Recently, Spotify made some adjustments to how podcast play counts are displayed, settling on milestone markers after some initial creator complaints about fully public numbers. Now, the company has announced a fresh batch of features aimed squarely at making it easier for you to find your next favorite podcast, and for creators to get their shows in front of more ears.
One of the big changes is coming right to your Home screen. If you are a podcast listener, Spotify is going to start slotting in podcast and video podcast recommendations just under your usual shortcuts. The platform might even give you a little note explaining why a particular show or episode has landed in your feed, in an effort to make those "bold picks feel more accessible," as Spotify puts it.
And if you are tired of digging around for the latest episodes from shows you already follow, Spotify is attempting to fix that headache. A new "Podcasts Following feed" is rolling out, which basically gathers all the fresh episodes from your subscribed podcasts into one dedicated spot within your main Podcast feed on Home.
Another interesting addition is the "In this episode" section, which is set to roll out globally in the coming weeks. This feature allows creators to link directly to other content on Spotify that they mention in their episodes. Imagine hearing a song reference or a book recommendation; creators can now link those songs, audiobooks, playlists, or even other podcast episodes directly on the episode page.
Finally, Spotify is giving the comments section a makeover. You will soon see threaded replies, which should make conversations much easier to follow and participate in. Creators also get emoji reactions to express themselves.
Importantly, creators will continue to have control over the comment settings through their Spotify for Creators account, allowing them to manage which comments appear or to opt out of the feature for their shows or specific episodes if they prefer.