Spotify Ad Studio
Reimagining the onboarding process to help new advertisers kickstart ad creation.
Context
What is Ad Studio?
Spotify Ad Studio is our self-serve platform for creating audio and video ads – a growing product with room for smoother onboarding. We wanted to get advertisers to the “aha!” moment of their first ad faster.
Problem
A whopping 78% of new advertisers never started creating their first ad
We found advertisers were eager to start but lacked the format-specific knowledge needed for Spotify ads. Existing onboarding was too focused on setup, not the how-to of ad creation.
My approach
Strategic onboarding: big dreams, smart solutions
I worked with content designers to prioritize essential information, making it scannable for busy advertisers. I explored a range of design solutions, from quick wins to bigger-picture improvements.
Where we landed
A scannable solution on a tight timeline
With a tight deadline, I designed a zero-state page as an Ad Creation 101: concise headings, bullet points for must-know information, and visuals for clarity. Many design iterations led to this clean and effective cheat sheet for new advertisers.
Results
Design that delivers: broadening our reach
- 12.2% increase in new advertiser activation.
- Launched in 17 major markets, including the US, Brazil, and Australia.
- The zero-state design pattern became a go-to across a system used by 30+ product designers.