TL;DR
Spotify has reduced the requirements for video podcasters to join its monetization program, lowering episode count to three, consumption hours to 2,000, and engaged audience members to 1,000 over the prior 30 days. The company is also rolling out sponsorship tools, a new publishing API with third-party host partners, and a West Hollywood studio.
What happened
Spotify adjusted the entry criteria for its partner program that pays creators for video podcast views. The platform now requires a minimum of three published episodes, 2,000 consumption hours, and 1,000 engaged audience members within the last 30 days to qualify — down from the program’s original thresholds of 12 episodes, 10,000 consumption hours and 2,000 listeners in the prior 30-day window. Spotify’s partner program compensates creators based on the number of premium subscribers who watch their videos plus a share of advertising revenue from free users. In addition to easing eligibility, Spotify said it will add host-read sponsorship management tools to Spotify for Creators and Megaphone in April. It is also launching an API to let hosting platforms publish and monetize video podcasts on Spotify; initial partners include Acast, Audioboom, Libsyn, Omny and Podigee. The company announced a West Hollywood studio for the Ringer network and select creators, and pointed to a near doubling in video podcast consumption since the program began.
Why it matters
- Lowering thresholds reduces the barrier for smaller or newer video podcasters to access monetization on Spotify.
- Integrated sponsorship tools and API publishing could streamline how creators schedule, measure and earn from host-read ads.
- Third-party host integrations may simplify distribution and encourage more creators to post video episodes on Spotify.
- The moves signal Spotify’s increased focus on video to grow engagement and subscription and ad revenue, positioning it more directly against platforms like YouTube.
Key facts
- New eligibility: minimum 3 episodes, 2,000 consumption hours, and 1,000 engaged audience members in the last 30 days.
- Previous eligibility (introduced last year): 12 episodes, 10,000 consumption hours, and 2,000 listeners in the prior 30 days.
- Payout model: creators are paid based on premium users who watched their videos plus a share of ad revenue from free-tier listeners.
- Sponsorship tools: creators will be able to update, schedule and measure host-read sponsorship spots in video ads; these tools arrive in April on Spotify for Creators and Megaphone.
- New API: Spotify launched a publishing/monetization API for video podcasts; initial adopters include Acast, Audioboom, Libsyn, Omny and Podigee.
- Studio expansion: Spotify is opening a West Hollywood studio for the Ringer network and select partner-program creators; it already operates studios in LA’s arts district, New York, Stockholm and London.
- Usage claim: Spotify said video podcast consumption on the app has nearly doubled since the partner program launched, and average podcast users stream twice as many video shows per month compared with before the program.
What to watch next
- April rollout of sponsorship tools on Spotify for Creators and Megaphone and early adoption by creators.
- Uptake of the new API by hosting platforms and how quickly creators use it to publish video podcasts on Spotify (initial partners already announced).
- not confirmed in the source
Quick glossary
- Video podcast: A podcast episode that includes video content in addition to or instead of audio, distributed on podcast platforms.
- Consumption hours: A metric tracking the total hours of content watched or listened to across a specified time period.
- Engaged audience member: A user who has streamed or interacted with a creator’s content; precise platform definitions may vary.
- API (Application Programming Interface): A set of protocols and tools that lets different software systems communicate and integrate with each other.
- Host-read sponsorship: An advertisement or sponsored message spoken directly by the podcast host, often inserted into episodes and tracked for measurement.
Reader FAQ
What are the new eligibility thresholds to monetize video podcasts on Spotify?
Creators now need at least three episodes, 2,000 consumption hours, and 1,000 engaged audience members in the last 30 days.
How does Spotify pay creators in the partner program?
Payments are tied to the number of premium users who watched a creator’s videos and a share of ad revenue from free-tier users.
When will the new sponsorship tools be available?
Spotify plans to add sponsorship management tools to Spotify for Creators and Megaphone in April.
Will lowering the thresholds mean small creators will immediately earn significant revenue?
not confirmed in the source
Spotify is lowering its eligibility criteria for podcasters to monetize their videos on the platform, dropping the minimum episode requirement to three, minimum consumption hours to 2,000, and engaged audience…
Sources
- Spotify lowers monetization threshold for video podcasts
- Track monetization eligibility
- Start monetizing your podcasts and videos
- The Truth About How Much Podcasts Make on Spotify
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