You can now add comments to your favorite Spotify podcasts

Spotify is rolling out a new way for podcast creators to interact with fans with a new comment feature and a new Spotify for Podcasters mobile app. 

The new comments feature expands on the Q&A and polls functionality it introduced in 2021 as a way to bring interactivity into the podcasting industry for the first time.

"Interactivity is a feature that already has listeners and creators buzzing: More than nine million unique Spotify listeners have interacted with a Q&A or poll just this year, and there’s been 80% year-over-year growth in the number of total Q&A responses and votes from listeners," said Spotify in a statement. 

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With the introduction of comments, Spotify added that it is also excited to give all creators—regardless of where their episodes are hosted—better ways to manage their entire show, including listener feedback.

Podcast creators can now use Spotify for Podcasters on desktop or with its all-new mobile app to interact with listeners, manage their presence on Spotify, check their latest stats, and track growth in real time.

Fans can also use the app to directly comment on the podcast episodes they’re already listening to on Spotify. 

"We’ve also added helpful new notifications, so you’ll know right away if you make it onto a Spotify chart, if you get feedback from your listeners, or when your show hits an exciting new milestone," added Spotify. "And we added the ability for podcasters to manage comments on their episodes—a brand-new feature which has just launched on Spotify," it said. 

Spotify added that podcasts have historically been a one-sided format and, while its offered other interactivity features such as polls and Q&A for some time, people have said they want more ways to connect directly.

"Now, for the first time, listeners can actually have a two-way conversation with their favorite podcast hosts on Spotify, podcasters can get near-immediate feedback from their audiences, and real communities can form around shows," it said. 

Podcasts have perked the interest of marketers in recent months with them being 10 times more likely to expect an increase, rather than a decrease, in podcast ad spend over the next five years. More specifically, 49% of marketers expect increased spending on the medium.

In Singapore, 37% expect a significant increase in ad spend over the same period, highlighting a continued and growing recognition of the value of podcast advertising within this emerging podcast market. However, 11% expect spend on the medium to decrease.

These were the results of independent podcast company Acast’s latest study that surveyed marketing and advertising professionals across the USA, Canada, UK, Australia and Singapore. Acast’s study also revealed that 62% of marketers who have invested in podcast advertising before project increased ad spend in the coming years.

Did you know that MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has a new weekly podcast where we round up the most talked about stories of the week and deep dives into topics that got the newsroom buzzing? Check it out below and leave a comment. 

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