Spotify is introducing something new again: after a medium that answers your life questions and music videos, the music streaming service is now starting with video courses with which you can, for example, learn to make music. But it’s not just music in which you can take courses.
Spotify also offers courses in business, creativity and healthier living. Unfortunately, the option is not yet live in the Netherlands, because this time the first is for the United Kingdom. The four categories are the only options at the moment and you should think of courses in learning chords on the guitar, learning songwriting skills and how to make merchandise.
Video courses on Spotify
If you live in the United Kingdom, you can do no fewer than four different things on Spotify: listen to music, listen to podcasts, listen to audiobooks and take online courses. It’s probably not an entire Udemy course, but if you just want to learn a certain basic thing, or see if you might want to continue learning it, then the video courses are a good option to become better acquainted with a certain subject.
The lessons are not developed by Spotify itself, but come from BBC Maestro, Thinkific, PlayVirtuoso and Skillshare. Spotify thinks it is a logical step after audiobooks and podcasts, which people often listen to because they want to learn something or become wiser. We think it is a logical step now that the platform also offers music videos: after all, you do not have to look at your phone for any content on Spotify, unless you want to see the video clips and therefore if you want to watch an explanation video.
To make money
Be that as it may, it is certainly not a very strange step by the music platform. It is also nice that it simply exists within the existing Spotify app and you do not need a new app for it. If it comes to the Netherlands, you will find an elongated button at the top of the home screen. That will probably take a while: the fact that the test is only being done in the UK means that Spotify is taking it fairly slowly. At the same time, it’s also busy looking at how it can make more money from both its Free and Premium subscribers, just as it did through audiobooks. You get a piece for free and then have to pay. This is also how it should work with the video courses: you get two lessons for free and then have to pay extra to buy the entire course.
To circumvent the payment systems of Google and Apple, it works via email with which you can purchase a course and then gain access to the course. It sounds cumbersome, but it will save you a lot of money (normally 30 percent goes to Google and Apple). Interesting to see how Spotify is trying to expand its empire, but in the meantime we are still waiting for hi-fi: better quality of music sound. That is a promise that the streaming service keeps us waiting for for an awfully long time. And even these charming courses can’t disguise that.
