“Judge my Spotify” : A user-centred design study exploring content creator mindsets, behaviours and motivations for music sharing on TikTok

Sammanfattning: The rise of TikTok has revolutionised our interaction with music on social media, altering how we discover and share songs. Artists recognise TikTok's potential as a launchpad for their careers, while music streaming platforms have embraced user-generated content and introduced features for incorporating music into online sharing. Based on a user centred mixed-methods approach of content analysis and semi-structured interviews with established TikTok creators, this thesis investigates the motivations and mindsets behind sharing music-related content on the platform. Overall, 285 videos were analysed in the first research pillar and 16 user-interviews were conducted in the second pillar. The interviewed participants were all located in the US, under the age of 30 and required to have posted music-related content in the past 30 days. The data of both research pillars was analysed based on an inductive affinity mapping process. The study identified four distinct creator mindsets: reach-oriented, music-oriented, artist-oriented, and self-oriented mindsets. Each mindset represents a unique approach to music sharing, shaped by specific creator motivations and content themes. The study recommends features that enhance personalisation, facilitate music sharing and authentic self-expression, and offer customisation options for visual aesthetics. Additionally this research recommends exploring AI-generated sounds to create a framework for sharing music in a set context, following trending audio ideas on TikTok. The concept of personalisable sharing templates is explored, highlighting the different nuances to be considered when designing them for creators with different mindsets and offering customisation options to express themselves. By considering the unique motivations and characteristics of each mindset and content theme, these design implications aim to enrich the creator experience, foster engagement within the TikTok community and meaningful connections between creators and their audience. In conclusion, this thesis highlights the importance of considering distinct creator mindsets and content types when exploring motivations and user needs in music sharing on TikTok, providing a foundational guideline for platform designers and music industry professionals to tailor their strategies to meet the specific needs and preferences of creators. Future research should evaluate the discovered mindsets based on a quantitative approach and investigate the applicability of these mindsets to other areas of content creation, further extending our understanding of user needs and motivations across various domains when sharing content online.