Facebook a new set of audio features to help it compete with Clubhouse. Features include audio-only “rooms” for live chats, as well as “sound clips” for sharing short voicemail messages and a new podcasting feature. Those features have yet to launch, although audio rooms will be available by this summer, Facebook said.
Among the new audio tools, the rooms are the most similar to the Clubhouse. It will allow users to participate in live chats on Facebook and Messenger. The company says it will test the functionality inside Groups and with a group of public figures so that they “can share ideas with new audiences and create a discussion forum, without the added pressure of being. in front of the camera”.
Facebook is also working on “sound clips”, which will allow users to post short sound clips to the news feed. It looks like the sound clips will encompass more than just basic sound clips, with the ability to add special effects, transcriptions, and other creator-friendly features. Finally, the company is working on a podcasting feature that will allow users to browse, download and listen to podcasts directly from the Facebook app. Users will be able to listen to audio while the app is open, as well as when it is “in the background”.
Notably, Facebook will experiment with monetization features in all of its new audio features. It plans to build in tip features and give creators the option of offering paid memberships for room access. It is also creating a fund that will pay influencers to make sound clips.
Facebook is far from the only platform to experiment with social audio. Twitter tested for months, and Reddit just previewed its own version of the feature called .
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