Spotify claims its new TikTok-like format is an attempt to help users discover new music, but experts warn that success will not be guaranteed.
On 8th March, Spotify announced a new podcast streaming platform within the app featuring vertical short videos that users can scroll through, a format very similar to that of TikTok.
Go deeper with GlobalData
The company claimed the format provided “deeper discovery and more meaningful connections between artists and fans,” but fans of the app have been less than impressed with the change.
This is not the first time a company has received backlash for trying to emulate the TikTok platform, Meta was criticised last year for overhauling Instagram and Facebook’s familiar interfaces.
Reddit was also met with backlash when it announced that text-based content and videos were going to be separate under the title “Read” and “Watch”, which, like TikTok, made access to videos more of a focal point in the experience.
Despite emulating TikTok’s user interface (UI), the company is still serving a different market – which has left experts questioning if the change is a suitable one.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalData“Spotify serves a different market (professional musicians, podcasters, etc) and while it can emulate a UI to create a more accessible experience, it doesn’t automatically mean they will see the same success as TikTok,” Todd Olson, CEO and founder of product adoption platform, Pendo, told Verdict.
“Whether other platforms can achieve TikTok’s success by simply replicating its user interface depends on what those platforms’ users want and what success looks like for their businesses,” Olson added.
Spotify claims it is going to entice 50 million creators to switch over to the platform by 2025.
“This is most likely stealing creators directly from their main competitors – those platforms being TikTok and YouTube Shorts,” Tom Bestwick, content marketing & PR consultant at Hallam, told Verdict.
This begs the question as to whether or not taking 50 million creators over to their platform will be viable as it may not be the platform that a creator can see themselves growing successfully with.
“Companies should include their customers in each step of the product development process to ensure they’re building something that people want, and then study usage data to ensure they are achieving what they set out to do,” Olson added.
GlobalData is the parent company of Verdict and its sister publications.
