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Spotify Competes With Apple by Expanding Podcast Subscriptions Program

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In late April, Spotify began testing a Podcast Subscriptions program as a way for creators to offer paid subscriber-only content to listeners, and today the streaming music service announced this monetization option is now available to all U.S. creators. Spotify said creators can mark episodes as subscriber-only and publish them to Spotify and other platforms through its podcast creation platform Anchor.

spotify-podcasts.jpg

Spotify also announced that it plans to expand the Podcast Subscriptions program internationally starting September 15 of this year.

Spotify said its model is built to maximize revenue for creators, who will receive 100% of subscription revenue minus payment processing fees until 2023, when the company plans to implement a 5% fee on subscription revenue.

Two changes are being made to the program to benefit creators: additional pricing tiers for subscription fees and the option to download a list of email addresses for subscribers so creators can further engage with their audiences.

Apple rolled out its own Podcasts Subscriptions feature worldwide in June, with the company receiving 30% of a subscriber's revenue in the first year and 15% if they remain subscribed for longer than one year. Creators are also required to enroll in the Apple Podcasters Program for $19.99 per year in order to offer subscriptions.

Benefits of Apple Podcasts Subscriptions for creators include the ability to offer subscriptions for individual shows or for groups of shows through a "channels" feature, the choice to offer fully paid subscriptions or freemium subscriptions with a mix of free and paid episodes, and availability in over 170 countries and regions today. Apple Podcasts Subscriptions also has options for soliciting subscriber email addresses.

Article Link: Spotify Competes With Apple by Expanding Podcast Subscriptions Program
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2021/08/24/spotify-expanding-podcast-subscriptions/
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I love Spotify for all things music but until I can add external podcasts to my Spotify library by URL, I'm not interested in anything they're offering podcast-wise.
 
I contribute Spotify to single-handedly destroying Podcasts as what we new prior to their heavy investment. Maybe podcast subscriptions eventually would have happened, but I don't doubt it was expedited due to the fact that Spotify is trying to do everything they can to monetize alternatives to music to lessen the stranglehold the music industry has on their business.

Prior to Spotify joining the podcast game you could (for the most part) download any podcast app that was your preference and listen to just about any podcast. Now, as is the same with streaming video (i.e. netflix, amazon, hbo, etc.), I need to have Spotify downloaded to listen to Joe Rogan. I need Amazon downloaded to get early access to Wondery or Smartless.

It's incredibly frustrating, but it is what it is.
 
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jamcgahey said:
I contribute Spotify to single-handedly destroying Podcasts as what we new prior to their heavy investment. Maybe podcast subscriptions eventually would have happened, but I don't doubt it was expedited due to the fact that Spotify is trying to do everything they can to monetize alternatives to music to lessen the stranglehold the music industry has on their business.
Click to expand...

Thats the thing Podcast subscriptions were a thing but it was sloppy and required the Podcaster to make it work. All Spotify did was make the process seamless and easy for Podcasters.

Don't get me wrong I'm not defending them either. I hate what Spotify has done to the Podcasting arena. I was someone who was a podcaster back when Apple launched their Podcast directory in iTunes. What Apple did was sloppy as hell but it was a central place and removed the need of external programs that did the downloading of the podcasts and entered them into iTunes for you. It helped make it mainstream too. That space BLEW UP after Apple did that. I stopped podcasting in 2015 but the space is not what it used to be for better and for worse.

Honestly if it wasn't for what Apple did in 2005 putting a Podcast Directory right into iTunes we very well may not have the situation we have now with Spotify.
 
so still no lossless category and i cant use it with djay programs still.

theyre not competing with anyone
 
Can't believe Apple takes 30% of podcast subscriptions. I'd never give them that much.

We live in Podcast hell now. Fun while it lasted.

Coincidentally today is my annual Overcast.fm renewal. I have to wonder how much longer third-party podcatchers will hang around.
 
I gotta say, I like Spotify's model a lot more than Apple's. If Spotify can do 5% and make money there's no good reason for Apple to be charging 30% (then 15%). I still wonder what their real subscription numbers would be if they didn't offer a free year when buying an Apple device.
 
With regards to Apple Podcasts I expected most of the podcasts I followed to go subscription-based but only one of the many I follow did.
For me the experience has stayed the same.
 
jonnysods said:
I wish they would part out the podcasts into its own app. We have a family account with content restrictions, but podcasts are open season - and there is some wild content that little kids can access.
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100% agree here. This is one of the big reasons why I switched to Apple Music. I don't need/want to see podcasts be front and center of the screen when I launch the app. I use Pocket Casts to manage/listen to podcasts I subscribe to.
 
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JDuggan said:
Can't believe Apple takes 30% of podcast subscriptions. I'd never give them that much.

We live in Podcast hell now. Fun while it lasted.

Coincidentally today is my annual Overcast.fm renewal. I have to wonder how much longer third-party podcatchers will hang around.
Click to expand...

i believe it was reported awhile back, most podcaster have not gone the subscription mode with Apple as they can make more money with Ads.

Now we just wait and see what changes take place.
 
jamcgahey said:
I contribute Spotify to single-handedly destroying Podcasts as what we new prior to their heavy investment. Maybe podcast subscriptions eventually would have happened, but I don't doubt it was expedited due to the fact that Spotify is trying to do everything they can to monetize alternatives to music to lessen the stranglehold the music industry has on their business.

Prior to Spotify joining the podcast game you could (for the most part) download any podcast app that was your preference and listen to just about any podcast. Now, as is the same with streaming video (i.e. netflix, amazon, hbo, etc.), I need to have Spotify downloaded to listen to Joe Rogan. I need Amazon downloaded to get early access to Wondery or Smartless.

It's incredibly frustrating, but it is what it is.
Click to expand...
My tip: Just try Apple's podcast. And your world will be easy again.
There's enough for you if you go your own way there and are free to avoid tips from the Android community.
 
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Morgenland said:
My tip: Just try Apple's podcast. And your world will be easy again.
There's enough for you if you go your own way there and are free to avoid tips from the Android community.
Click to expand...

Really probably should. Only show I can't miss in Joe Rogan Experience though...
 
Did podcasters not make money with advertising and merchandise sales/YT links, etc.? Seems everything eventually gets barnacled over with fees and tolls.
 
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nburwell said:
100% agree here. This is one of the big reasons why I switched to Apple Music. I don't need/want to see podcasts be front and center of the screen when I launch the app. I use Pocket Casts to manage/listen to podcasts I subscribe to.
Click to expand...
We had to switch to AM this week because our kids were accessing content we couldn’t control. I don’t like AM, I miss Spotify!!
 
I think most of the podcasts that I listen to that do extra content are happy continuing using Patreon.

I know people seem to be very anti-Spotify these days but I do enjoy the fact everything is included in the one app. I get my podcast notifications a lot sooner than I was using Apple Podcasts in recent months. Only thing lacking is custom RSS feeds.
 
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