Spotify starts polls feature in podcasts

Spotify has launched a feature for podcast listeners to reply to polls. Podcasters can post those polls in the app and hosts and listeners can then see the answers in real time.

Spotify is testing the function with a number of podcasts that are only available on its own platform, the company says. About 90 percent of those podcasts listeners will see the option for the poll. At a later point in time, all listeners should be able to see it. Why only 10 percent of Spotify users don’t get the option isn’t clear.

The poll function is below the podcast in the listing and on the controls screen. Listeners and podcasters can see the answers in real time. Spotify says the answers are anonymous, so podcasters and listeners can’t look up who gave which answer. The poll function is active on Wednesday. Whether and when podcasts that do not only publish on Spotify will be able to use the function is not yet known.