Spotify lowers monetization threshold for video podcasts

Los Angeles: Spotify is making changes to help podcasters earn money from their videos. They are lowering the requirements for creators to join the monetization program. Now, creators only need to have three episodes, 2,000 listening hours, and 1,000 audience members in the last 30 days.

Last year, to monetize video content, creators needed 12 episodes, 10,000 hours of listening, and 2,000 people tuning in. The program pays creators based on how many premium users watch their videos and shares ad revenue from free users.

Spotify is also launching new tools to help creators manage sponsorships in their video ads. These tools will come to the Spotify for Creators app and the Megaphone platform in April.

To compete better with YouTube, Spotify is introducing a new API. This will let creators use their own platforms to publish and earn money from video podcasts on Spotify. Companies like Acast and Libsyn are already on board.

Since starting the partner program, Spotify says video podcast consumption has almost doubled. The average Spotify user is now watching double the amount of video shows each month.

The company is also opening a recording studio for podcasts and videos in West Hollywood. This studio will support the Ringer podcast network and be available for some partner program creators. Spotify already has studios in New York, London, Stockholm, and LA.