Spotify is terrifying much of the podcast industry with a tiny little widget.
Last week, the audio streaming giant tweaked its streaming interface, adding a feature that allows some users to more effectively skip through the parts of a podcast no one wants — notably ads, as well as promotions and filler content — as long as they aren’t sold directly by Spotify. Spotify cast the move as streamlining a feature that already exists, the 15-second skip button, which users in practice often use to bypass ads.
Look, I’m not gonna lie — none of us are without sin when it comes to skipping through Podcast ads (even if some are done very well), but this is absolutely ridiculous. Advertisers aren’t going to want people to, very easily, skip through the ads they’re paying for.
Less listened to ads means advertisers pay less money which means less podcasts could exist. And I’m sure the Podcasting world could do better with less Podcasts out there, but trust: it’s not going to be the little indie hobbyists you love that survive.
But wait, there’s more!
It’s prioritizing steady, recurring revenue and cementing a two-tiered advertising system, in which marketing bought directly through Spotify can’t be skipped — while publishers’ own ads can be, devaluing them.
Of course they can’t be. Why, that’d make it so people don’t listen to those ads, and less money gets made by Spotify! Think about Spotify, gang. It needs that dough.
As always: if you can — support your favorite podcasts directly via sites like Patreon. If you can’t, share episodes you love and rate/review them on Apple Podcasts. We can’t let another section of media get eaten alive.