Spotify is slowly but surely is encroaching on YouTube territory with the launch of video podcasts, or “vodcasts.”
The objective behind the rollout of the new feature is to provide a more engaging experience between fans and their favorite podcasters. It should come as no surprise that visual aspects provide an enhanced sense of connection that audio sometimes cannot. Being able to see the hosts’ mannerisms and their environment opens up the opportunity to draw in a new demographic of fans who may have previously stayed away from the audio medium.
Before the launch of “vodcasts,” most hosts would upload their audio to Spotify, but then migrate to YouTube to provide their listeners with the video component from that episode. Spotify is now angling to be a one-stop-shop.
Currently, only a select few podcasts have been able to operate with the new video capabilities. Participating in the first rollout are Book of Basketball 2.0, Fantasy Footballers, The Misfits Podcast, H3 Podcast, The Morning Toast, Higher Learning with Van Lathan & Rachel Lindsay, and The Rooster Teeth Podcast.
“Vodcast” viewing is open to all of Spotify’s 250 million worldwide users, both free and premium. All you have to do to watch is click the green “play” button on either your desktop or mobile device and the video will automatically begin. Users can also toggle between apps and the audio will continue uninterrupted.
According to Edison Research’s recent study, 37% of the US population over the age of 12 are listening to a podcast every month, which is a 24% rise from 2017. These growing numbers drive competition in the streaming space, and Spotify is doing everything in its power to capitalize.
