If you can't beat 'em, join 'em: Spotify's latest move borrows a page from YouTube's playbook. Is this the game-changer they need?
Head of Podcast Product at Spotify, Maya Prohovnik, shared some important news via TechCrunch. Spotify is launching a new interactive feature that allows listeners to leave comments on podcast episodes, aiming to foster a sense of community among listeners and creators. This feature, which allows creators to manage and respond to comments, positions Spotify as a direct competitor to YouTube. Following Spotify's expansion into video podcasts and other interactive features like polls and Q&As, this move aims to enhance user engagement and retention, with data showing interactive listeners are more likely to return and consume more content.
Comments will be optional for creators and rolled out gradually, with moderation tools in place to maintain quality interactions. Still, as familiarity with the commenting feature grows, it will likely see widespread adoption, leading to higher engagement rates. Spotify may introduce monetization features linked to comments, like paid fan badges. Enhanced analytics from comments will provide creators with valuable audience insights, helping tailor content more effectively. Spotify will likely continue evolving its platform to integrate more social networking elements, becoming a hybrid between a streaming service and a social media platform. Plus, it's only a matter of time before other podcast platforms develop similar capabilities to remain competitive (Apple, looking at you!).
As someone who’s a podcaster, I have Hear Us Out on YouTube because I value viewer feedback. It’s very cool to know that Spotify may have this feature too.
What are your thoughts on this change? Do you think Spotify's new comment feature will create a ripple effect in the podcasting world, or does YouTube have nothing to worry about?
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Artist Manager
1moI thought Spotify was about audio... And also spotifying artists as in discovery...