Tag: spotify for podcasters masterclass

250,000 Video Podcasts and Counting: Creators and Audiences Are Embracing Video Content on Spotify

June 28, 2024

As one of the most powerful forms of human expression today, video is becoming core to the global Spotify experience. We have been steadily investing in the format to connect creators and fans in new, deeper ways on our platform, from the recent launch of music videos in beta to testing video-based learning courses in the U.K. But the medium has seen the most growth in the podcasting space, where video is truly changing the game—in fact, more than 170 million users have watched a video podcast on Spotify.

Spotify introduced video podcasts for a select number of shows in 2020, and we’ve since made the format available for creators in nearly every market. We recently made it possible for non-hosted podcast creators to upload video to Spotify for the first time, opening up yet another avenue for their engagement and success.

All the while, video podcasts have been growing in popularity, with creators around the world leaning into the format to deepen engagement with their fans. More than half of the top 20 podcasts on Spotify have video, including heavy hitters like The Joe Rogan Experience and Call Her Daddy. The format is resonating with audiences, who want to be able to choose how to engage with their favorite content. Globally on Spotify, the average daily streams of video podcasts have increased by more than 39% year-over-year. In the U.S., nearly two-thirds of podcast listeners say they prefer shows with video, according to a recent Cumulus Media survey.

“Spotify is always evolving to better serve our users and drive success for creators,” said Jordan Newman, Head of Content Partnerships at Spotify. “With podcasts, the video format can add an additional layer of authenticity and connection for fans. That’s why we continue to hear that audiences want the ability to not only listen, but also watch their favorite shows. And we see that in the data: Audience retention increases when creators add video—and every creator wants a loyal, highly engaged fan base that keeps coming back.”

“We continue to see demand for video from both creators and their audiences,” Newman continued. “The number of creators publishing video each month keeps growing, and more and more of our users are watching. As demand continues to rise, we will keep enhancing our video capabilities.”

The rise of video content on Spotify

Globally, video consumption hours on Spotify have grown faster than audio-only consumption hours year-over-year, and audiences retain video podcasts at higher rates than audio podcasts. But what exactly does that growth look like? During VidCon 2024 this week, Spotify revealed new stats around the popularity of video as a medium on our platform.

There are now more than 250,000 video podcast shows on Spotify—up from 100,000 in 2023.
More than 170 million users have watched a video podcast on Spotify.
More than 70% of users consuming video podcasts watch them in the foreground.
On Spotify, nearly 1 in 3 U.S. podcast monthly active users (MAUs) engage with video, while nearly 1 in 4 global podcast MAUs engage with video. Globally, the number of video podcast MAUs has grown by 40% year-over-year.
The number of creators actively publishing video each month has grown nearly 70% year-over-year.
The largest markets by creators publishing video are the U.S., Brazil, and Mexico.
In Brazil and the Philippines, roughly 20% of all monthly active podcast creators are publishing video. This share has nearly doubled since last year.
At the market level, especially in Chile and Brazil, we are seeing video grow its share of total podcast consumption hours. In Chile, video hours make up a quarter of total podcast consumption hours. In Brazil, video hours make up more than 15% of total podcast consumption hours.

For creators on Spotify, video offers a huge opportunity to deliver content to new global audiences. For the Record spoke with Jon Youshaei, host of the popular weekly podcast Created with Jon Youshaei, about the medium and its impact.

What are the benefits of video for creators?

Video has been our edge, especially when it comes to our intros. A lot of viewers comment on how our podcast intros feel like mini movie trailers. We spend a lot of time picking the right sound bites, using sound design, and adding graphics to draw you in. During the actual interview, we create a lot of custom visuals, which often get shared on social media afterwards to help draw even more people back to our Spotify page.

What are some of the content trends you’re seeing right now?

We’re living in the super-long-form era. The pendulum is swinging from short form back to longer viewing sessions as creators start to rival traditional Hollywood shows when it comes to consumption. Video plays a huge role in this, especially as more people start to watch creator content on their TVs.

You’ve been called “The Creators’ Creator.” What words of wisdom do you have for aspiring video content creators?

There are three phases to the creator journey: Upload, upgrade, and upscale. If you’re starting out, just focus on uploading. Get your reps in. Learn the craft. After that, it’s time to start upgrading your gear: Get a better microphone, camera, and think more about your production quality. After that, it’s important to upscale your team, hire, and create processes to sustain your business. Most creators get overwhelmed because they try to upgrade before they upload. Or they think they have to upscale their team on day one. The order of the phases—and what you do during each phase—matters a lot.

How have Spotify’s different creator tools and resources helped you?

Spotify has been essential to building our show—and the community around it. One of my favorite features is the audience polling. We use it to ask whom we should interview next, get insights on episodes, or ask for feedback. Spotify has also been helpful in providing the support and analytics so we can double down on what’s working.

At Spotify, we’re committed to building the best podcast and video tools for creators to make great content, find new audiences, and grow. To that end, our Spotify for Podcasters platform will host a video-related Masterclass on July 25. Led by Jordan, it will feature two masters of the video format: Colin and Samir, cohosts of The Colin and Samir Show. Click here to register.

