UX research (benchmarking, surveys, workshops), prototyping, motion graphics
Verkligheten i P3, final project for Berghs Upgrade: Digital Design with Lina Högberg, finished over a period of 10 days in June 2019.
Ever since my background in Media and Communication studies I have kept an interest in how audiences work and how media is the message. To investigate how to increase loyalty and build audience for one of Sweden's largest podcasts was therefore a dream project to pursue with fellow student Lina Högberg.
Verkligheten i P3 is a documentary podcast in Sweden´s public service radio Sveriges Radio, aimed at young adults and aired once a week on FM. The program slogan is "Unordinary stories from ordinary people" and contain one fait from one person. Although the show is popular the brand awarenesses was weak, the audience was not loyal and engagement on social media was low. Some similar Swedish documentary podcasts have tenfold the same audience. Our initial broad research found that people in the desired target audience were avid podcast listeners who like documentaries with these topics so there was a lot of potential to grow. But were do we begin to find the right problem to solve?
To bring the editorial staff together and encourage reflection and an openness to change we initiated a "design thinking workshop" were we came up with a hypothesis for us to have as a starting point for our wider research and in depth interviews.
We think: Being part of the discussion
For our target audience: 20+ years old, active listeners, with varied interests who do not shy away form the profound
Will result in: More engaged listeners and a stronger brand
We know this to be true: When “The listener is me”
For our target audience: 20+ years old, active listeners, with varied interests who do not shy away form the profound
Will result in: More engaged listeners and a stronger brand
We know this to be true: When “The listener is me”
Through answers like:
“Pods are like a book circle”
”I need to have a pod waiting for me”
”I usually Google when I listen”
”I like when pods provide some food for thought, not just entertainment”
”I need to have a pod waiting for me”
”I usually Google when I listen”
”I like when pods provide some food for thought, not just entertainment”
We came up with a solution in three parts:
– Clarify topics and content
– Create incentive for discussions
– Involve the listener in the discussion
– Become a rallying point
– Create incentive for discussions
– Involve the listener in the discussion
– Become a rallying point
To sum up:
1. Archive
Create an archive of Verklighetens 1400 episodes organized according to topics and content. The podcast episodes stay relevant over time since they don’t reflect on current events. The archive could be used as a resource by schools, as a way to initiate discussions on more sensitive topics.
2. Visual storytelling in the golden age of sound
There are many channels for podcasts and it’s getting harder to get noticed on podcast platforms. A website using SEO has better reach. Verkligheten i P3 would benefit from strong visual communication, creating content and initiating dialogues in social media. Furthermore it’s a beautiful opportunity to supplement and enhance the storytelling with images, graphs, study questions and additional facts.
Create an archive of Verklighetens 1400 episodes organized according to topics and content. The podcast episodes stay relevant over time since they don’t reflect on current events. The archive could be used as a resource by schools, as a way to initiate discussions on more sensitive topics.
2. Visual storytelling in the golden age of sound
There are many channels for podcasts and it’s getting harder to get noticed on podcast platforms. A website using SEO has better reach. Verkligheten i P3 would benefit from strong visual communication, creating content and initiating dialogues in social media. Furthermore it’s a beautiful opportunity to supplement and enhance the storytelling with images, graphs, study questions and additional facts.
3. Initiate discussions
Verkligheten i P3 tell ordinary people’s extraordinary stories. To include the audience and to be a part of the dialogue is being relevant. At Verkligheten i P3’s website, the listeners can respond to the episodes by recording their own stories. We also suggest a change of the format of the program. Each pod is “alive” for 2 weeks instead of one. The podcast is released on Tuesday and the following Sunday an extended version airs on the Swedish National Radio, P3, with the listeners recordings. This followup gives more life to each episode.
Verkligheten i P3 tell ordinary people’s extraordinary stories. To include the audience and to be a part of the dialogue is being relevant. At Verkligheten i P3’s website, the listeners can respond to the episodes by recording their own stories. We also suggest a change of the format of the program. Each pod is “alive” for 2 weeks instead of one. The podcast is released on Tuesday and the following Sunday an extended version airs on the Swedish National Radio, P3, with the listeners recordings. This followup gives more life to each episode.
View the protoype animations here and example of the long read podcast format: