On April 18th and 19th, experts from across the audio industry, including artists, publishers, and marketing and advertising experts, will once again gather in Berlin to discuss Spotify's All Years Podcast Summit and All Music Friday Summit.
Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in panel discussions and workshops, and watch live recordings of performances and podcasts. This year's event follows our huge success. 2023 Summit In Berlin, All Years It has gone down in history as the largest podcast event in domestic history.
for the record I sat down with michael krausSpotify General Manager Europe and Summit's Managing Director will talk about audio trends, Germany's music and podcasting scene, and more.
What are you most looking forward to at this year’s summit?
We are very excited to bring the industry together again and continue the dialogue about the future of the German audio sector. Of course, I love hearing my colleagues at Spotify say things like, Sten Germarkwho has overseen the user experience and worked on the countless new features we've rolled out over the past few months, or Surinna Ong, leads the global music editorial team. But most importantly, I believe the energy in the room, the unexpected discussions that pop up, is what makes it so thrilling.
What are the most exciting and interesting trends you are seeing in the audio industry both locally and globally?
What I'm excited about is the new ad formats that have been introduced over the past few months and the enthusiasm we're seeing not only here in Germany but across Europe. We're innovating the ad experience and introducing better targeting with tools like streaming ad insertion to help advertisers reach podcast listeners at scale. Spotify Audience Networkand we have proven the effectiveness of digital audio advertising. Spotify advertising analysis. We recently launched CTA Card in Germany, a new format that makes podcast advertising interactive for the first time, creating a hear-see-click experience for listeners.
Germany is one of the world's largest music markets. How is Spotify contributing to that growth?
It has always been our mission to create connections between fans and artists around the world. Barriers to entry into the music field are lowering, and more artists are finding success on Spotify. What's most important to me and my team is to enable tomorrow's new professional artists to succeed on our platform.our programs etc. equal and radar We are empowering them to do just that.
You've been with Spotify for seven years. What is the most impactful change you have seen during your tenure?
When I joined Spotify, podcasts were almost non-existent. Seven years later, we have grown into podcasting. audio bookand just Start your course in the UK. But most importantly, what was available in over 80 countries back then is now available in over 180 countries. Over 600 million people use Spotify. There are tremendous opportunities for audio creators to connect with new fans. I have always been a big believer in the company, and its growth and development has taken us all on an incredible journey. And I'm even more excited about what's to come, both as a user and as a bandmate.
Podcasts are all the rage in Germany. How do you think the local podcast market will continue to evolve? Do you have any specific goals?
Over the past year, we've released so many tools and features to help creators develop and participate in their communities, and it's rewarding to see creators start using them. . video podcast is one of them, and it's a really great and different way to interact with your fans. We want to enable all creators to grow and grow their audiences on our platform, giving them the flexibility to decide what makes the most sense for their content and community.
