Audioburst: Revolutionizing Radio with AI Search
Launched in 2014, Audioburst is a groundbreaking platform that enables users to search through worldwide radio broadcasts. Its AI technology automatically segments radio shows into searchable "articles," complete with titles, subtitles, and the audio itself, preserving every radio moment.
In collaboration with Ofer Shani, my role was to design a website that facilitates quick and intuitive searches of radio content, while also recommending captivating listening options based on user preferences. We delved deep into the essence of radio search experiences, exploring effective ways to represent and navigate audio content.
Confronted with the challenge of accurately transcribing diverse accents, we created a visually engaging interface to offset any transcription inaccuracies. This interface integrates text, audio visualizations, thematic imagery, and provides users with the option to suggest corrections.
This project has yielded a platform that not only introduces a novel interaction with radio content but also enhances the digital landscape with automatically curated articles, making ephemeral radio stories permanently accessible and discoverable.
BRANDING
Inspiration was drawn from the vibrant essence of the 1980s—a golden era for radio consumption, with cars being the primary listening space. The logo’s shape reflects the retro aesthetic of car radio dials, evoking a sense of nostalgia tied to that intimate experience.
The bold color palette, ranging from neon blues to bright hues, nods to the cultural zeitgeist of the time, from Oprah’s iconic colorful outfits to the electric neon tones that defined the decade. This design seamlessly bridges the historical essence of the 80s with a modern, timeless appeal.
Look & Feel of a Burst
Inspired by the 1980s boombox, the burst reimagines the speakers as interactive controllers, offering quick and intuitive audio navigation. After testing various sound visualizations, sleek, thin lines were chosen for a clean and modern aesthetic. This design balances retro nostalgia with a streamlined, user-focused interface.
An Article
Through testing, we discovered the most engaging way to present audio online is by combining it with images and transcripts. This approach, now widely used on social media, increases traction and makes content more accessible. Leveraging Audioburst’s transcription capabilities, we designed automatic bursts to simplify creating and sharing content.
As users scroll, they seamlessly discover more articles, ensuring a dynamic and continuous browsing experience.
How to make a burst go viral?
Audio is more likely to be consumed if funny, insightful or otherwise deeply impacting, but once aired, radio value vanishes. In order to create a viral burst, it must be able to be consumed “on the go” and easily extracted as a standalone post. And above all, easy to share. More advantages of audio segments:
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Captures the vibe of the moment.
Reveals the nuances and true meaning of things.
Emphasis on emotions
Providing an unedited version of reality
Website and mobile design
The mobile version of the Audioburst ensures a seamless and user-friendly experience. At the top, users are greeted with a large featured audio clip and a clear play/pause button for quick access. Below, the title and source details are displayed for easy identification.
The design emphasizes clarity, touch-friendly interaction, and an engaging listening experience tailored for mobile use, which is always on the go. Interactive "Next" section suggests related clips for continuous engagement.
Further down, additional contextually relevant audio options can be found, ensuring that users can effortlessly explore similar topics.
The Audioburst main page serves as a gateway to a seamless and intuitive radio search experience. It prominently features categorized content, including Science, Lifestyle, Entertainment, and News, with visually striking cards that pair audio clips with relevant images and descriptive titles.
Each card highlights the duration of the clip and the source, making it easy for users to explore engaging radio moments. The clean layout and focus on user preferences ensure that visitors can quickly find content tailored to their interests, while the integrated audio player allows instant listening without navigating away.
This design emphasizes accessibility, engagement, and the discovery of dynamic audio content.
Campaign
This social media campaign was all about making people smile. We played with the things people love most, creating playful slides like “Love us like you love yourself” and “Love us like you love your pillow.” Each post brought a touch of relatability, turning a simple like into a moment of connection and fun. Because, let’s face it, who doesn’t love free refills or their favorite slice of pizza?
