SoundCloud is a Big Data company - its 200 million users generate over 3 terabytes of raw data every single day. Yet all this data couldn't answer some "why?" questions. On Device Research helped SoundCloud to enrich their Big Data with user research via mobile diaries. The presentation explains the challenge, the process and some of the findings.

1. THE SOUND OF BIG DATA
Combining Big Data with mobile diaries to
create contextual customer profiles

2. On Device Research uses the mobile
internet to gain access to consumer
opinion at any time or location.
•
•
•
•
Mobile-only audiences
Emerging / growth markets
In-the moment research
Advertising effectiveness

3. Mobile research panels
10 million mobile surveys in 57 countries.
Focus on emerging markets and mobile-only audiences.

5. A platform to discover new, original
music and audio, to build an
audience, and to share online and
on mobile.
* 200 million users per month
* 12 hours of audio uploaded
every minute

6. The Challenge With Big Data
Velocity
real time
near real time
• Marketing is 4Ps
Product, Promotion,
Place and Price
• Big Data is 3Vs
Velocity, Volume
and Variety
periodic
batch
MB
table
data base
unstructured
Variety
GB
TB
PB
Volume

7. The Challenge
• Context of current
user’s interaction
• Missing market
insights
• Resource intensive
to access and
analyze

8. Principal Aims
Time
Understand the
time spent on
listening to
audio
Motivation
Explore
dimensions of
motivations
Impact
Impact in
consumers’
everyday lives

9. Methodology
On Device Research
PRE-RECRUITMENT
& SCREENING
MOBILE
DIARY
POST-SURVEY
FOLLOW UP
DATA
CONSOLIDATION
SoundCloud

10. How a mobile diary looks
Mon
Intro
survey
Tues
Wed
7am
Thu
Fri
7am
Sat
Sun
7am
9am
11am
Time of day of encounters
12am
12am
4pm
5pm
5pm
6pm
Exit
survey

12. Methodology
On Device Research
PRE-RECRUITMENT
& SCREENING
MOBILE
DIARY
POST-SURVEY
FOLLOW UP
DATA
CONSOLIDATION
SoundCloud

13. Link Server Data + Research Data to
Create Enriched Data
User IDs to link data
Big
Data
Research
Data
Every participant
agreed up front
Data
Consolidation

14. THIS IS CYRA

15. User Profile

16. Data on Cyra
Diary
Creator
25,923 Follower
Played
User Downloaded
49 Sounds
6 Sets
Reposted
931 Likes
Liked
8,698 Comments
Commented
1,631 Following
Add to sets
…
…
Creator Pro Account
Country
High Engagement
Mobile or Web
Segment 6
Genre
Big Data
Demographics
Online habits
Competitive use
Social sharing
Feature
…
Diary
Content
Genre
Device
Location
With
Big Data
Research Data

17. Creator / Listener Like Cyra
1 in 4 of SoundCloud’s
most active and
engaged listeners are
also creators, like Cyra
Love to share
online via multiple
social media
When not listening
they are active social
people, preferring
sports and socializing
in their offline lives
Most listening
happened via mobile
on their own
Listener

18. Joe listens to Cyra
Male, 28
Spends $24/m on music
Lives in US urban area
Aware of 10 services
Uses 5 in parallel: Youtube
iTunes, Pandora, Spotify
SoundCloud
“I know what I want to listen to: artists I
like.”
“I choose consciously what I want
to listen to next – it’s part of my
daily life to discover new content
and listen to music that I like.”
“I have an emotional
connection to the music I listen
to.”
“This helps me relax, fill time or concentrate on
work.”
“I use SoundCloud to
listen to music and audio.
I also actively share
content.”
Joe
SC
User
US
Listener
Consumer

19. A Day in the Life of a Listener
Peak listening time of the day and transactional listening
though social sharing
Lunch
Commute
Most 3-5h listening sessions
start around 10am
Back home
Good
morning
Commute
Good night
Live audio
on their own in the car
4AM-6AM
7AM-9AM
10AM-12AM
At home via home entertainment
with friends & family throughout the evening
1PM-3PM
4PM-6PM
7PM-9PM
10PM-12PM

20. Mobile Survey Chunking
We are the pioneers of
survey “chunking” on
mobile – splitting
traditional 30 minute
surveys into
several phases to help
you meet your project
requirements.
SMS INVITE #1
SMS INVITE #2
1st CHUNK
2nd CHUNK
DAY 1
Get the free report from ondeviceresearch.com/blog
DAY 2

21. Completion Rates of Long and
Chunked Survey are Comparable
92%
80%
15-QUESTION
SURVEY
Source: On Device Research, August 2013
N=2324, UK
30-QUESTION
SURVEY
79%
2-CHUNK 30QUESTION SURVEY

22. % of Respondents Who
Fell for Trap Question
9%
4%
30-QUESTION
SURVEY
Source: On Device Research, August 2013
N=2324, UK
4%
15-QUESTION
SURVEY
2-CHUNK 30QUESTION SURVEY