Spotify says it is rolling out access to video podcasts in ‘select markets.’ Here’s what creators need to know.
Video Podcasts on Spotify are now available to all creators in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Creators can upload their video content to Spotify using Anchor. Spotify makes a point of saying in the press release that the video can be put in the background. “Video on Spotify is backgroundable for all listeners, so you can immerse yourself in the content when you want to, or simply lean back and listen,” the press release reads.
Video Podcasts on Spotify – What to Know
Access to video podcasts is available to creators based in the five markets listed above. Spotify says it plans to rollout the feature to additional markets in the future. Spotify says video podcasts will be able to monetize with subscriptions by creating exclusive content, gating video, and more.
Spotify is also kicking off a partnership with Riverside, a platform for remote recording. The integration will allow creators to record and publish video content for free with Riverside, providing a quick distribution path to Spotify via Anchor.
On the creator side of things, Spotify is also launching video bulk replace and video analytics tools for video podcasts. The bulk-replace tool in Anchor will allow creators to easily replace their existing audio episodes with video versions. Video analytics will give creators deeper insights into how their audience is interacting with their videos on the Spotify platform.
Spotify also plans on making its interactive podcast features like polls, and Q&A sessions available to video podcast creators.
“With this latest expansion, we’re continuing to make video podcasting a great experience for our creators – empowering them to reach new global audiences, own how they monetize their content, and interact with fans in new ways,” says a Spotify spokesperson. “There’s a massive opportunity for Video Podcasts on Spotify, and we can’t wait to see what creators bring to the table.”
Spotify’s focus on video podcasts will further help it compete against YouTube beyond just music streaming. Joe Rogan’s video podcast clips shared on YouTube were a big reason why he gained such a massive following in such a short period. It will be interesting to see if Spotify’s video component has that level of staying power among podcast viewers.