Overview
Oursong is a blockchain application that allows musicians to manage their copyrights via blockchain. It was founded by John legend and a expert team of music technologists. They were successful as an NFT-only app within Taiwan but wanted to expand to Music NFTs and launch in the US market. They had a Taiwanese team and worked with no external employees outside of Asia. They wanted to get a fundamental understanding of the human side of how musicians in the United States think, act, feel, and what's important to them. I was brought on as product designer, and then promoted to head of experience leading our research and UX efforts.
This Research and localization project was the biggest and most impactful project I led at Oursong, it was directly ordered from John Legend and his team. The app needed to adopt a more Western-centric design in order to be adopted. However, in order to do that, the team needed to understand musicians.
With my leadership the team I lead, and I were able to provide Oursong with the most growth they had ever seen in their 4-year history. All in one month.
1.The Gross merchant value went up
2.Our amount of NFTs on platform went up
3.Our Monthly active users went up (700%)4. Our total amount of NFT buyers went uptake a look at the metrics from the campaign below.
This Research and localization project was the biggest and most impactful project I led at Oursong, it was directly ordered from John Legend and his team. The app needed to adopt a more Western-centric design in order to be adopted. However, in order to do that, the team needed to understand musicians.
With my leadership the team I lead, and I were able to provide Oursong with the most growth they had ever seen in their 4-year history. All in one month.
1.The Gross merchant value went up
2.Our amount of NFTs on platform went up
3.Our Monthly active users went up (700%)4. Our total amount of NFT buyers went uptake a look at the metrics from the campaign below.
Impact
Gained consensus and produced a direction for the team to follow while increasing our MAU by 700%
Discovery
Research Goals
Validate or invalidate the Hypothesis of "OurSong’s primary audience is the micro music creator. They are looking for better ways of monetising and connecting with fans"
- Understand the independent Musician landscape and the different types of personas within.
- Identify the segment most receptive to NFTs and leveraging blockchain technology.
- Identify habits between each segment of musicians.
- Find out where they spend their time and how to reach these people.
Discovery Research Operations
- 11 interviews were conducted. Sourcing participants from Reddit, Instagram, and Discord.
- The participants performed various jobs within the music industry and fell between the ages of 20-32.
- 9 Musicians were based in the United States, while there were 2 participants who lived elsewhere but collaborated with US musicians Exclusively. These countries included Canada and the UK.
- Types of musicians include Vocal coaches, Session musicians, mastering engineer, songwriters, and touring independent musicians.
Another large theme is that musicians need help, they really just want to focus on making music.
It became clear that word of mouth runs the music business and musicians are skeptical about new platforms and ads in general.
Taking a consultative B2B sales approach and meet their individual needs. It does not need to be incredibly scalable at first. Word of mouth runs the Music Business.
Figure out what works and then work on scaling and automating it.
These important takeaways educated the team that word of mouth is most important in scaling a music platform like this, and the team they still wanted to learn more about independent musicians. This motivation is what kicked off the next round of research.
How might we reach musicians in a genuine and efficient way?
This kicked off the next round of research deemed “Making oursong everyones song”
Taking a consultative B2B sales approach and meet their individual needs. It does not need to be incredibly scalable at first. Word of mouth runs the Music Business.
Figure out what works and then work on scaling and automating it.
These important takeaways educated the team that word of mouth is most important in scaling a music platform like this, and the team they still wanted to learn more about independent musicians. This motivation is what kicked off the next round of research.
How might we reach musicians in a genuine and efficient way?
This kicked off the next round of research deemed “Making oursong everyones song”
Making oursong everyones song
I set out to understand American Investors, Collectors, and Musicians/creators
Uncover usability issues with the OurSong product.
Gather sentiment about how OurSong is viewed by American users.
Influence product and marketing strategy.
Identify opportunities to improve the UX
Uncover usability issues with the OurSong product.
Gather sentiment about how OurSong is viewed by American users.
Influence product and marketing strategy.
Identify opportunities to improve the UX
Data I aimed to capture during the study
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Gathering input from what stakeholders valued most this is what formed the questions and takeaways I was seeking from my research
Research demographics in the Study
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Persona-wide
Findings
Art & Culture ties run deep. People appreciate things created by people that come from similar backgrounds and people who look like them as well. This is represented across food, art, and business.
Mobile Screen time on average is 6 hours a day. However, people still pay attention to the world around them and crave real-world experiences.
Based on the research thus far, people appreciate art in the physical world and Metaverse/Physical world equally.
Americans love food and spend money on it, not including groceries (coffees, takeout, icecream…etc) not just fuel for your body.
