Spotify is expanding its video podcast upload feature outside the United States. Now all content creators in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand will also be able to upload video podcasts to Spotify.
The video can be uploaded via Anchor, a podcast creation tool that Spotify purchased in 2019. Video podcasts are compatible with Spotify’s podcast subscriptions feature. The company is also offering video-specific analytics for creators.
Spotify has been gradually integrating support for video podcasts since at least mid-2020 when it acquired the Joe Rogan podcast, which had been available on YouTube as a video for some time.
Spotify’s decision to provide video podcasts is an attempt to wrest some of its audience away from YouTube, which has emerged as the primary venue for podcasting in recent years. According to Spotify, the introduction of the video format will allow “creators to connect with their audiences in a much deeper way.” The company is likely to use the option as a marketing tool.
Spotify also announced its integration with Riverside, a podcast and video recording service that aids in the quality of remotely captured content. More than 70,000 podcasters, media companies and online content creators use this platform.
Spotify makes it clear that “later this year” they will expand the feature to other countries.
