To compete with YouTube’s growing dominance in the podcasting space, Spotify has added the ability to comment on podcast episodes to its app. The new Comments feature builds on the existing Q&A and polls capabilities that Spotify introduced in 2021.
Spotify reports nine million unique listeners have engaged with such features this year – a year-over-year growth of 80% in interactions.
In addition to Comments, the Spotify for Podcasters mobile app has been entirely redesigned to support podcasters on the go. This update includes new notification functionalities that alert creators about major milestones and listener feedback.
Prohovnik emphasized the significance of the Comments feature, noting its potential to turn podcasts into a more interactive medium, allowing listeners to engage in two-way conversations with hosts. This interactivity significantly increases listener retention and engagement, with interactive listeners returning more frequently and consuming more content.
Spotify VP of Podcast Product Maya Prohovnik said, “Comments have been a long-requested feature from both podcasters and Spotify listeners, and we were excited to provide it since we’re very invested in making Spotify the best platform for all types of creators to connect with their biggest fans. Every podcast creator, regardless of their size or ambition, wants to grow their audience and deepen those relationships. Interactivity features are a meaningful way for them to do both.”
“We’ve found that listeners who interact with a show are four times more likely to return to that show within 30 days. They also listen to twice as many hours per month on average than those who don’t. So there is really something special – and something tangible – in enabling this connection.”
Spotify is trying to make up the gulf presented by YouTube, which has overtaken Spotify and Apple to become the top platform for podcast listening in the US, according to new data from Cumulus Media and Signal Hill Insights. 31% of podcast consumers now prefer YouTube, surpassing Spotify’s 21% and Apple’s 12%.