Investing is democratized, gender, income, race, and location no longer play a factor like previous generations.
A ton of investors have started investing during COVID lockdowns with apps like Robinhood and Coinbase.
Crypto education is a problem [How might we shield users from the complexity, but give them the necessary information to make smart decisions with their money.. time etc.]Young people have an overwhelmingly positive view of crypto, especially investors.
The majority of participants are involved in communities, this is reflected across personas.
Phone Usage was incredibly surprising during this diary study.
Mobile Screentime on average is 6 hours a day. this is ACTUALLY engaging, and using an app.
Most apps are social media apps, and content apps like youtube and reddit.
Participants have pickups in the range of 40-180 within a 24hr period (when you have interacted with onscreen content).
Mobile Screen time on average is 6 hours a day. However, people still pay attention to the world around them and crave real-world experiences.
Based on the research thus far, people appreciate art in the physical world and Metaverse/Physical world equally.
Americans love food and spend money on it, not including groceries (coffees, takeout, icecream…etc) not just fuel for your body.
Investing is democratized, gender, income, race, and location no longer play a factor like previous generations.
A ton of investors have started investing during COVID lockdowns with apps like Robinhood and Coinbase.
Crypto education is a problem [How might we shield users from the complexity, but give them the necessary information to make smart decisions with their money.. time etc.]Young people have an overwhelmingly positive view of crypto, especially investors.
The majority of participants are involved in communities, this is reflected across personas.
Phone Usage was incredibly surprising during this diary study.
Mobile Screentime on average is 6 hours a day. this is ACTUALLY engaging, and using an app.
Most apps are social media apps, and content apps like youtube and reddit.
Participants have pickups in the range of 40-180 within a 24hr period (when you have interacted with onscreen content).
The importance of inclusion
People must be able to find their cultural communities
They must be able to find and connect with artists from said cultures.
The consume art from cultures and niche communities.
Tiktok does this incredibly well "tech-tok" "car-tok" — out of scope but head in that direction.
America is built on immigration and inclusion is a MUST for a successful platform to thrive.
Not being inclusive will have far-reaching negative business implications. [you will hit a ceiling in all metrics. aka not scalable].
Users NEED content they find interesting, and often that's highly tailored to their specific interests. Especially when it comes to art.
Communities need more common denominators to succeed/ less general things. The more things that can relate to someone the more likely they are to engage with it. Think about the difference in the dialogue between two people in passing "nice weather we are having?" vs two people at Comic-con
The consume art from cultures and niche communities.
Tiktok does this incredibly well "tech-tok" "car-tok" — out of scope but head in that direction.
America is built on immigration and inclusion is a MUST for a successful platform to thrive.
Not being inclusive will have far-reaching negative business implications. [you will hit a ceiling in all metrics. aka not scalable].
Users NEED content they find interesting, and often that's highly tailored to their specific interests. Especially when it comes to art.
Communities need more common denominators to succeed/ less general things. The more things that can relate to someone the more likely they are to engage with it. Think about the difference in the dialogue between two people in passing "nice weather we are having?" vs two people at Comic-con
The following video below showcases just how important culture is to art, small business and local economies, communities, and even the experiences people have with the application
Art Appreciation
Food is also appreciated as art EX: Cakes and treated as a social experience with others
Americans spend an incredible amount of money on food, the video below outline the users purchasing habits
As we move more and more to a digital world, the physical world matters just as much even if we spend less time in it. This is clear by the way people are consuming art, in this study people consumed physical art just as much as digital art
Physical art consumption in my study can be demonstrated here
As I studied people who buy NFTs specifically, two personas emerged
Investor persona highlights from interviews
Musician persona highlights
Improvement concepts fueled by research - UI designs and UX copy changes
Before
After
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Watch my other UX and UI changes
With the research concluded it became clear that musicians wanted a genuine human to human experience and not just another marketing ad they see on tiktok or instagram.
Our outreach campaign included direct messages on instagram and twitter, and a refer a friend program which we gave users crypto when they uploaded 10 songs and referred 3 friends.
This allowed us to fill the application with a massive amount of western centric content and I created a team which I managed of subject matter experts who are top producers in the music industry to help out and recruit songwriters, and producers to join oursong.
My team of producers have produced for artists like Future, Nipsey Hussle, Mac Miller, Young thug, Ace Hood, Juicy J to name a few.While the rest of the team was out celebrating chinese new year, my team based in the united states was left to work and run this entire campaign for the month of january.
