Image: Spotify
Available to both free and premium users, the test feature enables creators of education content to reach new audiences through the music streaming app.
Spotify is continuing to diversify its business with new video-based educational courses for UK users.
Alongside music, podcasts and audiobooks, the Swedish streaming giant will now offer video-based learning courses across a range of topics including making music, learning the tricks of the trade in business and living healthily.
“Testing video courses in the UK allows us to explore an exciting opportunity to better serve the needs of our users who have an active interest in learning,” Babar Zafar, vice-president of product development at Spotify, said in a statement today (25 March).
“Many of our users engage with podcasts and audiobooks on a daily basis for their learning needs, and we believe this highly engaged community will be interested in accessing and purchasing quality content from video course creators.”
Available to both free and premium users, the test feature will allow creators of education content to reach new audiences. According to Spotify, about half of the app’s premium subscribers have used education or self-help-themed podcasts.
“At Spotify, we’re constantly striving to create new offerings for our creators and users and having built best-in-class personalised music and podcast offerings, we look forward to exploring the potential of video-based learning on Spotify,” Zafar added.
Initially, users will be able to trial at least two lessons per course for free before making the decision to purchase additional lessons, which they can do on a dedicated web page. Partners on this UK trial include BBC Maestro, PLAYvirtuoso, Skillshare and Thinkific Labs.
While the Stockholm-headquartered company has been diversifying its business, it has also been cutting costs to focus more on profitability.
At the start of last year, Spotify cut 6pc of its staff impacting more than 580 people. This was followed by a bigger wave of layoffs in December, when the company said 17pc of its workforce will be cut to ensure it is “right sized” for future challenges.
Days later, chief financial officer Paul Vogel announced he was leaving the company. Vogel, who joined Spotify in 2016 and became CFO in 2020, will wrap up his role at the end of this month.
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