Twitter is introducing podcasts on its platform after finding success with Spaces.
To capitalise on the enormous demand for audio-centric chatrooms, Twitter introduced Spaces in 2020. Clubhouse, a social media site that only supports audio, grew as a result of this market, which was stimulated by the COVID lockout. After over two years, Spaces has established itself as the most popular audio-focused Twitter feature worldwide. However, the social media company’s success doesn’t stop there because it is now poised to rule the audio industry thanks to the integration of podcasts into its platform.
Twitter revealed last week that a podcast function would be added to its revamped Spaces Tab, allowing users to produce and listen to audio material from a larger range of users outside of their immediate network. Twitter claims that doing this is a method to support audio producers.
In line with how the algorithm now suggests tweets to users, Twitter’s most recent design also lets users access personalised hubs that categorise audio material into genres like news, sports, and music.
‘’Our internal research indicates that 45% of people who use Twitter in the US also listen to podcasts monthly, so we’ll automatically suggest compelling podcasts to help people easily find and listen to the topics they want to hear more about,’’ the company said in a blog post.
They can choose their preferred podcasts by giving them a thumbs-up or thumbs-down icon as part of a feature that Twitter is testing with groups of English-speaking viewers throughout the world. The majority of podcast listeners around the globe speak English, thus Twitter’s decision to start with English speakers may not appear to favour users in the US, the company’s home country and largest market.
The podcast industry is expected to generate $4 billion in revenue in the US alone by 2024, which is just two years from now. Given that the majority of its users are Americans, Twitter is aiming to be the main source of that income.