Celebrating the Creators and Fans of 2023 With Wrapped for Podcasters

November 29, 2023

Today we kicked off 2023 Spotify Wrapped, our annual campaign that brings creators and fans together to share their love of all things audio. And as Wrapped for Podcasters celebrates its fifth year, we’re thrilled to bring the love, excitement, and data stories to more creators than ever.

2023 Wrapped for Podcasters is our way to recognize the achievements across our podcast creator ecosystem and offer a unique deep dive into user behavior, Spotify stats, listening trends, and more from the past year.

“Wrapped is Spotify’s biggest campaign of the year and has become its own moment around the world,” Anna Sian, Head of Marketing at Spotify for Podcasters, tells For the Record. “And from a creator’s audience growth to other milestones they’ve unlocked throughout the year, it’s a trove of really valuable information on their trends from the past year. It’s as personalized as a campaign can possibly get.”

A Really Good Year.

There’s a lot to celebrate this year with podcasts. In 2023, more than 300 million listeners discovered their new favorite podcasts, and they were engaged, responding to more than 14 million creator polls. Of the shows receiving a podcaster Wrapped this year, over one-third were created in 2023, with more than 760 million minutes recorded overall.

At Spotify, we’ve also been busy: doubling down on giving creators more data and better tools. We’ve increased our focus on creator education throughout the year so more podcasters understand ways to grow their show and be successful. “With Spotify for Podcasters programs like Masterclass and the release of our recent Fan Study report,” explains Anna, “our goal is to help creators learn from their peers and develop strong bonds within the podcasting community.”

All About Growth

“It may come as no surprise that podcast creators are obsessed with their shows’ growth,” Anna says. “They work hard to perfect every episode, so they want to know their show is resonating with fans and finding new listeners. Their unwavering dedication to understanding listener data is the driving inspiration behind Wrapped for Podcasters.”

Like previous years, the core experience is rooted in a microsite that delivers a personalized experience to each podcaster, with listener data and creator trends framed in the context of the past year. Top episodes, most-shared episodes, average podcast rating, global listener stats, and year-over-year growth are all there for creators to dig into.

This year we’re adding even more tools and insights to Wrapped for Podcasters, including the top music genre streamed by a show’s podcast listeners and a new data story featuring fan engagement insights that includes a quiz around your most-talked-about episode.

It’s the Journey

“Listening to a podcast is like having a creator as your best friend,” explains Anna. “They’re with you on your commute, while you’re washing dishes, making you laugh or sharing some tears with you. Wrapped for Podcasters provides the perfect opportunity for creators to acknowledge their fans who have come along on their journeys, stuck around, and become a part of the conversation.”

Dig into a world of data and read all about it in the Spotify for Podcasters blog.

Unlock Your Podcast Potential With Spotify for Podcasters Masterclass

June 8, 2023

Coming up with a great idea for a podcast might feel like striking gold. But taking those next steps to create and host the show, build an audience, and even grow your brand can be daunting. Even once you’ve gotten started, it’s hard to know where to go from there.

Spotify for Podcasters enables creators to record, publish, manage, and track their shows—a one-stop-shop platform for podcasters, regardless of where they’re hosted. Whether you’re aiming to use fan engagement features like Q&A and polls, find tips for publishing your first video podcast, or switch to Spotify from another platform, Spotify for Podcasters is here to help.

Today we’re helping podcasters grow and make the most of Spotify tools with Spotify for Podcasters Masterclass. This educational video series is our latest offering to help empower creators to make the most of the entire Spotify ecosystem. Each inspirational and engaging episode will feature Spotify experts and creators alike, with a focus on developing the capabilities of new and existing creators.

“Spotify for Podcasters Masterclass is our new education series that gives creators a peek behind the curtain at our tools for podcast creators,” Jordan Newman, Spotify’s Head of Podcast Partner Management and host of the series, shared. “Like the platform itself, these videos are a resource for creators in realizing their full potential—they get to hear directly from experts, the people behind the product, and some of our most established creators to learn how to use our tools to grow their show and, ultimately, be more successful.”

The first episode, “Unlocking your podcast potential,” will teach podcasters how to navigate their home bases, grow their shows, and deepen their connections with fans. It features Jordan Newman in conversation with Gael Aitor of “Teenager Therapy,” as well as Maya Prohovnik, VP of Podcast Product at Spotify and a creator herself, who walks viewers through the tools they need to step up their podcast game.

It’s being held live on June 14 at noon eastern, and interested attendees can RSVP here. If you missed it, no worries—the live broadcast will live on our Resource hub as a video, and as a video podcast on Spotify. Live attendees will have the opportunity to connect with Gael and ask Jordan questions.

We’ll continue with several more episodes debuting throughout 2023 on topics like interactivity, understanding and growing your audience, and video podcasts. Each will debut with a live broadcast—so make sure to RSVP—or catch them on-demand after the livestream.