hit video on TikTok doesn’t mean those views will translate to new viewers.
With the new Spotify for Creators, you can upload video clips directly where your audience can listen to your shot. Creators can upload one 90-second clip per episode.
Spotify can then recommend these clips on users’ Home feed, Podcast feed, Now Playing, Browse, and beyond. Fans can also find these clips on your show’s home page.
According to Spotify, the goal isn’t to make the service another home for short-form content. Instead, they hope clips will help people discover new shows they might not already listen to.
If someone likes a clip, they won’t need to hunt down the episode on another app. With a simple tap of the screen, they’ll be taken to the full-length episode.
Clips are currently in Beta and available in select markets, including the US, UK, and Canada. You can find the full Beta availability list here.
Customizable video thumbnails for every episode
Spotify has always allowed episode-specific art for podcasts. Now, Spotify has introduced video thumbnails as well. Creators can choose between a Spotify-generated 16:9 thumbnail or upload one of their own making.
Video thumbnails will be optimized for whatever platform your viewers consume your show. That means that while they’ll look different across mobile, desktop, and Spotify’s TV apps, viewers will always be getting the best version of your video thumbnail.
Improved analytics for creators
Studying analytics is a vital part of growing your podcast, but understanding them doesn’t always come naturally. The newly redesigned analytics dashboard focuses on providing an overview of your stats, discovery, and your audience.
In the Overview section, you’ll find stats on your Starts, Streams, Listeners, and Impressions over time. The new Discovery section helps you discover your audience’s journey to your show.
Did they find you via the Home Page, Search, or Spotify Library? How many people showed interest in your show but never listened? A visual explanation of how your audience found you can help guide your future promotion.
Finally, the Audience section provides demographic information about your listeners. Creators can also find the latest comments under their shows on the analytics dashboard. Never miss a comment or a chance to replay again.
New video features for discovery and viewing
Finally, Spotify announced new features for discovery and video viewing for all subscribers. If your podcast is on the path toward eligibility for monetization, these are potentially fascinating features.
Spotify is launching personalized video recommendations through the app to help fans find new creators. Additionally, a following filter for the Podcasts feed will make sure your fans can always quickly find your content.
Video playback is also getting a number of new upgrades.
Scrubbing
Thumbnail scrubbing has finally come to Spotify. This feature lets users navigate through a video by hovering over the play progress bar to see thumbnail previews of the episode. This lets you quickly and visually look through an episode without having to play the entire clip.
Pinch to zoom
Users will also be able to use Pinch to Zoom to see their favorite content in more detail. No longer be vexed by a tiny chart in your favorite economics video podcast. Just pinch to zoom in for all the fine details.
Video chapters
Video chapters have been added to help viewers find their favorite sections of their favorite shows. Chapters are also helpful for replayability. When someone wants to play a specific moment for a friend, it’s easier to find a chapter than it is to remember a time code.
Finally, Spotify is introducing a toggle to switch quickly between the video and audio experience.
Why are podcasts so important to Spotify?
Podcasts have been a massive success for Spotify. Over 170 million users have listened to podcasts on the service. Currently, over 300,000 video podcasts are available on Spotify. More importantly, video podcast audiences are active and engaged. According to the company, 70% of video podcast users watch them in the foreground.
More than 64% of Spotify users have said they prefer video podcasts, up from just 43% of users in 2021. Video is a massive opportunity for creators and Spotify alike, especially as people spend more time on the app each month.
According to Spotify, in 2020, the average user spent 30 hours a month on the app. In 2024, they say that number has grown to almost 40 hours a month. Spotify says that number is closer to 60 monthly hours for younger subscribers.
