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Thread: Why audio + social is the next big idea in consumer startups 
- itâs deeper
- more intimate
- more authentic
⊠and driven by Airpods, Alexa, smart speakers, podcasts, etc.
SOCIAL STRIKES BACK!
I unpack it all here: https://a16z.com/2020/12/07/social-strikes-back-audio/
1/ For our Social Strikes Back series, I wrote about how that's fueling deeper social connections than ever before
Itâs going to evolve in a big way, contrasting the old model of passive content with:
- pre-recorded
- interactive
- social
Itâs going to evolve in a big way, contrasting the old model of passive content with:
- pre-recorded
- interactive
- social
2/ Audio hits different.
Listening to someoneâs voice, live and unedited, is personalâthe opposite of highlight-reel social media or the highly-produced, one-way nature of most podcasts. The swell of a concert, a babyâs laugh, the roar of a stadium crowd.
Listening to someoneâs voice, live and unedited, is personalâthe opposite of highlight-reel social media or the highly-produced, one-way nature of most podcasts. The swell of a concert, a babyâs laugh, the roar of a stadium crowd.
3/ The draw of audio over other formats is obvious to any podcast devotee: the lean-back, hands-free ease of it.
That means audio apps donât compete with a vast array of startups; they compete with doing dishes, driving, etc.
The competitive landscape is akin to mobile 10y ago.
That means audio apps donât compete with a vast array of startups; they compete with doing dishes, driving, etc.
The competitive landscape is akin to mobile 10y ago.
4/ Whatâs the future of audio?
Video offers a glimpse. Today, âvideoâ spans YouTube clips, Zoom conferences, Snapchat stories, Twitch streaming, TikTok dances, embedded collab tools, messaging apps, & more
Audio will be similarly sprawling, with endless product combinations.
Video offers a glimpse. Today, âvideoâ spans YouTube clips, Zoom conferences, Snapchat stories, Twitch streaming, TikTok dances, embedded collab tools, messaging apps, & more
Audio will be similarly sprawling, with endless product combinations.
5/ In particular, I'm excited about platforms that harness UGC, live conversations, & new social interactions
Fueled by AirPod ubiquity, podcasts, & smart speakers, audio is at the intersection of behavioral & technological change. The next phase of social? Listen closely
Fueled by AirPod ubiquity, podcasts, & smart speakers, audio is at the intersection of behavioral & technological change. The next phase of social? Listen closely
6/ Check out this post and the rest of Social Strikes Back, our series exploring the next generation of social networks and the way theyâre shaping the future of consumer tech, at http://a16z.com/social-strikes-back
