Spotify Unite

Enhancing engagement through integrating topic-based communities

Spotify Unite

Enhancing engagement through integrating topic-based communities

PRODUCT TYPE

New Feature (B2C/C2C)

PLATFORM

Mobile

Timeline

12 weeks (2023)
BACKSTORY

Personal Motivation

I'm a big fan of the artist ZHU and I received free tickets to an exclusive concert, a show, and it sparked my interest in fan engagement.

I even made it in the music video shot in the cathedral!

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

The More Fans the Better

I envisioned a scalable way to recreate this unique bonding of experiences.

If implemented, it could help user engagement, build loyalty, and ultimately improve retention.

Fan engagement is how fans connect and interact with other fans, creating a sense of community. But on streaming platforms, fans lack a way to connect.

How can this be achieved through a digital experience around music?

INTERVIEWS

Finding the Importance of Communities

A survey was conducted with 19 participants and I selected 3 individuals.

Top Insights:

  1. They view communities as empowering outlets for self-expression, even without being part of one.

  2. Fans struggle to find music communities matching their unique taste.

  3. Privacy concerns keep them off social media.

A survey was conducted with 19 participants and I selected 3 individuals.

Top Insights:

  1. They view communities as empowering outlets for self-expression, even without being part of one.

  2. Fans struggle to find music communities matching their unique taste.

  3. Privacy concerns keep them off social media.

“Having a community is important.
People need that connection and sense of belonging.”

“Having a community is important. People need that connection and sense of belonging.”

“Having a community is important. People need that connection and sense of belonging.”

COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

Lack of Specialized Music Communities

None of the current music streaming platforms provide community features or social aspects, revealing a significant market opportunity for innovation.

None of the current music streaming platforms provide community features or social aspects, revealing a significant market opportunity for innovation.

SYNTHESIS

What kind of community or communities am I designing?

Based on my Competitor Analysis, I found that forums and chats often lack specificity, making it challenging to locate content-focused areas.

This lead me to emphasize the need for a targeted and organized approach, specifically focusing on the architecture and integration of a community within Spotify.

FINAL DESIGN

Three Community Categories

The artist, album, and song communities enhance user experience by organizing content and fostering focused discussions, benefiting both users and Spotify. These communities enable users to engage with specific interests without irrelevant clutter.

Artist Community Page

Album Community Page

Song Community Page

INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE

Finding Seamless Entry Points

Unsure how to start, I mapped Spotify’s full flow to understand its structure, then identified the best spots to add entry points for communities.

With understand the full architecture of Spotify, I tried to find the best entry points for each community. The goal was to make it seamless, without adding another feature page.

Artists and Albums had pages, but songs didn’t. To keep users on the media control page, I added a swipeable widget for browsing popular discussions without disruption.

Artist Community Entry

Album Community Entry

Song Community Entry

EDGE CASES

Individuality and Separation with Color

During testing, all of the users found it hard to see what was a post versus a reply.

To solve this, l used colors extracted from the user's profile pictures, which also sparked a new customization feature.

During testing, all of the users found it hard to see what was a post versus a reply.

To solve this, l used colors extracted from the user's profile pictures, which also sparked a new customization feature.

Attachments for Your Messages

Users liked the idea of specifying parts of a song, and it received positive feedback.

Given the popularity found in my Competitor Analysis of adding content in social media apps, l decided to expand this idea beyond just timestamps.

Users liked the idea of specifying parts of a song, and it received positive feedback.

Given the popularity found in my Competitor Analysis of adding content in social media apps, l decided to expand this idea beyond just timestamps.

SUCCESS METRICS

Enhancing Engagement and Retention

This project aimed to enhance fan engagement on the platform by fostering a sense of belonging, ultimately increasing user loyalty and retention. I tested five people and graded there responses.

The concept was well received by 80% of users, and personalization and attachment features were crucial for its success.

However, 60% of users were still skeptical about how frequently they would use it.

This feedback showed the importance of accommodating for passive users, and in the next step, I would like to explore features that could enhance their experience without requiring active participation.

This project aimed to enhance fan engagement on the platform by fostering a sense of belonging, ultimately increasing user loyalty and retention. I tested five people and graded there responses.

The concept was well received by 80% of users, and personalization and attachment features were crucial for its success.

However, 60% of users were still skeptical about how frequently they would use it.

This feedback showed the importance of accommodating for passive users, and in the next step, I would like to explore features that could enhance their experience without requiring active participation.

BUSINESS IMPACT

Making a Social Impact

To measure the impact, I would track:

  • Engagement Rates: Monitor the frequency and duration of user interactions with the new feature.

  • Retention Rates: Compare user retention before and after the feature launch.

  • User Activity Levels: Track active and passive participation in the community, interest in premium features and user sign-ups driven by these enhancements.

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  • GET IN TOUCH ✧ LET'S TALK ✧

  • GET IN TOUCH ✧ LET'S TALK ✧

© 2025 Dexter Sulit

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sulitdexter@gmail.com