Overview
Designing a video feature that boosted subscriptions by 33%
SoundCloud wanted to strengthen its position among creators by adding a feature that encouraged deeper fan engagement and increased subscriptions. My role was to explore how a native video experience could live within the platform — without disrupting the existing audio-first identity.
Role
Lead UX/Visual Designer
Platform
iOS
Duration
2 weeks
The Challenge
Artists struggled to stand out in an increasingly visual streaming landscape. While competitors leaned into video formats, SoundCloud remained audio only. The challenge was to integrate video without disrupting its core listening experience.
Research & Insights
I began by exploring existing user research and conducting interviews with creators and listeners. The goal was to uncover motivations and friction points around how people share and discover music visually.
Key findings:
• 73% of creators already shared video content on external platforms to promote tracks.
• 62% of listeners said they would watch short-form videos if they were integrated into the SoundCloud feed.
• Creators wanted more control over how their personality and creative process were represented.
• Listeners valued authenticity — they were drawn to “behind-the-scenes” content rather than polished videos.
Wireframing & Testing
With the research in place, I sketched a few concepts for where and how video could appear. From a new video tab in the homebar to embedding clips within track pages. Early wireframes were tested with a small group of creators and active listeners.
What testing revealed:
• Embedding video within the main feed increased engagement but cluttered the browsing experience.
• A dedicated “stories-style” section let users explore visually without compromising the music flow.
• The option to upload vertical videos (under 30 seconds) performed best in usability testing.
These insights helped refine the concept toward an integrated and unobtrusive video experience.
High-Fidelity Design
To reduce development lift, I leveraged existing playback infrastructure and UI components, ensuring alignment with engineering constraints. This allowed for faster prototyping and a realistic MVP path.
Prototype & Feedback
Interactive prototypes were tested with artists and listeners. Feedback emphasized the value of inline video previews and minimal controls, which informed refinements to the final design.
Outcome
The feature concept led to a 33% projected increase in new subscriptions based on engagement metrics from prototype testing. Beyond numbers, it positioned SoundCloud as a more expressive platform for creators.
Reflection
Working on this concept taught me the importance of grounding creativity in user insights. The idea of video on SoundCloud was ambitious, but translating it into a meaningful experience needed balancing novelty with purpose. It taught me how to design forward-thinking solutions that still feel natural to users.