Twitter now looks to focus on making podcasts a bigger element on the app, with a new test underway that provides dedicated tabs for podcasts, which you can reach either through the side or lower function bars of the app. Based on this screenshot posted by Alessandro Paluzzi, Twitter is testing the new podcasts section in the sidebar.
Tweet-Casts
Besides the renowned Alessandro, OG app researcher Jane Manchun Wong came across this example of an even more significant experiment – placement of a podcast button on the lower navigation panel.
This suggests that Twitter might be ready to take that big leap into podcast discovery, which will likely enable podcast creators to insert direct links to their in-app podcasts. It would work in pretty much the same way as to how they’ve enabled the creation of active links to their newsletters.
For podcasts, Twitter also acquired the pod discovery app Breaker last year. At the time, Twitter was primarily focused on improving the discovery of Spaces, with the Breaker team noting that they would be incorporated into Spaces’ development group. Twitter might yet have a bigger plan in mind for Breaker’s podcast team, while it could also tie into Spaces, recorded Spaces later added as podcasts for users to listen to within the new, dedicated tabs.
Audio social is still pretty much a gray area in terms of being a mainstream trend, with platforms like Clubhouse not living up to the hype before release. Then again, in some regions, Clubhouse does continue to grow, and maybe, by enabling more discovery, Twitter will be able to better tap into similar trends, making Spaces a more significant consideration for more users.
The addition most likely ties into Twitter’s emerging creator push and in providing creators with another way for creators to build audiences around their content within the app. For the most part, podcasts are passive experiences, however, Breaker’s concept was to also add in social elements like episode comments and reactions, which could help build more community and engagement on Twitter.
The Wrap
If Twitter could get it right, it might prove to be a great addition, especially when you consider that podcast listenership has significantly increased in recent years. According to Edison’s latest ‘Infinite Dial’ report, 41% of American adults now listen to at least one podcast a month, which is a 32% increase from 2019. Meanwhile, the total US podcast audience is expected to rise to 164 million per month by 2021, which increased from 120 million for h the year before.
There’s some potential here, more so if you consider that Twitter is focusing on an area that other social networks are not directly prioritizing. That presents Twitter with a unique opportunity and another pathway for growth with its app.
Subscribe to our‘Bottoms Up!’ Newsletter. Get the latest social media blogs about news, updates, trends, and effective social media strategies to take your business to the highest level from Tristan Ahumada and Jeff Pfitzer.
Please note:
This action will also remove this member from your connections and send a report to the site admin.
Please allow a few minutes for this process to complete.
