LATEST DEVELOPMENT
A leaked Spotify pitch deck reveals the music platform's ambitious video expansion strategy, targeting top YouTube creators with revenue sharing and marketing support as it moves beyond podcasts to compete directly with Google's streaming giant for creator content and viewer attention.
INDUSTRY TALK
"Social commerce has exploded into a $100 Billion dollar market, but it's been artificially constrained to beauty and fashion. We built Howl to capture the enormous opportunity in gaming, consumer technology, and wellness."
BY THE NUMBERS
Key metrics include:
44% year-over-year increase in time spent watching videos on Spotify
300M+ users have watched video podcasts on the platform
70%+ of Spotify users watching video in foreground (primary screen window)
1B+ monthly active viewers for YouTube's podcast programming
Multiple top YouTubers now dominating Spotify's podcast charts without actual podcasts
CREATOR STRATEGY
Platform approach includes:
Revenue sharing from both advertising and subscription income
Zero exclusivity requirements to lower barriers for creator adoption
Targeting creators beyond traditional podcast format
Focus on library content uploads rather than live streaming
Marketing support and promotional opportunities for participating creators
SUCCESS STORIES
Notable examples include:
Chef Nick DiGiovanni achieving #1 arts podcast ranking without a podcast
Gaming creators like JackSepticEye and Game Theorists charting regularly
Ryan Trahan and other lifestyle creators finding audience success
Alan Chikin Chow and Stokes Twins maintaining consistent presence
One executive tripling their company's platform footprint in recent year
THE BOTTOM LINE
By expanding creator commerce into previously underserved categories like gaming and consumer tech, Howl is positioning itself at the center of a fundamental shift in how products reach consumers—demonstrating that the creator economy's true potential extends far beyond traditional lifestyle content into the modern essentials that drive significant purchasing decisions across diverse audiences.