Spotify's New Video Feature for External Podcasts: Benefits & How-To Guide

Spotify has long been a popular platform for audio podcasts, until recently, it entered the video podcasting space. In a significant update, Spotify now allows podcasters to upload video versions of their episodes directly to the platform even if they’re not hosted with the platform.

It partially rolled out this feature for some creators in the first week of June 2024 and is currently working to make it more accessible. This article will discuss everything you need to know about this new feature, its benefits and how to upload your video episodes on Spotify.

What you should know about the new video upload feature on Spotify

The new video upload feature for non-Spotify podcasts was reported last year but was not widely available. Since then, there has been a gradual roll-out in which more creators have access to this feature. Here are some things you should know about the new update:

Hosting and RSS feeds

Podcasts are usually distributed using RSS feeds, which allow them to be played on multiple platforms. However, this video upload update does not use RSS feeds. Instead, the video file is uploaded directly to Spotify’s server.

As a result, the “plays” metrics for these videos won’t be recorded in your regular hosting analytics. You can only get insights on how your video is performing from Spotify's analytics.

Dynamic Ad Insertion (DAI)

Dynamic Ad Insertion allows ads to be inserted in podcast episodes based on the listener’s profile and behaviour. Since Spotify video features do not support DAI, creators who rely on it for revenue might be negatively impacted.

What does this New Feature mean for Podcasters?

Now that we understand the technical aspects of this update, let’s discuss what this means for podcasters and its practical implications.

1. Increased audience engagement and reach

Spotify has a wide audience and coupled with the increasing preference for video podcasts, podcasters can now access more engagements and reach.

2. Opportunity for podcasters not hosting their podcast on Spotify

Since the update is not exclusive to Spotify podcasters only, other podcasters from other platforms can upload their video on the platform. Spotify servers are tasked with making the videos available to the audience.

3. Monetization and ad integration issues

The inability to use Dynamic Ad Insertion with videos may impact your revenue if you rely heavily on this technology. Consider alternatives outside the Spotify video features.

4. Impact on analytics

Podcasters will need to rely on Spotify’s analytics to get insights into the performance of their video. Traditional podcast analytics tools won’t capture data from your Spotify videos.

How to Upload Video Episodes on Spotify (if you’re not hosted with it)

1. Open Spotify for Podcaster and login to your account.
2. Find the episode you want to convert to a video and click on the three dots next to it.
3. Select “Upload video”.
4. Choose the video file and upload it.
5. After the upload is successful, publish it.