Retrieval and playout of media content

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon program instructions that when executed by a processor cause performance of a set of acts comprising:

• accessing a playlist defining a sequence of media content items including a first media content item and a second media content item;
• retrieving, from one or more server devices, first data representing the media content items of the accessed playlist, and using the retrieved first data to play out, via a client device, the media content items in accordance with the sequence defined by the playlist;
• accessing second data representing user activity related to the client device, and using the accessed second data as a basis to select a media content item from a plurality of media content items, wherein the user activity comprises user input indicating whether a user has used a particular feature provided by a software application of the client device, wherein the particular feature is a feature other than a request to play out media content, and wherein the selected media content item includes content that provides instructions on how to use the particular feature;
• and
• retrieving third data representing the selected media content item, and using the retrieved third data to play out, via the client device, the selected media content item in between playing out the first and second media content items.

A method comprising:

• accessing a playlist defining a sequence of media content items including a first media content item and a second media content item;
• accessing first data representing user activity related to a client device, and using the accessed first data to select a media content item from a plurality of media content items, wherein the user activity comprises user input indicating whether a user has used a particular feature provided by a software application of the client device, wherein the particular feature is a feature other than a request to play out media content, and wherein the selected media content item includes content that provides instructions on how to use the particular feature;
• and
• retrieving second data representing the selected media content item, and transmitting to the client device, the retrieved second data for playout of the selected media content item in between playout of the first and second media content items.