Spotify Launches Paid Fan Memberships for Podcast Creators

The Spotify podcasting world is evolving. The audio-streaming platform announced a new Memberships program on Tuesday that allows creators to offer monthly subscription plans to their fans. The program is rolling out immediately in the US, UK, Canada and dozens of other markets.

Podcasters have total leeway in how much they charge and what content they offer behind the paywall, such as “exclusive audio or video, bonus episodes, fewer ads,” Spotify said. Creators can also charge a simple monthly fee or offer tiered pricing that grants access to different types of content. It’s their call. Spotify said creators will keep 90% of membership revenue.

Creators can also choose not to offer a monthly paid subscription.

Until now, podcasters have monetized their content primarily through ad revenue in the Spotify Partner Program, brand sponsorships and video stream revenue from Spotify Premium subscribers. Creators have also offered paid subscriptions, which may include bonus shows and ad-free content.

But the new Memberships program doesn’t mean fans will have to pony up monthly to listen to podcasts. Creators can offer a mix of free and membership content, but it’s their choice what that mix will look like.

Spotify listed several creators who are pioneering the Memberships program. That group includes The Adam Friedland Show, Making Sense with Sam Harris, The Shawn Ryan Show, Two Hot Takes, The Sculpt Society and YMH Studios.

How fans become members

To become a member of a certain podcast, visit its main page on Spotify. Near the top of the page, you should see an option to join.

The creators I looked at were charging $5 per month for memberships, but membership prices could vary as other podcasters join the program with different offerings.

Creators must be eligible

To join the Memberships program, shows must be hosted on Spotify for Creators or its high-volume platform Megaphone with these stipulations: three published episodes, 100 listeners or viewers, and 100 consumption hours on Spotify in the previous 30 days.

Ever since being admittedly fascinated by the Cambridge coffee webcam from the 1990s, I’ve written about VPNs, the NFL, smartphones, living wages, over/unders and everything in between.

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