Instagram Stories go musical with Spotify audio feature
Instagram has taken a key step toward platform integration by allowing direct playback of songs shared from Spotify within Stories.
Until now, when users wanted to share a song from Spotify to their Stories, all that would appear was a static image with a link, forcing them to leave the app to listen to the full song. This new update aims to eliminate that interruption and offer a more immersive and frictionless experience.
The feature, which plays a preview of the song, has been highlighted by the specialized website TechCrunch. This way, Instagram users will not only be able to express their mood through music, but their followers will also be able to listen to it without leaving the social network.
Strengthening an alliance between platforms
The integration between Spotify and Instagram isn’t new, but it is growing stronger. In mid-June, Meta’s app had already introduced a feature that allowed users to share what they were listening to on Spotify in Notes.
This feature sought to increase interaction between users and their favorite music, although with limited visibility compared to Stories.
With this new implementation in Stories, Instagram continues to expand the possibilities for personalization and expression for its users, while strengthening its relationship with Spotify as its main music partner. This move not only improves the user experience but also represents a clear strategy to keep audiences within the app for as long as possible.
What the new option offers and how it works
Playing songs directly in Stories doesn’t allow you to hear the full track, but it does offer a meaningful snippet that gives followers a sense of what’s being shared, according to TechCrunch.
For artists and content creators, this tool can become a more effective means of promotion, as music is now heard instantly.
To use the feature, simply share a song from Spotify as an Instagram Story. Starting with this update, viewers of the post will be able to hear a brief preview of the song, without having to click on an external link or open another app.
This improvement, although simple, responds to user demand for greater integration between their favorite platforms. Instagram thus continues its journey toward a more comprehensive social network, where music plays an increasingly central role.
Changes to podcast statistics on Spotify
Meanwhile, Spotify has also made adjustments to its podcast statistics system in response to creator demands. Until recently, the platform displayed the exact number of plays for each episode, leading to unfavorable comparisons between independent creations and larger productions. Many felt this measure harmed the visibility of smaller podcasts and discouraged new listeners.
In response, Spotify has changed its approach. From now on, the number of plays will only be publicly visible when an episode exceeds 50,000 listens. Furthermore, instead of displaying an exact number, an approximate milestone such as 50,000 or 100,000 will be indicated. This decision seeks to balance and protect emerging creators—preventing them from being unfairly compared to industry giants.
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A community-centered strategy
These updates reflect a clear strategy on Spotify’s part: to strengthen its presence in the digital ecosystem beyond its own app. By integrating more deeply with Instagram, the platform not only facilitates the dissemination of content but also encourages interaction between users, creators, and followers. Music ceases to be an isolated element and becomes an active part of the social conversation.
