Spotify Tests Ad-Skip Button That Could Upend Podcast Advertising
The early test could weaken direct-sold podcast ads as Spotify says the feature is meant to keep listeners engaged longer.
- On Aug 10, Spotify began testing a "Skip Ahead" button for some Premium subscribers, allowing users to bypass podcast ads not sold directly by the platform with a single tap.
- Spotify claims the feature makes listening "more intuitive" and keeps users engaged longer, though major audio networks expressed concern the button threatens their ad monetization.
- Tommy Vietor of Crooked Media called the feature an attempt to "destroy the podcast industry," while Podnews labeled the test a "significant threat" to ad-funded shows.
- Acast CEO Greg Glenday noted that ad-skipping is not new, citing internal metrics where only about 10 percent of users choose to skip ads.
- The move lands as the podcast industry contends with a broader migration toward video platforms like YouTube, while Spotify continues gathering feedback on the early-stage test.
19 Articles
19 Articles
Spotify is testing a button that allows Premium subscribers to skip advertisements in podcasts. This concerns ads embedded by podcast creators in their content, not those from Spotify itself. The feature is not yet active in Belgium.
The platform wants Premium subscribers to hear less advertising, although their generosity ends right where they start their own revenue
Spotify is testing with part of its Premium users a button that allows you to skip the advertising blocks of a podcast. But keep in mind that it only affects ads that are inserted by the creators themselves, not those that Spotify sells. That's how the button works The function is called Skip ... Continue reading "Spotify tries a button to jump podcast ads, but it has some trick"
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