David Bridges
Do you recall the surge of live audio that captivated audiences during the COVID-19 pandemic? This phenomenon gained immense popularity thanks to the rise of Clubhouse, which inspired numerous online platforms to replicate its features. The concept of engaging in real-time audio conversations became a new form of entertainment, allowing us to connect with strangers in a way that filled the void of social interaction during lockdowns.
However, as the world has gradually returned to a sense of normalcy, live audio has faded into the background, becoming just a memory of that unique time when many of us sought connection through long hours of listening to various discussions. In a recent announcement, LinkedIn, which entered the live audio arena later than its competitors, has decided to discontinue its standalone live audio events, signaling a significant shift in the platform’s strategy.
Starting next month, LinkedIn will cease support for its native audio events, with new event creation being disabled from December 2. Additionally, any events previously scheduled will no longer function after December 31. Instead, LinkedIn is transitioning to integrate audio events within its LinkedIn Live streaming feature. However, it’s important to note that using LinkedIn Live will necessitate the use of third-party tools for setting up streams. Therefore, while audio-only streams can still be hosted on LinkedIn, creators will need to navigate a more complex process to do so.
LinkedIn isn’t alone in pivoting away from live audio; several other platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, and Discord, have also scaled back or completely shut down their live audio offerings that emerged during the pandemic. Even Clubhouse, despite its efforts to remain relevant, has shifted its approach, moving away from the original format it popularized last year. On the other hand, live audio continues to thrive on X (formerly Twitter), although it has faced some technical challenges.
Daniel Mercer
