Project Impacts
Between November 2023 and May 2024 :
- Nearly 200 podcasts and 4,000 episodes available.
- About ten podcast producers from Swiss Romandie joined the adventure since the launch.
- Praising press coverage (link to the Le Temps article.)
- The cube in the UX-UI category at Le Meilleur du Web 2024.
Statistics and Technical Aspects :
- Project duration: 6 months.
- Backend infrastructure: Custom WordPress/ACF with a bespoke API and cache management system.
- Mobile application: Developed with Flutter.
About Le Parloir and Radio Vostok
Le Parloir is an association specializing in podcast production. They support numerous projects from conception to broadcasting, including their own initiatives like PlayPodcast (in partnership with Radio Vostok) and Radio Bascule (in partnership with the cultural service of Meyrin).
In 2011, 3 radio enthusiasts founded Radio Vostok in Geneva to support local music, cinema, and culture. It is an independent, local, and ad-free radio station funded by a community of contributors and subscribers. Its primary mission is to explore new soundscapes, cultural, and artistic realms. Currently, Radio Vostok employs eight part-time staff and relies on about 50 volunteers. They have secured a complementary radio concession from OFCOM, which will provide additional resources to expand their line-up from 2025 on.
Podcast: A Global Success Story
Podcasts emerged in the 2000s and quickly gained popularity due to their accessibility and variety of topics. The introduction of iTunes in 2005 was a turning point, making it easy for users to subscribe and download podcasts. The advent of RSS feeds facilitated automatic updates, making podcasts a popular way to follow news and online content.
Podcast growth has been steady, with nearly 900,000 new podcasts uploaded worldwide in 2020, three times more than the previous year (source: Chartable). The COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated this trend, as people had more free time and showed increased interest in health, psychology, science, politics, and economics. This led to a significant rise in podcasts on these topics, marking the beginning of new listening habits and broader acceptance of the format.
In July 2023, a study by Momentive for Voices in the United States revealed that nearly half of podcast enthusiasts spend one to three hours per week listening, while more than half spend at least four hours.
Podcasts in Switzerland
In Switzerland, the four national languages segment audiences. The market is still considered “niche” but is constantly growing in all regions of the country. Although international platforms can be used to distribute podcasts, the vast amount of content and low number of listens often do not stimulate algorithms to highlight local productions.
Read this article from October 2024: Près de 15% des Suisses écoutent des podcasts – source Comminmag.ch (only French version).
A Podcast App for Swiss Romandie
The ambition of the association Le Parloir was to offer a solution for the Leman Lake region. With clear and alternative editorial visions, it was challenging to depend on Spotify, Apple Podcast, or other international platforms. The benefit for listeners is a regional, or potentially national, app that stands out and highlights local or national content. On a global platform, this content gets lost among countless possibilities.
Our application, ad-free and recording only listening statistics, also fostered a new kind of collaboration.
Transition from Web to Mobile App Development: New Challenges
To respect budget constraints, our collaboration with Le Parloir led to a new approach. The association’s web development teams faced a new challenge with mobile app development, transitioning from the web. User interface (UX-UI) design, crucial for a smooth and intuitive mobile experience, differs significantly from web design. Technologically, the languages and tools change; instead of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, developers need to master languages like Swift or Kotlin and frameworks such as React Native or Flutter. Finally, distributing the app via platforms like the AppStore or Google Play requires a deep understanding of the strict and specific regulations of each store.
From concept to MVP
Thanks to their expertise, members of Le Parloir came up with feature ideas. From the start, the goal was clear: avoid reinventing the wheel. We reviewed existing podcast apps to identify best practices, key features for listening to podcasts, and aligned our observations with budget constraints and development timelines. Our Minimum Viable Product (MVP) thus took shape.
Le Parloir presented initial mockups that we challenged. We used this base to develop a user interface that effectively meets the needs. As a content application, PlayPodcast must highlight the content itself and provide an engaging experience.
Key Features :
- A home screen organized by theme
- Live radio listening
- Creating favorites without account creation
- A “Search” page listing producers
Future feature development balances innovation with financial responsibility. A backlog of future features has been created and will be prioritized based on user feedback.
Creating such a product from scratch also involves other challenges. Naming, logo design, and developing a graphic identity are crucial to ensure a successful product launch. The design had to resonate with the target audience for a successful market launch. We also supported Le Parloir in this aspect, developing three logo concepts, one of which was retained.
Development and Store Release
The development phase then began under the supervision of David, a mobile and full-stack developer at Apptitude. A concrete impact of this support was the re-evaluation of the initially chosen technology by Le Parloir. With experience from other projects, we challenged their teams and guided developers on proven solutions.
Once this choice was made, we took charge of building the application framework with specific technical setups needed for app creation. The technical teams of the association then focused on developing the app’s features. Regular meetings were held to consolidate progress and address questions.
The app was available on the AppStore and Google Play a week before its launch!
This controlled release allowed us to :
- Meet the budget and deadlines
- Train and empower developers at Le Parloir and Radio Vostok (very involved and professional)
- Offer a podcast app developed in Swiss Romandie, dedicated to Romand producers and listeners.
A “win-win”Collaboration
Jennifer Suvannasorn – Communication Manager at Radio Vostok (LinkedIn)“We particularly appreciated Apptitude’s ability to support us in task prioritization. Their knowledge and external perspective also helped us make informed decisions.”
Alexis Raphaeloff – Technical Manager and Radio Producer at Radio Vostok (LinkedIn)
David – Full-Stack Developer at Apptitude“I loved working on this project. I really felt like a team member, not just a consultant. The teams at Le Parloir and Radio Vostok showed a quick learning ability. They were very receptive, which allowed us to launch the product on time.”
Download PlayPodcast
On the AppStore
On GooglePlay
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