How The Dropouts Multiplied Their Audience With Video
on Spotify

Zach Justice and Jared Bailey are the dynamic duo behind The Dropouts, a podcast known for its sharp humor, candid personal stories, and comedic takes on pop culture. Launched in 2020, the show grew steadily across platforms while carving out a loyal fanbase along the way.

In 2023, Zach and Jared made what seemed like a simple update: adding video to their Spotify feed. They’d already built a strong audience on YouTube, so the move wasn’t entirely new territory for them.

But bringing video to Spotify proved to be a turning point for the pod and completely changed how they connected with their fans.

“I feel like on other platforms, you can kind of stumble across our show,” Jared said.
“But on Spotify, I feel like they’re really there to see us. They understand us and the content that we put out, and they have more meaningful interactions with the show…”

The impact was immediate.
Within 3 months, The Dropouts saw their audience grow by 40%. 

Zach and Jared’s success highlights not only the power of video, but Spotify’s mission to foster more meaningful connections between creators and their fans.

What Spotify Is Doing to Become a Go-to Platform for Creators

Spotify has evolved from an audio-first platform to a full-fledged hub for video. Recently, it rolled out its biggest update yet with new tools to help creators monetize, understand, and grow their audiences.

Monetization

Through the revamped Spotify Partner Program, creators now have flexible ways to make money. The program has two components: ad revenue, earned through dynamic ads when Spotify Free users watch or listen to your episodes, and audience-based revenue generated when Spotify Premium users stream your content.

With Podcast Subscriptions, you can reward your most loyal fans with exclusive content while building a steady stream of recurring revenue. You’ll also gain access to subscriber email lists, making it easier to connect with your biggest fans outside the platform.

Insights

Spotify’s revamped analytics dashboard gives you a quick, clear view of how your show is performing. At a glance, you can:

• How many Spotify followers you have and how that number is growing.

• Insights into your latest episodes, including streams, consumption hours, and comments.

• A visual breakdown of how your listeners discover your podcast - from first impression to stream.

Grow

Finally, Spotify has launched discovery tools that help new fans find your show. You can create short-form video clips (up to 90 seconds) that get recommended across the app to drive more viewers and listeners. Additionally, it’s now possible to design customizable thumbnails that make your podcast stand out on mobile, desktop, and TV.

Ushering in a New Era for Video Content

Spotify is on a mission to lead the charge into podcasting’s next era - and creators like Zach and Jared are all in.

“Engaging with fans on Spotify is a little different,” Zach said.

“It feels more intellectual because when they come to Spotify for shows, they have a longer attention span. There’s room for more detailed conversations…”

With a culture centered around long-form, Spotify has given The Dropouts a space to connect with their fans on a deeper level. Features like polls and comments have made it easier for Zach and Jared to get real-time feedback and understand what resonates most with their audience.

And it’s clearly paying off - because that 40% audience surge wasn’t a one-time spike. New fans keep coming back week after week, eager to tune in for every new episode.

“There’s something so beautiful about being able to share the human experience on a platform as big as Spotify that allows us to have such deep connections with people,” Zach said.