Micky

Most tech companies are trapped in a toxic cycle: they have to steal your attention just to survive. But Spotify recently did the exact opposite. Spotify’s Co-President, Gustav Söderström, breaks down an "anti-engagement" decision they made that goes against the entire modern tech playbook. When video podcasts started booming, Spotify naturally followed the trend. But they quickly noticed a problem. Users, especially parents, felt like the unexpected video feeds were degrading their experience. It felt less like high-value listening and more like mindless screen time. A traditional social media platform would have doubled down on the video to keep eyes glued to the screen. Instead, Spotify built a feature allowing users to turn off video completely. They willingly took an engagement hit to protect user value. The logic behind it is a masterclass in business models: 90% of Spotify's revenue comes from subscriptions, not ads. If you run an ad-driven model, your only incentive is to maximize time spent at all costs. But when users vote with their wallets every month, they don't pay for cheap engagement, they pay for long-term value. When your business model aligns with the user’s actual well-being, you can afford to respect their time.

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