Meta's Threads platform is enhancing its capabilities to better accommodate audio content within its text-centric environment. From today, the service is launching tools that facilitate the distribution of podcasts and specific episodes. Podcast hosts can now include their program's URL in their profile description, enabling any related posts containing episode or series links to display an embedded audio snippet. Even users who are not creators will notice these snippets appearing when they share connections to preferred podcasts.
At launch, compatibility is limited to content from Spotify. Connor Hayes, the lead for Threads who announced the update, indicated in response to a commenter that integration with Apple Podcasts is planned for the future. The audio snippets are activating immediately and will reach the full user base gradually over the next few weeks.
This addition has the potential to draw in fresh audiences to podcasts. That said, engagement with external links on Threads has historically been low among its community. It will be noteworthy to observe whether the inclusion of visual and audio elements boosts the incentive for users to access podcast websites.