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Echo.Online: Independent digital media

Echo of Moscow — one of the most influential Russian radio stations (3 M. DAU), was blocked by state authorities after 30 years of work. Read more in The New Yorker.

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Old website version
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Brief

Create a new independent digital media for the Russian-speaking audience of different political views and social status. Echo doesn’t have FM-channel in Russia now because of restrictions, so we need to build website and mobile apps. The website can be blocked quickly, so it’s very important to build a mobile apps to listen to the broadcasts. Donations is the main way of monetization.

Solution

As the sole designer, I designed the new Echo.online website and the mobile apps for iOS and Android.

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My product decisions
  1. I reconed Echo needed a simple and minimalistic interface, because Echo have a very different audience and content can be various.
  2. I thought Echo needed large readable typography, because part of their audience is aged.
  3. Echo is loved for their broadcasts and expert opinions, so I decided that the broadcast player should always be in sight.
  4. I wanted to use the space on the desktop more wisely, so I decided to make 3 columns that can change their width depending on the size of the screen.
  5. I wanted to simplify development, so I decided to make the same styles for news snippets in desktop and mobile versions of the website.
  6. I decided to make a player with a running line to add dynamic to the interface.
  7. Echo have a very simple mobile app with broadcast player only, so I decided to add broadcast list with ability to add push notification.
  8. I figured out how to get a font license and saved lots of money for the project.
  9. I recommended a brand designer, who created the style identity of Echo.
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Check the project in Figma or on Dribbble.

Results from the first 2 weeks after launch

  1. More than 600,000 website visits in the first 2 weeks after launch (while the website was immediately blocked in Russia).
  2. 1st place in the News category in the App Store and Google Play.
  3. More than 75,000 users have downloaded and are using the App.

Special thanks

Head of project: Maxim Kournikov Product manager: Tonia Samsonova Producer: Haya Goldfinger Brand designer: Anton Prokopev