Spotify Lowers Monetization Requirements for Video Podcasters

Spotify is easing requirements for creators seeking to monetise video podcasts on its platform, lowering the thresholds to qualify for its partner program.

Under the updated criteria, podcasters must have published at least three episodes, accumulated 2,000 consumption hours, and reached 1,000 engaged audience members in the previous 30 days to be eligible for monetisation.

When Spotify launched its video monetisation partner program last year, the bar was significantly higher. Creators were required to publish 12 episodes, log 10,000 consumption hours in the prior 30 days, and attract at least 2,000 listeners during that same period.

The partner program compensates podcasters based on the number of Spotify Premium users who watch their video content, along with a share of advertising revenue generated from users on the platform’s free tier.

Spotify is also rolling out new sponsorship management tools designed to give creators more control over host-read ads in video podcasts. These tools will allow podcasters to update, schedule, and measure sponsorship placements. They will be available through the Spotify for Creators app and Megaphone, Spotify’s podcast hosting and monetisation service, starting in April.

As part of a broader push to strengthen its video offerings and compete more directly with YouTube, Spotify is introducing a new API that enables creators to publish and monetise video podcasts on Spotify using their existing hosting platforms. At launch, providers including Acast, Audioboom, Libsyn, Omny, and Podigee have adopted the new API, the company said.

The changes come as Spotify looks for additional ways to grow its user base and expand its subscription-driven streaming business. According to the company, consumption of video podcasts on the platform has nearly doubled since the partner program launched, and the average Spotify podcast listener now watches twice as many video shows per month as before.

However, that increase may also reflect Spotify’s greater emphasis on surfacing video content across the app.

Spotify is also expanding its physical production footprint. The company announced plans to open a new podcast and video recording studio in West Hollywood that will serve as a base for The Ringer and be available to select creators in the partner program. Spotify already operates studios in Los Angeles’ Arts District, as well as in New York, Stockholm, and London.