With my leadership we were able to provide Oursong with the most growth they had ever seen in their 4 year history. All in one month. 1.The Gross merchant value went up2.Our amount of NFTs on platform went up3.Our Monthly active users went up (700%)4.Our total amount of NFT buyers went upTake a look at the metrics from the campaign below.
Our outreach campaign included direct messages on instagram and twitter, and a refer a friend program which we gave users crypto when they uploaded 10 songs and referred 3 friends.
This allowed us to fill the application with a massive amount of western centric content and I created a team which I managed of subject matter experts who are top producers in the music industry to help out and recruit songwriters, and producers to join oursong.
My team of producers have produced for artists like Future, Nipsey Hussle, Mac Miller, Young thug, Ace Hood, Juicy J to name a few.While the rest of the team was out celebrating chinese new year, my team based in the united states was left to work and run this entire campaign for the month of january.
With my leadership we were able to provide Oursong with the most growth they had ever seen in their 4 year history. All in one month. 1.The Gross merchant value went up2.Our amount of NFTs on platform went up3.Our Monthly active users went up (700%)4.Our total amount of NFT buyers went upTake a look at the metrics from the campaign below.
Watch additional insights from qualitative research with the top users on our platform after this campaign
Oursong: Localization
Driving Oursong's Expansion with User-Centric Design, Expert Insights, and Targeted Market Research
Background
Co-founded by John Legend and Chris Lin, Oursong leveraged blockchain technology to redefine copyright management for musicians through NFTs. Following its success in Taiwan, the ambition was to penetrate the US market. As head of experience, I led the OurSong localization project, a strategic initiative aimed at aligning our platform with the expectations and needs of American musicians, catalyzing a significant growth period for Oursong.
Objective
The project's goal was to re-engineer Oursong's platform to better cater to US musicians by gaining an in-depth understanding of their needs, behaviors, attitudes towards NFTs, and blockchain technology. This effort was supported by the strategic use of a $30,000 monthly budget, guidance from a team of six subject matter experts as advisors, comprehensive market research, and a focus on conducting 11 discovery interviews.
Methods
11 Discovery Interviews: Undertaken to gather foundational insights into musicians' needs, behaviors, and attitudes, informing initial platform improvement directions.
Diary Study: Implemented to obtain real-time insights into musicians' daily engagement with music creation, monetization, and fan interaction.
User Testing: Conducted through iterative sessions to refine the platform based on direct feedback, ensuring alignment with musicians' expectations.
In-depth Interviews: Carried out with professionals from the US, Canada, and the UK, leveraging platforms like Reddit, Instagram, and Discord for diverse participant recruitment.
Budget Management: Carefully managed a $30,000 monthly budget to efficiently fund research activities, user acquisition strategies, and platform development, optimizing for impact.
Expert Collaboration: Directed a team of six SMEs, utilizing their deep industry insights for strategic guidance, content development, and community engagement.
Market Research: Conducted extensive market analysis to comprehend the competitive landscape, identify trends, and uncover opportunities for differentiation and growth.
Key Insights:
- Validated the hypothesis that micro music creators seek innovative ways to monetize their work and connect with fans more effectively.
- Identified a strong inclination among musicians to focus on their artistry, emphasizing the importance of word-of-mouth and revealing a general skepticism towards new platforms.
- Study the UX of similar products to assist in information architecture development, and understand optimal user journeys for users.Discovered a pronounced preference for genuine, person-to-person interactions over traditional marketing approaches.
Strategies for Engagement:
- Employed a tailored, consultative approach to address musicians' unique needs, with an eye towards scalability and automation for sustained growth.
- Initiated "Making Oursong Everyone's Song" to delve deeper into the perspectives of American users, emphasizing inclusivity, and the equal appreciation of digital and physical art forms, along with community value.
Imapct:
Through strategic budgeting, expert guidance, and comprehensive market research, the campaign significantly elevated key metrics within a month: Gross Merchant Value, NFT listings, Monthly Active Users (700% increase), and NFT buyers.
Enhanced platform content with a Western-centric focus via targeted outreach on social media and a referral program, supported by insights from the 11 discovery interviews, budget, and market research.
Conclusion
Enhanced platform content which resulted in a pivotal growth phase for Oursong by merging user-centric design, strategic financial planning, expert advice, and detailed market research. By conducting 11 discovery interviews, managing a $30,000 monthly budget, and leveraging industry expertise, this multifaceted strategy not only met the expectations of American musicians but also established a scalable model for Oursong's future expansion, effectively navigating the complexities of the music, technology, and market landscapes.-centric focus via targeted outreach on social media and a referral program, supported by insights from the 11 discovery interviews, budget, and market research.
