A self-initiated redesign aimed at enhancing the Spotify podcast experience, gaining over 4.5k views and featured on UX Planet for its thoughtful interface improvements and listener-centric approach.
Podcasting has exploded, offering screenless, flexible ways to explore content from niche hobbies to global news. According to Edison Research, the number of podcast listeners surged by 37.5% in the last three years, and Spotify's acquisition of Anchor in 2019 underscored its ambition to dominate this rapidly growing space.
Self-initiated project
2020
Featured on Medium
AAPD(中文)↗
UX Planet(English)↗
As both a designer and a podcast co-founder, I noticed a critical gap: while podcast content was thriving, listener interaction on the player app remained limited. A single moment crystalized this for me; listening to a popular podcast discuss how its audience teach each how to write reviews that get read aloud on air. That strong connection makes it a thriving community. Therefore, I sought to bridge the gap between content consumption and user interaction, potentially increasing listener retention and satisfaction.
I set out to reimagine Spotify’s podcast experience, focusing on features that could enhance engagement, loyalty, and retention, long before Spotify officially introduced a comment board feature in mid-2024.
Podcasts have the power to connect, but most apps don’t support real engagement. As a designer and daily listener, I saw a clear gap: the conversation stops once the episode ends.
Research showed that while many users leave in-app reviews, few follow shows on social platforms. For example, The Real Story had a 42.2% review rate in the app, but only 2.35% followed on social, proving that the best place to build community is inside the player itself.
Most listener interactions require switching apps, finding contact info, and writing emails—an inconvenient and discouraging process.
With feedback scattered across episodes, conversations feel disjointed. For newcomers, it’s hard to follow, making the community feel closed off and hard to join.
I proposed the implementation of a comment board to facilitate seamless in-app engagements. Additionally, by displaying the number of comments and listeners on the preview page, it becomes easier to identify the most popular episodes and shows.
Newcomers often get lost in scattered threads. The comment board helps guide them, making the context clearer and the community more welcoming.
Podcasts often play during screenless moments. To introduce users to the comment board, selected comments can pop up while the podcast is playing. This peek into the ongoing dialogue encourages active participation.
Using dialogue-style comment boxes invites users to reply, making it easier to start conversations and build new connections in the community.
A clear call-to-action button lets users jump into the conversation with ease, making it simple to engage and keeping the community lively.
This project underscored the importance of community in digital products. In hindsight, conducting more extensive user testing would have been beneficial to validate our design decisions. Future iterations could explore features like live chat during podcast premieres or integration with social media platforms to further enhance community engagement. By focusing on the user's desire for connection and simplifying the interaction process, I've created a more engaging podcast experience that aligns with Spotify's goal of being the world's leading audio platform.
