Spotify Debuts Interactive Carousel Ads
New formats and tools designed to drive deeper engagement
Spotify is sharpening its advertising pitch with a slate of new formats and tools designed to drive deeper engagement—and clearer results—for brands.
The platform says momentum is already building.
Time spent in-app has climbed 26%, while click-through rates for audio and video ads are up 14% among ad-supported users, signaling a more attentive audience.
At the center of the update are two new ad formats. An upgraded Sponsored Playlists offering gives brands full share of voice across flagship playlists like RapCaviar and New Music Friday, paired with more prominent visual placements and fewer interruptions during playback. The goal: reach listeners while they’re actively engaged, not passively scrolling.
Spotify is also testing Carousel Ads within the Now Playing view—a swipeable unit featuring up to six cards, each with its own image, link, and optional pricing.
On the tools side, Spotify is building out its Ads Manager with more performance-focused features. Split Testing allows advertisers to compare creative variations using metrics like completion rate and cost per acquisition, while Automated Bid uses machine learning to optimize spend in real time.
There are also signs of what’s next: 67% of UK consumers say they’re open to engaging with ads via voice commands—even without a screen in front of them.
As Global Head of Advertising Brian Berner puts it, Spotify listeners aren’t passive—they’re curating, watching, discovering, and interacting. For advertisers, that behavior is quickly becoming the real inventory.