Video podcast fans listen to this type of content longer
According to the platform:” nearly two-thirds of podcast listeners say they prefer programs that offer a video component.” And according to Claire Hazan, Spotify's podcast director:” Two and a half times more listeners test a new podcast if there is an accompanying video.”.
Moreover, according to an American study conducted by Profitable Sounds, among users who only consume audio podcasts, 19% rank among the most frequent, listening to 9 hours or more of podcasts per week. On the other hand, this percentage reaches 33% among those who watch podcasts on video.
Reach another audience through the association of video, the YouTube success story
YouTube, a competitor to Spotify in the video podcast segment, also developed this hybrid format in 2022 with the launch of a new homepage dedicated only to video podcasts. This novelty has made it possible to expand the traditional audience of podcasts (urban population, CSP+, aged 30 to 40) by popularizing the format through the association of video.
Indeed, YouTube has come into use and has made it possible to introduce this disguised podcast format, opening the door to audiences who would never have taken the initiative to listen to an audio-only podcast on a dedicated platform.
According to Silvain Gire, co-founder and former manager of Arte Radio:” Since we started making video, we have made between a quarter and a third of our audiences on YouTube. Not only does it work very well, but it also allows us to reach a much more popular audience than those used to listening to podcasts..”
In addition, the video format can easily be promoted within social networks, unlike the audio format, thanks to its attractiveness but also to the algorithms that favor this type of content. Thus, filmed excerpts tease the podcasts in a more dynamic way.
Spotify: a new competitor to YouTube?
The platform announced last November that from now on, video podcast creators would be paid according to the engagement generated on their content. This means they no longer need to focus solely on finding and managing sponsors or ads to generate revenue.
The aim of this initiative is initially to develop this content, but also to compete with YouTube, which has succeeded in making the video podcast popular. Spotify is thus seeking to regain its place as a reference platform in the field of podcasts, whether audio or video.
This new Partner Program encourages podcast creators to incorporate videos into their content in order to increase their earnings, although they could already generate advertising revenue on Spotify.
The more Premium subscribers watch a video podcast, the more creators get paid.
This initiative highlights two sources of income for creators:
- - Paid video content: creators can now offer exclusive videos to premium subscribers by monetizing them directly on Spotify.
- - Advertising: thanks to Spotify's advertising network, ads can be integrated into podcasts, whether in the free version of Spotify or within other podcast platforms. Creators then receive 50% of the revenue generated by this sponsored content.
” By offering a top-notch video offering with no ad interruptions, combined with the flexibility and omnipresence of Spotify, we can offer your audience an experience that's better than any platform.” said Daniel Ek, CEO of Spotify.
With this novelty, Spotify aims to promote the video format, which is much more shareable than the audio format, in order to encourage engagement, whether visible (in public), or via private messaging. It also makes it possible to promote a high-quality premium audience that is more committed, loyal, and with greater retention.
