How SoundCloud Navigated Martech Change: From Vendor Selection to Lasting Impact

Session Summary

This session highlighted SoundCloud’s journey to modernize its MarTech stack under a tight timeline and complex organizational context. Hope Barrett explained the triggers behind the migration: outdated infrastructure, decayed support systems, and unreliable analytics that hindered innovation. She outlined how SoundCloud approached the decision transparently with a structured RFP (200+ questions, 16 categories), engaging stakeholders across engineering, product, marketing, and data teams.

Hope emphasized the importance of inclusion in the process, transforming potential skeptics into advocates. The migration delivered tangible early wins such as reliable new release notifications, more innovative campaign structures, and measurable improvements in personalization. The discussion reinforced that data-led decision-making and stakeholder buy-in are as crucial as the technology itself.

Top Takeaways

• Why migrate: Decayed infrastructure and lack of reliable analytics limited SoundCloud’s ability to innovate.
• Structured RFP: 200+ questions, weighted categories, and daily feedback loops ensured an objective, inclusive process.
• Stakeholder buy-in: Involving engineering, product, and marketing teams from the start reduced resistance and created shared ownership.
• Early wins: Launch of new release notifications, ability to innovate with campaigns, improved personalization, and scaling without higher unsubscribes.
• Lesson for leaders: Do your homework, involve stakeholders, and make decisions measurable and data-driven.