Spotify Podcast Sharing: New Timestamp Feature & Social Updates

Spotify Enhances Social Sharing Capabilities

Following the strengthening of its collaboration with Facebook, Spotify has unveiled new sharing functionalities this morning. These enhancements broaden the methods through which Spotify content, encompassing both music and podcasts, can be disseminated across various social media platforms.

Improvements to Spotify’s Canvas Feature

As part of these updates, Spotify’s Canvas feature, which integrates a looping visual element to songs, is receiving improvements. The platform is also introducing the ability to share a timestamped link directly to a specific segment within a podcast episode.

Timestamped Podcast Sharing

Previously, sharing a podcast episode was limited to providing a link to the complete recording. However, users often desire to highlight or discuss specific moments within an episode. Now, this is achievable through the “switch to share” function, activated at the current playback position after selecting the “share” button.

This feature operates as a toggle, enabling sharing from the precise point where playback is paused. Upon activation, users can select their preferred sharing destination, including platforms like Instagram, Facebook (Stories or Feed), Snapchat, Twitter, WhatsApp, and SMS.

Potential for Podcast Marketing

This new functionality also presents opportunities for podcast promotion. Creators frequently share compelling clips from their latest episodes, accompanied by a link to the full recording. Spotify’s update could encourage listeners to tune in at a particular point, potentially leading to continued engagement.

Listeners may even choose to subscribe to the podcast after this initial experience, having already been directed within the Spotify application. While it won't replace existing marketing strategies – recognizing that not all audiences utilize Spotify – it can serve as a valuable addition to a creator’s promotional efforts.

Canvas Preview Updates

The update to Spotify’s Canvas also includes a minor, yet useful, improvement. Users can now preview their social shares on both Instagram Stories and Snapchat, visualizing how the content will appear before posting.

Prior to this update, Canvas visuals were exclusively shareable to Instagram Stories.

Increased Importance of Social Sharing

Spotify acknowledges that social sharing features have become increasingly vital to the user experience, particularly during the pandemic. With in-person concerts and fan gatherings curtailed, artists and creators have needed to find alternative ways to connect with their audiences remotely.

Fans, in turn, are eager to support their favorite artists by sharing content on social networks, facilitating discovery by others.

Expanded Social Media Distribution

These new sharing features represent Spotify’s broader investment in expanding its social media distribution network. This strategy recently culminated in a partnership with Facebook on “Project Boombox.”

Facebook introduced a new miniplayer in April, enabling streaming of Spotify’s music and podcasts directly within the Facebook app. This allows users to listen while browsing, with Spotify playing in the background.

However, Spotify’s agreement with Facebook does not preclude it from enhancing sharing options on other platforms, as demonstrated by these latest features.

Availability

Spotify confirms that these new features are currently being rolled out to users globally on both iOS and Android devices.