Social network Facebook launches new ‘Audio’ in U.S.

The company says the new destination will help creators to have their shows found, while Facebook users will be able to find audio content from favourite creators and discover new ones

Facebook is expanding its investment in audio initiatives with the launch of a new “Audio” destination in its mobile app in the U.S., where users will be able to discover in one place all the audio formats Facebook now hosts. The company says it’s also making its Clubhouse rival, Live Audio Rooms, more broadly available to global users, and is beginning to roll out a new product called Soundbites, a sort of TikTok for audio offering short audio clips.

An early version of the new Audio destination has been in the process of rolling out to all Facebook users (18 and up) in the U.S. across both iOS and Android, but is being officially announced now. It can be accessed through the top navigation within Watch, Facebook’s video hub.

The company says the new destination will help creators to have their shows found, while Facebook users will be able to find audio content from favourite creators, discover new ones and access content they had saved for later. At launch, the Audio section will feature the content from the creators users are already following, and will include a set of personalized recommendations as well as suggestions of other audio that’s popular across Facebook.

The destination will become more personalized to your own tastes and interests over time, as you engage with the audio content and follow more creators, Facebook notes.

Timed with this launch, Facebook offered an update on the work it’s been doing to expand access to more of its audio products.

This spring, Facebook had introduced a suite of new audio features, including its Clubhouse competitor called Live Audio Rooms, as well as the short-form audio product called Soundbites, plus support for podcasts. With Spotify, it also partnered on a new miniplayer that streams from the music service to users on Facebook.

Live Audio Rooms officially launched in June to U.S. public figures in good standing with Facebook and to select Facebook Groups. Since then, Facebook said the feature has been found to work as a lightweight means of connection and conversation across communities, where it’s been adopted by creators including Lil Huddy, Noah and Miley Cyrus, quarterback Russell Wilson, singer Becky G, comedian Sherry Cola, Mereba Music and others.