Spotify now allows paid memberships for some podcasts
What's the story
Spotify has officially launched a new feature, paid memberships, aimed at helping podcasters monetize their content. The move is part of the streaming giant's strategy to make its platform more appealing to podcast creators. With this new feature, podcasters can offer exclusive perks to their fans such as bonus audio or video content, reduced ad interruptions, early access to shows and more.
Availability
Memberships now available in 34 markets
The memberships feature is now live in 34 markets worldwide, including the US.
Spotify had first teased this idea at its Investor Day event in May, along with AI capabilities that let listeners interact with their content.
The company had said these memberships would provide "a natural path to go deeper, unlocking new and exclusive experiences for fans and new revenue opportunities for creators."
Options
Podcasters can keep 90% of revenue generated
Creators using the new memberships feature will keep 90% of the revenue generated.
They can also bundle their benefits across different tiers and pricing options to cater to fans with varying levels of commitment.
To be eligible for this feature, podcasters need to host their shows on Spotify for Creators or Megaphone, have at least 100 consumption hours and listeners/viewers each, and at least three published episodes.
Steps
Here's how fans can purchase memberships
Fans will see memberships promoted on the show's Spotify page, where they can subscribe, pay and immediately access exclusive content.
The company has clarified that memberships will be purchased via the web and not through in-app purchases.
At launch, a few shows including The Adam Friedland Show, Making Sense with Sam Harris, Shawn Ryan Show, The Sculpt Society, and Two Hot Takes are offering memberships.