Hubhopper Studio is a SaaS platform that provides podcast hosting and distributing services. I redesigned the experience and interface for the products, working closely with the development team in the process.
OVERVIEW
COMPANY
Hubhopper
TIMEFRAME
2019-2021
pLATFORMS
Web
ROLE
UI/UX Designer
Hubhopper was originally a podcast streaming platform.
In addition, they provided free podcast hosting and distribution to global platforms.
CHALLENGE
Driving more podcasters to host with Hubhopper Studio.
Hubhopper was the only Indian podcasting platform on the market, but there was a need to drive more users to the platforms. The podcasting industry in India was still nascent at the time.
SOLUTION
Simplifying the experience & finding a niche.
I led the app redesign to simplify the overall podcasting experience, getting users to the end point quicker. I also realised the need for a unique offering made by Hubhopper - distributing to the Indian audio streaming platforms, so that Indian podcasters could reach bigger audiences within India through commonly used streaming apps.
IMPACT
These stats were recorded 3 months after the release of Hubhopper Studio on web.
43%+↑
in episodes published on Hubhopper.
19%+↑
in podcasts live
53%↓
in the drop offs before sign up.
aDDRESSING THE PROBLEMS
Simplifying the experience
Before
1. Uploading cover art is a time consuming step. Having it as the first step was a hiccup and would stop most first time podcasters from moving forward.
2. There was no indication of fields that were required to be filled.
3. Lack of clarity on next steps.
After
22% increase in podcasts live.
1. I added the 'Design with Canva' button to simplify creation and providing a default thumbnail. I also shifted this step further down in the flow. 2. The text fields that were filled out would be validated with a green check mark.
3. Auto-filled data in some fields to reduce pauses. Users could come back and change this information later.
4. Tracking the process of creation in the sidebar.
5. Support feature to answer any queries in real-time.
aDDRESSING THE PROBLEMS #2
Distributing to Indian and Global Audiences
Before
1. Distribution only took place to Global platforms, many of which were not used widely in India.
After
60%+ increase in average streams on user podcasts
1. All platforms came preselected, so users could deselect it based on their preference.
2. Indian audio streaming platforms were introduced for 'One-Click Distribution', with platforms that were used widely in India.
MY ROLE
Lead UX Designer
As the UX designer in the company, I led the redesign project. During this process I worked closely with the Head of Design, Data Analysts and the Engineering Team.
Main Responsibilities: 1. User Research (Feedback, Data Analysis, Competitor Analysis) 2. Planning (Prioritising Features, Sprint Cycles) 3. Design (Wireframes, Prototypes, Iterations, Testing)
DETAILED ANALYSIS
Define
Ideate
Design
Test
User Feedback
Interviews
Competitor Analysis
EMPATHIZE
This step consists of the following:
Research Findings
Based on feedback and interviews, I discovered:
Difficulty and lack of experience with editing processes, leading to drop offs
Most users didn't know how to distribute to Indian platforms.
Confusion about audience and growth
Competitor Analysis
I compared other hosting platforms and their offerings to see how the experience could be improved.
Empathize
Define
Ideate
Design
Test
DEFINE
The Problem
While the basic features provided were similar, there were no features accounting for the Indian audience. There were no platforms distributing directly to Indian audio streaming platforms. As a result, it was harder to reach Indian audiences in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.
New users found processes like editing images and audio difficult and didn't know how to proceed. In this case, they ended up dropping off the platform and not completing the podcasting process.
Analytics weren't enough to make informed decisions about content strategy. More comprehensive analytics were needed.
The Personas
Tara
Podcaster
Tara has been publishing episodes regularly for a few months. Se does frequent research on his podcast about politics in India
Challenges
Distributed to platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts but is not garnering a lot of reach on the podcast.
Has tried Marketing on Social Media and has been able to build a small following but is unsure about next steps.
Wants to have a successful podcast, but does not know how to reach a wider audience in India. Needs better analytics to understand problem.
Aryan
Podcast Enthusiast
Aryan wants to start a new podcast. He is doing research to look at the best platforms to host a podcast.
Challenges
Looking for a way to start a podcast without investing in expensive equipment or committing excessive time.
Not particularly tech-savvy and is concerned about the technical aspects of recording, editing, and publishing a podcast.
Does not wish to learn new tools, but wants to give podcasting a try and decide how to proceed.
Empathize
Define
Ideate
Design
Test
IDEATE
Brainstorming
To simplify and identify problems within the flow, I referred to the user journey map and wrote down potential changes that could be made to improve the process for the users.
I also compared the analytics provided by Hubhopper to the analytics provided by other platforms to understand the gap in information.
Empathize
Define
Ideate
Design
Test
DESIGN
Lo-fi Wireframes
These are some of the iterations of the create podcast page.
Final Designs
Drag to view the project
Empathize
Define
Ideate
Design
Test
tESTING
The process of reaching the final design was an iterative one.
I went back and forth between designing and testing. I also A/B tested the designs to see if there were significant differences between the clicks. Most decisions were based on session time, events and the percentage of completion in both designs.
