Spotify is celebrating the first anniversary of its Partner Program with a major expansion aimed at helping more video podcasters monetize and manage their businesses on the platform. The updates lower eligibility thresholds, introduce new sponsorship management tools, and allow creators to publish video to Spotify even if they host their content elsewhere.
Creators now only need 1,000 engaged Spotify listeners in the past 30 days (previously 2,000), 2,000 hours consumed in 30 days (down from 10,000), and 3 published episodes all time (down from 12)
They say the move is designed to help more podcasters turn their shows into sustainable businesses, backed by an audience that is already highly engaged. Loyal Spotify listeners stream nearly 20 times more content than casual listeners and are far more likely to stick with a show over time, a strong signal for creators looking to build consistent revenue.
And beginning in April, creators will gain access to enhanced sponsorship management features across Spotify for Creators and Megaphone. These tools will make it easier to update or refresh host-read ads without re-editing and re-uploading full episodes.
Creators enrolled in the Partner Program will be able to add, remove, and replace sponsorship segments in video episodes, schedule updates in advance, and track performance with new delivery metrics
The goal is to give podcasters greater control, streamline workflows, and help sponsorship revenue stay relevant over time.
Spotify is also removing one of the biggest hurdles for creators by eliminating the need to switch hosting platforms. A new Spotify Distribution API will soon allow publishers to upload and monetize video directly to Spotify from third-party hosts.
At launch, Spotify plans to support Acast, Audioboom, Libsyn, Omny, and Podigee, with more partners expected to follow. Eligible creators will be able to earn Premium video revenue in supported markets, ad revenue in free or non-Premium video regions, and still access Spotify’s new sponsorship tools without changing their existing workflows.
Spotify continues positioning itself as a central hub for video podcasting, reinforcing a creator-first strategy that emphasizes flexibility, monetization choice, and platform reach. Whether independent creators or major publishers, more voices will now have access to tools designed to help them grow and earn.
Learn more about the Spotify for Creators program and updates on the official website.
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