With the kind of versatility that consumers exhibit when moving from one device to another, experiences that don’t leverage the same precise timing will become outdated. Our challenge was to provide a similar optimal experience regardless of the device: desktop, mobile browser, or native application. Moreover, the lack of synchronized experiences, poor fragmented play, and poor accessibility functionality limited the experience to a select few.
We developed a cross-platform audio storytelling platform with synchronized content that works seamlessly across the web and mobile platforms with accessibility capabilities. This led to an increased audience base with improved accessibility standards along with an immersive listening experience that holds users engaged.
The Problem Statement: Lack of Coherent Playback & Accessibility Issue
The client was confronted with a lot of practical challenges that negatively impacted the UX and markets.
Audio was playing out of sync across different platforms, disrupting the flow of a story as listeners switched between devices. Accessibility functions like captions, transcripts, or customizable listening options were not uniform or implemented properly across different platforms. The process of publishing new chapters, translation files, or accessibility materials was different for web and mobile. The listening position or bookmarks could not be synced between different devices, causing listeners to give up.
Such problems lowered session continuity, reduced discoverability to disabled consumers, and added to editorial and engineering burdens.
Our Solution – One Platform, “Perfect Sync,” and Complete Accessibility
We provided an integrated offering that included synchronized playback, an API for sharing content, and accessible design.
Cross-platform play sync allowed web and mobile media to play back in perfect sync. Listeners could pause playing back on one device and resume playing back exactly simultaneously on another, with chapters, music cues, and narration precisely in sync.
Accessibility was integrated into the experience. The system offers synchronized transcripts and captions, ability to control playback speed, high contrast interfaces, keyboard navigation, and screen reader support. The transcripts are also localized, making them accessible to non-native English-speaking users as well.
A centralized content and publishing API made it possible for editors to publish once and publish anywhere. Audio files, closed captions, and metadata are now controlled through a single source and are automatically distributed to all supported platforms. Every edit had to be made in multiple places.
Mobile optimization ensured seamless operations even when performing under real-world scenarios. The use of the adaptive streaming feature was responsible for dealing with the network qualities, while the cache feature made it possible to play content without an Internet connection.
Facts
We developed an audio storytelling platform for the web and mobile markets, where playback synchronization and accessibility resources are harmonized. This platform supports standardized storytiming, simultaneous publishing, and accessible playback aligned with the consumption level of the target audiences.
Results Summary
After the release, the continuity of playback improved substantially. Users were able to switch between devices without losing their current position in the playback and therefore saw an increase in listening sessions and a drop in drop-off. Accessibility reporting improved on all platforms so that people with hearing impairments and other accessibility requirements were able to listen in a way that is more inclusive to them.
Editorial staff minimized the publishing process and associated complexity by retaining just one content source instead of the previous pipeline. Mobile listeners enjoyed fewer ad breaks thanks to the optimized streaming and offline functions. The reach among listeners widened due to accessible and synchronized content that ranked higher in search engine results and referrals.
The Impact on Businesses
The platform extended reach by providing consistency across devices, hence including all audience members. The increased reach translated to higher engagement and reduced churn rates as customers were treated to consistent storytelling across devices. The platform enhanced efficiency by publishing content once and accessing it from a single source. Accessibility guidelines enhanced trust on the brands’ side as customers could access content freely. The platform allowed more monetization opportunities by spending more time on the platform.
Key Takeaways
Interoperable synchronization ensures engagement for audiences. Accessibility functions extend reach and inclusion. Integrated content pipelines streamline tasks, reducing errors and saving time. Mobile optimization enables back-end support for real-life listening.
Conclusion
We achieved this by developing a harmonized, accessibility-focused audio storytelling platform on both web and mobile. This enables storytellers to engage listeners even better across all devices. The product solves issues of podcasts going from episode to episode, instead offering listeners continuous audio, while ensuring greater accessibility.