It doesn’t matter if your podcast video is recorded and edited directly through Spotify or has its home in a competing platform — Spotify will now take both as it expands its video podcast library.
Spotify is opening the door to video podcasts originally hosted elsewhere, the company confirmed to TechCrunch on Thursday. The change quietly took effect last week.
Anyone who wanted to upload a video podcast had to previously sign up to be hosted on Spotify for Podcasters. Now they can go with another podcast hosting service if they want, and still upload video podcasts for Spotify’s over 100 million regular podcast listeners.
What a video podcast could look like. Credit: Getty Images
To replace existing audio episodes with video, podcasters should log in to Spotify for Podcasters, find the episode, click the three dots next to that episode, click upload video, and upload a video file.
Related: This Is the Winning Formula for Starting a Successful Podcast, According to a New Analysis
Spotify advertises video podcasts as a better way to grow and retain listeners.
The audio streaming giant shared with TechCrunch that it has more than 250,000 video podcasts now, more than double the 100,000 video podcasts it had last year.
There are also more than 170 million Spotify users who watch video podcasts, the company disclosed — a 40% year-over-year increase.
Spotify confirmed earlier this month that it is raising monthly subscription prices for the second time within a year. A one-month Premium subscription now costs $11.99.
Related: Spotify Removes a Key Feature From Its Free Music Listening Tier
