Spotify is making strides towards becoming a social networking hub with its latest feature: comments on podcasts. This new addition allows podcasters to engage with their listeners directly on Spotify, enhancing the interactive experience already offered through Polls and Q&As. Combined with the app’s 2023 revamp, which introduced a TikTok-like discovery feed, artist profiles for merchandise and concert ticket sales, and story posting capabilities, Spotify is evolving beyond its identity as a mere music-streaming app.
The introduction of comments on podcast episode pages raises the question of whether Spotify will extend this feature to music artists in the future. Given that musicians often have larger and more active fanbases than podcasters, this could be a significant enhancement.
In a discussion with Spotify VP of Podcast Product Maya Prohovnik about the new comments feature, she hinted at the potential for broader implementation. “I can see a world where we extend [support for comments] to other formats on Spotify, but we always want to do whatever is right for the format, and those types of creators and artists,” she said.
Spotify’s approach to integrating social networking features is measured and strategic. Unlike Apple’s previous attempts with its ill-fated Ping and Connect social features, Spotify has gradually rolled out enhancements that make the app more interactive for both creators and fans. The 2023 redesign introduced in-app video feeds across its Home pages for Music, Podcasts, and Audiobooks, drawing inspiration from Gen Z’s favorite social platform, TikTok.
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CEO Daniel Ek acknowledged TikTok’s influence during the company’s Q1 2024 earnings call. He noted that platforms like TikTok have “improved the user experience” and emphasized that Spotify is learning from these trends to enhance its own offerings. “We learn what consumers like. We try to improve upon it and make the best possible user experience,” Ek stated.
Over the past year, Spotify has introduced several features aimed at fostering artist-fan connections. The Spotify Clips feature allows artists to add 30-second videos to their profile and album pages, similar to Stories on other social networks. Countdown Pages help artists build anticipation for new releases, and the annual Spotify Wrapped campaign features video messages from artists. Users can follow creators and friends, collaborate on playlists, and potentially use a Community feature, currently in testing, to see what others are streaming in real time.
With the addition of comments, Spotify envisions an app where users actively engage with content, sharing their thoughts and opinions as they would on a traditional social network. This suite of features positions Spotify to compete not just as a music streamer, but as a comprehensive social platform that vies for users’ time and, eventually, advertising dollars.