GigSearch

International jobs board
for musicians and venues

GigSearch

International jobs board
for musicians and venues

Timeline

I came up with the idea of GigSearch in 2019. However, the initial development of the product started in June 2022. This case study showcases the progress made during one year of development. I have utilized most of my free time to conduct research, design, and develop the product.

My role

As the founder, designer, and developer of GigSearch, my solid events industry experience has driven me to create a disruptive platform that caters to entertainers and venues. Dedicated to delivering a user-friendly solution, I've invested time and effort into research, design, and development.

Approach

Through thorough market research, I confirmed that there were no competing services offering a similar solution. As the first clients joined GigSearch, their valuable feedback provided insights on improving the user flow. Methods also included business and competitive analyses, as well as usability testing.

Context

In the fast-paced and dynamic world of the events industry, connecting musicians and entertainers with suitable venues has always been a crucial yet challenging task. As someone who has firsthand experience working in this industry with music bands and entertainers, I have witnessed the significance and high demand for a service that can facilitate seamless connections and contract signings between musicians and venues. It is in this context that the idea for was born in 2019

Solution

Create a specifically tailored web platform for the event and entertainment industry featuring profile galleries with instant demo preview. It functions as a professional network designed to simplify the process of finding paid gig jobs.

Personas

I have started with the creation of user personas. There are two main target audiences for GigSearch –

entertainers who are looking for gig jobs and hosts (venues) who want to invite an in-house band for short or long-term contracts.

Entertainer

Name:
Sarah
‍
Age:
28
‍
Occupation:
Musician
‍
Background:
Sarah is a talented musician looking to expand her career in the event and entertainment industry. She performs at various gigs, including weddings, parties, and corporate events, but she wants to secure more long-term well-paid opportunities and reduce hassle.
‍
Use-case:
GigSearch offers Sarah a simple way to discover well-paid gig offers by top-quality hotels, clubs and cruise-line companies.

Entertainer

Venue representative

Name:
Ali
‍
Age:
43
‍
Occupation:
Event manager at Maldives Resort
‍
Background:
Ali is responsible for events and special occasions at a five-star resort in Maldives. To ensure the venue's success, Alex constantly seeks reliable and talented entertainers to perform regularly.

Use-case:
GigSearch offers Alex a convenient way to discover and contact suitable acts, streamlining the process of finding and hiring bands for both short-term and long-term contracts.

Venue representative

Analysis

I have developed a comprehensive Customer Journey Map (CJM)

with the primary objective of identifying our users' pain points and uncovering potential areas of growth for my startup.
‍
Users' main pain points: Scam offers on Facebook forums, lack of specialized online job boards, and intense local market competition.

Entry points

Messenger chats

Telegram and WhatsApp

Through market research and shared experiences among colleagues, I have identified the most popular messenger apps among musicians and event industry representatives.

One of the popular messenger apps was integrated as a widget on the website page for quick access.

Pros: quick access, fast communication
Cons: chat can become messy, information is unstructured

Messenger chats

Application form

Website form
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Initially, I encountered an issue with submissions from entertainers, as they lacked proper structure and essential information. Conversely, some submissions were overwhelming, containing an excessive amount of unnecessary details.

I had to enhance the application form and completely restructure it. I made sure to include mandatory fields: contact details, a YouTube video link, and information about the presence of an international passport.

Pros: full and detailed information
Cons: may require additional restructuring in terms of localisation

Application form

Profile cards

The profile card and page of entertainers offer comprehensive and detailed information about the band's type,

availability status, along with both short and full descriptions.

Additionally, a prominent Call-to-Action (CTA) button is included to facilitate easy booking.

Usability testing

Conclusion

The GigSearch platform embodies disruptive innovation by pioneering a novel market for the digitalized professional community within the entertainment industry. By doing so, GigSearch presents performers with unprecedented opportunities to elevate their careers through international contracts, revolutionizing the way they approach their professional growth. Additionally, this product serves an educational role by providing musicians with valuable insights into international gig opportunities and empowering them with knowledge to seize these prospects.

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Vladimir Chuprygin

lead designer