New poll and question feature from Spotify & Anchor.fm

Poll within Spotify

Spotify began testing these features in early 2021. Fastforward to early October and the feature is online. Super cool. Beta testing revealed that podcasters are using the feature to get feedback from listeners.

The poll feature allows podcasters(like me) to ask a question with a few set answers that the listener can then select; the familiar ABCD questions.

When you as a listener choose an answer, you also get to see right away what other listeners have answered. For example, you'll know whether your opinion is the same as most listeners or not.

This is what the Poll looks like to a listener:

Q&A feature within Spotify

The question or statement feature allows podcast creators to ask an open question or statement to their listeners. So even more interaction between the creator and the listener. Besides feedback, it's also a fun way to engage with listeners. Think of questions like "what do you think about this?" or "what are you doing today in terms of sports?".

This is what the Q&A looks like to a listener:

Only podcast creators who publish their podcast through Anchor.fm can use this feature. Listeners will then see the questions under the play/pause button.

The great thing about this feature is that podcasts are now no longer a one-way street, but creators can also receive feedback directly from listeners. That way, as a creator, you know what you're doing right and (more importantly) what you can do better next time.