What you need to know:

• Facebook is making a major push for audio ad dollars.
• Aims to launch new short form audio format, podcasts and Clubhouse rival, Live Audio Room, within three months. 
• Bidding to keep users on platform for audio.

Facebook is making a major grab for audio ad dollars and audiences and is preparing to launch podcasts, a new ‘soundbites’ audio format and a rival service to Clubhouse within a couple of months.

The data giant plans to put all of its audio formats into a ‘central listening destination’ to keep everybody on its platform.

“More than 170 million people are already connected to hundreds of thousands of podcast pages on Facebook,” according to Head of Facebook App, Fidji Simo.

“But until now, you had to leave the Facebook app to listen to these episodes. Within the next few months, you’ll be able to listen to podcasts directly on the Facebook app.”

The move also represents a further foray into subscription revenues, as Facebook will provide “multiple ways” for audio content creators to monetise their wares, Simo added.

To kick start its ‘soundbites’ format, or “short-form, creative audio clips” enabled by editing tools akin to “having a sound studio in your pocket”, per Simo, Facebook is launching a fund for creators.

The firm is also implicitly touting its 1.8bn users as a way for creators to make more money, and reach more listeners, than via other platforms.

It said Live Audio Room, seen as a move to counter Clubhouse, will be live to all users by summer.