Spotify expands video podcast creation to six additional countries -

Spotify has expanded video podcast creation to six new countries, including Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Brazil, and Mexico, allowing podcast creators to embed video off-platform in the same way that YouTube videos can.

After introducing these tools to creators in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom in April.

This marks the first time the audio streaming company is making this feature available in non-English speaking countries.

This rollout also included monetization tools like subscriptions and engagement features like Q&A.

“These are markets with especially strong podcast creator communities that have shown a healthy appetite for new ways to create and experience podcasts. Video-native podcasters will now have access to Spotify’s audience around the world, while audio-native podcasters will be able to start experimenting with video and deliver content that their listeners can engage with more deeply,” the firm said in a statement.

Spotify has been heavily focusing on podcasting to make it a commercial success after spending more than $1 billion on related acquisitions.

“Just as we have built a suite of innovative creation tools for podcasters, and we’re now doing the same for video content. Video podcasts are a historically underutilized medium, but one has the potential to grow by unlocking a new way to help audiences engage with their favorite podcasts. Video podcasts allow listeners to feel more connected to the creators behind their favorite shows, whether they’re listening on audio-only or watching the video, or even toggling between the two,” the company said.

Daniel Ek, CEO of Spotify, said while the company is in investment mode for podcasts, it believes the vertical has potential for a 40-50 percent gross margin.

It also launched a test in New Zealand to allow users to record and publish a podcast clip directly from the Spotify app without any additional tools.