Spotify's improved podcast charts now rank individual episodes

Spotify is giving users the chance to discover even relatively unknown podcasts by launching a "Top Episodes" ranking for its charts. When the audio streaming service debuted the feature, it only ranked shows based on their overall numbers. Going forward, it will also look into the numbers for each individual episode, giving creators what they need to be able to show more potential listeners that their work is popular or trending, "even if their podcast as a whole isn’t being consumed at the same volume." The feature could also give creators more incentive to promote their work on Spotify, so they could move up the ranks.

In addition, Spotify has launched a new web experience for the charts, allowing subscribers to view them without having to fire up their apps. Prior to its launch, the feature was only accessible by going to Browse > Podcasts > Podcast Charts on the app for Android and iOS. Now, it has its own website people can access on any device.

Finally, Spotify has improved upon its original Top Podcasts ranking by taking a show's follower number into account, as well. Upon launch, it only relied on "recent listener numbers" to determine the most popular podcasts. The company says using the new metric makes "it more realistic for fast-rising new shows to pierce the bubble."

By introducing these changes, Spotify is giving creators the opportunity to reach a wider audience. It also gives the company more leverage in the podcast field, where there's very little reliable data available. "Overall, these changes mean the chart is better able to react to new shows, fresh voices, and fast risers, while giving listeners more reason to check in frequently to discover new shows," the audio streaming giant wrote in its announcement.