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How Will Spotify’s New “Plays” Feature Impact Podcasters?
Spotify recently introduced a new analytics metric called Plays, and it’s caused a stir in the podcasting community. In this episode of CLIPPED, I’m breaking down what the Plays metric is, how it currently works, why it’s generated some confusion, and what it means for creators, advertisers, and how we measure podcast success moving forward.
What Are Spotify “Plays”?
Spotify announced that podcast episodes will now display a “Plays” count—similar to how YouTube shows views or TikTok shows watch counts. The goal is to give listeners a sense of what’s trending and help podcasters gauge engagement more easily.
Here’s the catch: As of this recording, play counts aren’t visible in the actual Spotify app, neither on desktop nor mobile.
The only place you can see them is in the Spotify for Podcasters dashboard. So while the announcement was loud, the feature itself still feels half-baked, leaving many creators confused about what’s actually changing.
For more background, check out:
Why Podcasters Are Concerned About Spotify Plays
For many creators, the shift toward public metrics comes with mixed feelings.
One major concern is visibility. Smaller shows may feel exposed if low play counts are visible to the public, potentially discouraging new listeners. In a world where numbers often shape perception, there’s fear that a low count might make a show seem less credible—even if it delivers value.
This also marks a cultural shift. Historically, podcast analytics have been private. Making play counts public leans into a more social media-style model, where metrics are part of your brand’s public identity.
That said, there could be upsides. If an episode racks up a high play count, that visibility might drive more discovery. It’s social proof in action. For podcasters actively marketing their content, publicly visible data could also help fine-tune growth strategies.
What Spotify Plays Means for Advertisers
The advertising side gets even messier.
Spotify and Apple define metrics differently. Spotify now tracks Plays—defined as a user initiating a stream, even if they drop off within a few seconds. A Stream on Spotify, however, only counts after 60 seconds of listening.
Apple still uses Downloads, tracked through Apple Podcasts Connect, and defines a Play when a unique device plays for more than 0 seconds.
They also offer additional metrics like Listeners and Engaged Listeners.
The result? There’s no standardized measurement system across platforms. For advertisers, this lack of alignment makes it harder to determine reach, value, or ROI. It also complicates things for podcasters trying to pitch their show to sponsors—especially if everyone’s working off different data sets.
How Do Podcasters and Advertisers Measure Success Now?
At this point, the industry is juggling Plays, Streams, Downloads, Listeners, and Engaged Listeners. So what actually matters?
That’s the real question—and one each creator needs to answer for themselves. While the data landscape is shifting, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s a chance to reflect on what success looks like for you. Is it retention? Audience growth? Monetization? Community engagement?
The bottom line: focus on creating great content, serve your audience well, and use analytics to inform your strategy—not define your value.
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Resources Mentioned In This Episode
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