Back in March last year, LinkedIn confirmed that it’s testing out an audio-centric virtual events platform, similar to Clubhouse.
According to the Microsoft-owned professional networking site, an audio platform allows users to connect with professional identity rather than just a social profile.
Right now, LinkedIn is set to roll out that Clubhouse-style live audio room for free this month in beta, followed by the video version in Spring, reports TechCrunch.
What to expect?
LinkedIn’s audio platform will enable organisers to host virtual round tables, fireside chats, and various discussions as they see fit states the report.
During the session, the host will be able to moderate discussions, whereas the audience can interact with each other during and after the event.
The service will be inbuilt and does not require any additional software or applications to host and record the events. It’s worth mentioning here that the service is being built without any connection to Microsoft’s product/ecosystem.
“Our philosophy is to put the organizers in control,” said product manager Jake Poses in an interview. “We want to make it easier to host virtual round tables, fireside chats, and more. Some may want the event to be more formal, or less formal. Some might want to communicate with their audience, to open up to the floor. We’re giving professionals interactivity and support.”
Monetisation?
The company says that it is also planning to introduce various event services like a paid and ticketed option for larger events organised by the companies.
According to Techcrunch, the service will include a bunch of tools to run the events for various purposes right inside LinkedIn. The platform also lists the events and helps the host to get the word out about them across the platform.
Initially, the platform is planned to target individuals who are using LinkedIn to connect with their followers.
“LinkedIn has been working on cultivating a wider and more active Creator community in the last several months,” says TechCrunch.
According to Poses, over 1.5M creators have been given access to LinkedIn Live, the broadcast product.
“As long as I could remember, I have gone to talks and meetups. These are the mainstays of how professionals communicate and learn things,” he said in an interview with TechCrunch.
“But they require money, time to travel, courage to go into a room and speak, and space to run an event. Our belief is that moving from in-person to virtual is actually democratising and opening up access to many more people,” he adds.
One idea, too much execution!
The competition for Clubhouse is drastically growing! The breakout success of Clubhouse has built a huge buzz around the audio-only platform.
To date, numerous tech giants including Twitter (Twitter Space), Facebook (working on it), Reddit (Reddit Talk), and Spotify (Greenroom), launched a similar platform.
