Spotify Ads Product Design 2022

Shareable
Ad Previews

Designing a preview and sharing system that lets advertisers see exactly how their ads will appear across every Spotify surface — and share them with stakeholders before going live.

My role
Product Designer
Platform
Spotify Ad Studio
Timeline
2022
Design artifact — Ad preview across surfaces
advertising.spotify.com · Ad Studio
Shareable Ad Previews — preview of how ads render across Now Playing, Browse, and Podcast surfaces in Spotify
Design artifact — Desktop preview iterations
Figma · Desktop preview explorations
Desktop ad preview iterations across multiple format types and visual treatments
Design artifact — Podcast audio ad previews
Figma · Podcast CTA cards & surface previews
Podcast audio ad preview designs — CTA cards, episode pages, show pages, and Now Playing across mobile and desktop
Overview

See your ad before it goes live

Before Shareable Ad Previews, advertisers in Spotify Ad Studio had no reliable way to see how their ads would actually render across Spotify's surfaces. The existing preview was outdated and didn't reflect the introduction of CTA cards — interactive companion cards that appear during and after audio ads to drive clicks. Advertisers were essentially publishing blind.

This project redesigned the ad preview experience to accurately show how ads appear across every relevant surface — Now Playing, Browse, Podcast Show and Episode pages — for both mobile and desktop. Crucially, it introduced shareable preview links, letting advertisers copy a URL and send it to clients, managers, or collaborators for approval before a campaign goes live. The feature launched across all English-speaking markets and helped increase step 3 completion rates in the ad creation flow.

Design process

From outdated previews to a sharing tool

01
Format-aware previews
Mapped every ad format — music audio, podcast audio, and video — to the correct CTA card behavior and Spotify surface. Designed conditional preview logic so advertisers always see exactly what listeners will experience, whether that includes CTA cards, leave-behinds, or the legacy experience.
02
Cross-platform rendering
Designed preview screens for every placement: Now Playing, Browse, Shuffle Playlist, Podcast Show Page, and Episode Page — across both mobile and desktop. Each preview accurately reflected the ad's visual treatment, companion imagery, and CTA behavior for its specific context.
03
Shareable links & landing pages
Designed the share flow — a one-click copy link from the ad creation form that generates a standalone preview page. Built edge cases for mobile landing pages, ad blocker states, and audio-not-yet-approved tooltips. Partnered closely with UX writing to nail the micro-copy across every state.
Design highlights

Decisions that shaped the work

🔗
One-click shareable links
Designed a frictionless sharing mechanism within the ad creation form — advertisers can copy a preview link and send it to stakeholders without leaving the flow. The link renders a standalone landing page showing the full ad experience.
🎴
CTA card integration
Updated the entire preview system to reflect the new CTA card experience — interactive companion cards shown during and after audio ads. Designed conditional rendering based on format type and auction goal (clicks optimization vs. impressions).
📱
Surface-specific accuracy
Rather than a single generic preview, designed distinct renderings for each Spotify surface — Now Playing, Browse, Show Page, Episode Page — so advertisers see exactly what listeners experience in each context.
⚠️
Edge state design
Designed thoughtful handling for tricky states: ads with audio still under review, ad blocker interference on preview pages, mobile-specific landing pages, and format-dependent CTA card visibility — ensuring the preview never misleads.
Impact

Giving advertisers confidence before launch

16%
Target step 3 completion rate — up from 11% before shareable previews launched
30%+
Target share rate — users who viewed a preview and copied the shareable link
5 markets
Launched across all English-speaking markets — US, CA, UK, ANZ, and ETW