Spotify introduced a new public measure for podcast episodes, revealing play counts in an attempt to enhance listener discovery. However, the announcement was met with significant opposition from podcasters, particularly those with smaller audiences. Their main concern was that low play counts might dissuade potential listeners. In response to the backlash, Spotify adjusted the feature to only display counts after an episode exceeds 50,000 plays, while retaining exact counts in private analytics. This situation highlights the challenges of quantifying podcast popularity and the impact on creators.
Podcasters, particularly those with smaller audiences, expressed concern that revealing play counts could discourage potential listeners, as low numbers may detract rather than attract interest.
Spotify's play count feature has been met with backlash from podcasters, prompting the company to clarify its approach by only displaying counts after reaching the 50,000 plays threshold.
Despite the introduction of public play counts, Spotify acknowledges that measuring play counts in podcasting is complex, as a download doesn't equate to an actual listen.
The controversy surrounding Spotify's new feature highlights the delicate balance between transparency and potential discouragement for budding creators in the podcasting landscape.
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