Facebook has started rolling out podcasts to its platform. The functionality was first announced along with three other audio features earlier this year. The first podcasts hitting Facebook include The Joe Budden Podcast, Carefully Reckless, The LadyGang, and Side Hustle Pro.
Facebook's sudden lurch into audio seems to have been precipitated by the success of Clubhouse and the increasing popularity of podcasts. Facebook is one of a number of platforms that have adapted the Clubhouse concept, with its Live Audio Rooms having also begun being rolled out. Meanwhile, Apple and Spotify, among others, are investing heavily in podcasts and Facebook likely sees its existing features and the creators already on its platform as providing a strong foundation from which to build a presence as a host of podcasts. Elsewhere, it's also working on a short shareable Soundbites feature and a suite of audio creation tools.
To listen to podcasts on Facebook, users need only pull up the app and navigate to the page of the podcast's creator or the podcasts itself. There, they will see a dropdown 'Podcasts' menu alongside the tabs for 'Posts,' 'Overview,' and 'Mentions.' Pressing play on a podcast episode opens up a miniplayer at the bottom of the screen. This allows users to continue listening to the podcast when they navigate away from the page. Opening up the episode in full as it plays shows allows users to add comments and read those of others. Podcasts are being made available to listeners in the US first.
How Will Facebook Develop Its Podcasts Feature?
As with the new Live Audio Rooms feature, Facebook intends to develop the podcasts functionality as it goes. Later this summer, common podcasting features including captions and the ability to create and share short clips of a podcast will be added. In addition, Facebook says it will create "unique social experiences" around the podcasts on its platform that will make use of some of its "best interactive and personalized features."
Although at times it can feel like Facebook is such a behemoth it is simply tacking features on for the sake of it, the platform does lend itself to podcasts. Many podcast creators already have a presence on Facebook, while integrating podcast functionality into it could encourage countless other Facebook creators to begin podcasting. With this in mind, Facebook could add podcast creation tools and ways to monetize podcasts, with its huge community already a significant strength where gaining listeners is concerned.
Source: Facebook