Spotify is aiming to give YouTube a run for its money with its new “Partner Program.” The new program will launch on January 2, 2025, offering both “audience-driven payouts” from Spotify’s premium video and “an ads component” so creators can earn from their viral audio and video content.

Video consumption on Spotify has increased lately on Spotify with the introduction of video podcasts and music videos for songs. The company says more than 250 million users out of its over 640 million total users have watched a video podcast on the streaming platform, and that nearly two-thirds of podcast listeners prefer video podcasts.

There are two components to the Spotify Partner Program – Premium Video Revenue and Ads. At launch, only creators in the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia will be able to participate. To enrol, creators must have a minimum of 10,000 streamed hours on Spotify and be streamed by at least 2,000 unique users in the last 30 days. They must also have at least 12 episodes published. Creators can also offer more to fans and earn through podcast subscriptions. In the eligible markets, creators must have published at least 2 episodes; and should have been streamed by a minimum of 100 unique listeners in the past 60 days. Spotify says it will provide access to subscriber email lists so creators can connect more with their audience.

Spotify began as an audio-only platform but has now pivoted to include video as more and more people shift to video consumption on social media. The company recently expanded integration to let users add songs directly to their Spotify library from Instagram.

Image: Spotify