AGENCY BIO

Founded: 2006 and launched in 2008 

Parent company: Spotify Technology S.A.

Global HQ: Stockholm, Sweden

Regional head: Akshat Harbola

Regional HQ: Dubai, UAE

Number of users worldwide: 602 million

DESCRIPTION: Today, more listeners than ever can discover, manage, and enjoy over 100 million tracks, 5 million podcast titles, and 350,000 audiobooks a la carte on Spotify. Spotify is the world’s most popular audio streaming subscription service, with more than 602 million users and 236 million subscribers in more than 180 markets.

USER DEMOGRAPHICS: On our platform, we see our listeners reflect the youthful demographics of the MENA region. Gen Z and millennials represent over 70 per cent of our base, with Gen Z listeners being our fastest-growing cohort and representing over half of our monthly streams. 

What’s the one thing you wish more marketers knew about your platform?

Over 80 per cent of Spotify users say that the core reason they return to Spotify is personalisation and the strength of its recommendations. We provide a positive and personalised experience for 602 million fans globally with innovative and interactive experiences like Discover Weekly, Blend, and daylist. It’s part of our DNA to stay innovative – we use this superpower to create impactful connections between artists, listeners
and brands.

How has the platform’s user demographics shifted over time?

We are witnessing growth across all age groups, with Gen Alpha experiencing significant increases, while Gen Z remains the fastest-growing age group. Additionally, the consumption of local music has steadily increased over the past five years.

What are some recent features that users can check out?

Ramadan Destination: We have returned with a new and improved Ramadan Destination that will serve as your audio companion throughout the Holy Month. Personalisation is at the forefront, where you can find a combination of music and podcasts intended to promote self-reflection, wellness and entertainment. Users can also explore personalised music on the ‘Your Ramadan 2024’ playlist and discover the music that resonated with them the most during the month.

What makes a successful brand campaign?

Having a relevant consumer and cultural insight that resonates with your audience and is relatable to them is essential. Understanding your audience – their habits, sense of humour, music preferences, favourite artists and the cultural moments that matter to them – is key to ensuring that your campaign is not only successful but also authentic. It should avoid being gimmicky and demonstrate that your brand plays a genuine role in your audience’s daily lives.

What strategies do successful content creators on your platform use?

At Spotify, we are dedicated to cultivating the ultimate platform for creators—a space where they not only establish their careers but also flourish and expand their reach, inspiring audiences worldwide with their creativity. As part of this mission, we continuously enhance our suite of tools to empower artists to connect with their most passionate fans. A fundamental strategy embraced by many successful creators involves focusing on brand building and understanding their audience. Here at Spotify, we offer robust tools tailored to these objectives.

Through Spotify for Artists and Spotify for Podcasters, creators gain access to invaluable data insights, allowing them to understand how their content resonates with their audience. With Spotify for Artists, artists, and their teams can meticulously craft their brand identity, from updating profile pictures and bios to utilizing Canvas—a short looping visual format that enhances artistic expression at the track level. They can also leverage features such as Concerts to inform fans about upcoming performances. Additionally, our platform provides insights and data-driven recommendations, empowering artists to pitch their music for inclusion in editorial playlists and make informed decisions about their career trajectory.

Similarly, Spotify for Podcasters consolidates the best podcasting tools into a unified platform, simplifying the creation, management and growth of podcast content. This includes enhanced access to unique Spotify features such as video podcasting, interactive Q&A, and polls, all designed to deepen listener engagement.

How does the platform stay relatable?

To keep a platform relatable, it is important to truly understand our users and adapt as the world changes. At Spotify, we’re all about innovation – it’s in our DNA, so we listen closely to our creators and listeners and constantly refine our innovations and features to fit their needs and make their experience even greater. Take our social features like Blend and Jam, for instance – they’re all about bringing people together in today’s world where connection is key. Staying relatable is all about being quick to change, staying creative, and sticking to what matters most to the values of your business.

For Spotify, our personalisation keeps people coming back, so we’re always working to make sure your Spotify experience feels tailor-made just for you. That way, we’re always true to why you chose our platform in the first place.