Spotify to roll out auto-generated transcripts to millions of podcasts

Ahead of International Podcast Day on Saturday, 30 September, music streaming giant Spotify has announced to roll out auto-generated podcast transcripts to more creators and shows in the coming weeks so that users can read along with an episode, making the transcripts more visually and textually accessible.

"We’ll be rolling out transcripts to millions of episodes in the coming weeks, and we’ll innovate more on this feature in the future, including ways to add media to transcripts. This is all part of our goal to bring more depth to the podcasts you’re listening to," Spotify said in a blogpost on Thursday, 28 September.

While listening to an episode, users will need to scroll down the Now Playing View to find the transcript, then tap the card to follow along on full screen as they listen to the episode.

Moreover, the company is expanding Podcast Chapters, which it announced earlier this year -- a feature that makes it easier for users to jump into episodes at a specific topic or section.

Mobile users globally can now find the full list of chapters by scrolling down the Now Playing View, giving them more control over their listening sessions and more info about every episode as they dive in, Spotify said.

Along with this, the company is updating the Podcast Show pages for users to learn more about a podcast before they listen to the episode in full.

"As it rolls out in the coming weeks, you’ll be able to click the 'About' tab to find descriptions, images, and episode recommendations from creators. Plus, you’ll get recommendations for other shows in the 'More Like This' tab," Spotify stated.

According to the company, there are now more than five million shows, with podcasts available in over 170 markets.