Spotify enables timestamped sharing for podcasts, Snapchat integration for Canvas
On May 10, Spotify announced new features that make it easier to share music and podcasts to other platforms. Users can now share links to podcasts so the recipient can start listening from a defined point. Further, Spotify Canvas-enabled songs can now be shared to Snapchat. Additionally, the streaming giant has also reworked its mobile app's sharing menu to display only installed apps.
Spotify surveyed its users and learned that around 40 percent of music discovery can be attributed to social channels. So, the music streaming giant has optimized its content sharing experience. These new features are now rolling out globally for Spotify's Android and iOS apps.
Previously, listeners could only share the link to entire podcast episodes. Spotify now allows users to share a podcast episode that begins from a particular timestamp. To share a timestamp, tap the Share button and use the Switch to Share feature at the current playtime. Then, select the platform you are sharing to, select a recipient, and hit send.
For the unversed, Spotify describes Canvas as a feature that "turns static song pages into video-art showcases". All the artists who upload their music to Spotify can create a Spotify Canvas for their song. The platform considers it to be the album art equivalent for the streaming age. The looping Canvas videos are displayed on Spotify's Now Playing screen.
Spotify recently added the option to share songs with Canvas to Snapchat, besides the existing option of sharing to Instagram Stories. Spotify believes that Canvas brings "a whole new listening experience for fans and music lovers." Additionally, the sharing menu on Spotify's mobile app has been updated to help visualize how a Canvas will be presented on Instagram Stories and Snapchat.
Lastly, Spotify said that the mobile app's sharing menu will feature a clearer layout and an improved destination list that will be populated based on the apps installed on your phone. Podcast timestamp sharing could benefit creators by letting them share interesting bits of an episode to woo audiences and attract subscribers. Although minor, the Canvas update helps artists maintain rapport with audiences remotely.
