We’ve been hearing about Facebook’s push for audio content on their platform and now we’re finally seeing most of them roll out and expand beyond testing. The next step now would be to create an easily accessible place on the platform where you can access all of these different audio-only features. The social media giant is now rolling out an Audio hub that is housed, strangely, within the Watch tab. There you’ll see podcasts, Live Audio Rooms, and Soundbites from people and pages you follow as well as those recommended to you.
TechCrunch says that the early version of the Audio hub is now rolling out to Facebook users in the U.S. Both Android and iOS devices are getting it as long as the user is 18 years old and above. Weirdly enough, you’ll be able to access the hub within the app’s Watch video hub even though of course this content does not have any video accompanying it. The Audio hub includes the newly-added podcast features, the Clubhouse competitor Live Audio Rooms, and the TikTok-ish short-form audio content called Soundbites.
Having all of this audio-focused content will make it easier for creators to have their shows and posts found. Users meanwhile will have one place to see all the content from creators and brands that they already follow. This is also a chance for Facebook to push content based on what users already follow with personalized recommendations. Similar to Watch, we’ll probably also see what’s popular and trending within that segment. The more you engage, the more things will become more personalized.
Meanwhile, Live Audio Rooms will be rolling out to more public figures and creators outside the U.S after Facebook says it had a successful trial with selected public figures “in good standing”. Users can also now listen to them on desktop aside from the mobile app. Soundbites will also be rolling out to more people in the U.S. in the next few weeks but no timetable has been given yet to other countries. Podcast listening is also limited to the U.S for now.
Since most of these audio content is only available in the U.S, it follows that the Audio hub will only be available there as well. Let’s see how fast (or slow) Facebook can roll this out to other countries and regions.
