Spotify introduces trailers for podcasts in a bid to grab your attention

Spotify is still very much in love with podcasts. Early in 2020, the company stated, "We have a growing body of evidence showing that there are significant benefits to engagement, retention, and conversion of users from ad-supported to premium, stemming from podcast content."

That much is true; 16 percent of Spotify users tuned into at least one podcast in the fourth quarter last year while the company's consistent investment in the medium (including buying The Ringer among other major endeavors) has boosted in-app podcast listening by 200 percent in total.

Still, Spotify wants to do better. In a blog post on Tuesday, Spotify says it's introducing a new page design, trailers, and clearer categories so that you don't have to do any extra work to find your favorite podcast.

'Preview before you commit' — Not to be outdone by Apple Podcasts, Spotify is replicating its chief rival's strategy by posting pithy little trailers for its shows. From now on, when you tune into your Spotify account and search for podcasts, you'll see trailers more prominently displayed in the app as descriptions at the top of the episode list.

Given that Spotify boasts at least 700,000 podcasts, this strategy is the perfect antidote for the overwhelmed listener. Trailers can help people decide whether they'd like to commit to a show — or try something entirely different. No pressure.

Crisper, clearer genres — In addition to highlighting trailers, Spotify is introducing clearer genres and categories right under show descriptions. The idea is straightforward: if you liked one true crime podcast, for example, you can find other productions in the same vein by clicking the "true crime" category right below the trailer.

These changes, however seemingly small, make podcast discovery easier for users, bring smaller creators on the radar — and increase the likelihood of higher podcast engagement for Spotify. All in all, it's a win-win-win.