The ads were doing a job
Annoying, yes. But on the free plan, ads for brand-new podcasts were how I discovered history and ideas shows. When I think about upgrading, I lose that.
Free plan
Ads interrupt my music, and some of them are for new podcasts.
Accidental discovery
I tap a few. Three history and ideas shows become weekly listens.
Premium
No ads, and also no way to hear that a new show launched in a topic I love.
Every surface covers what you already follow
I mapped where a listener hears about something new, based on my own use of the app.
| Surface | What it shows | New shows you don’t follow? |
|---|---|---|
| Release Radar | New music from artists you follow or play | No |
| New episode alerts | Episodes from shows you already follow | No |
| Podcast ads (free plan) | Whatever is being promoted | Yes, but only on free |
| The New feed (proposed) | Fresh shows in topics you like | Yes, and only those |
Paying users get the best experience, except for finding something new to listen to.
A pill on Home, a feed behind it
It reuses patterns Spotify already has: filter pills, cards and the follow button. Nothing new to learn.
Follow a show and it leaves the feed
The feed only shows what you’re not following yet, so it never repeats what you already get. Try it: follow a show on the left and watch the feed on the right.
Show names are illustrative.
How I’d judge it
The goal isn’t more taps on a pill. It’s Premium listeners finding shows they keep.