SOCIAL
Facebook Announces New Deals to Enable Gaming Streamers to Include Popular Music in Their Broadcasts
This could be a big update in Facebook’s ongoing push to recruit more gaming streamers. Today, The Social Network has announced that its established new arrangements with various music publishers which will enable Facebook Gaming streamers to play popular music within their streams.
As explained by Facebook:
“Last year, we announced the rollout of music on Facebook Gaming. Since then, we’ve been testing with our Partner Creators to ensure they’re able to use a vast array of popular music in their streams without risk of takedowns. We’ve learned a lot and made some improvements. And today, we’re excited to expand access to music to even more creators.”
Under the new arrangements, all Partner and Level Up Creators will now be able to play background music during their gaming livestreams on Facebook Gaming, with Facebook essentially licensing the music on their behalf.
“And we’re not talking elevator music. We’ve got deals in place with hundreds of music labels and publishers, including Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Kobalt Music Group, BMG, Merlin and many more, so creators can include popular music in their Facebook Gaming livestreams to get their audiences hyped.”
That’s significant, because both YouTube and Twitch, the biggest platforms in game streaming, do not allow for free music usage in the same way.
YouTube and Twitch do provide copyright-free tracks for use in videos and streams, but Facebook’s new deal provides the capacity to include almost any track you want, without fear of your stream being shut down due to copyright violations.
That doesn’t, however, stretch to all streams across Facebook’s apps. Instagram, for example, still has restrictions on music use in IG Live, which could see your broadcast interrupted as a result, with this new update only relating to gaming streams specifically, and the use of music in the background of your live videos.
It also doesn’t cover broadcasts where music is the focus, like a radio show via a Gaming stream. That’s still not allowed, and will get shut down if Facebook detects it.
Facebook also notes that there are some tracks that will remain unavailable:
“But they are rare, and we’re always working to expand the amount of music that’s available to use. If you run into a restricted track, we’ll surface an in-product notification that identifies the artist and title. That way you can adjust your playlist to avoid future interruptions.”
To celebrate the announcement, Facebook’s also hosting a series of celebrity DJ streams, paired with select gaming creators.
It’s an interesting update, which could provide a level of differentiation for Facebook’s Gaming platform, which has seen increased interest of late.
Last October, StreamLabs reported that Facebook Gaming surpassed 1 billion hours watched for the first time, which still leaves it a long way behind the leaders in the space, but is a significant jump in performance.
If Facebook can lure more gaming streamers across, that could help it grow its gaming audience, and as the company also looks to dominate the evolving VR space, that could better position Facebook to take a bigger share of the gaming market, providing another revenue stream.
How significant an impact being able to play music more freely in your streams will actually make is hard to say, but maybe, if streamers feel more free to broadcast how they like, that could be a valuable addition, and could provide more impetus to bring more streamers across to Facebook’s Gaming platform instead.
You can read more about the Facebook Gaming music update here.
SOCIAL
Snapchat Explores New Messaging Retention Feature: A Game-Changer or Risky Move?
In a recent announcement, Snapchat revealed a groundbreaking update that challenges its traditional design ethos. The platform is experimenting with an option that allows users to defy the 24-hour auto-delete rule, a feature synonymous with Snapchat’s ephemeral messaging model.
The proposed change aims to introduce a “Never delete” option in messaging retention settings, aligning Snapchat more closely with conventional messaging apps. While this move may blur Snapchat’s distinctive selling point, Snap appears convinced of its necessity.
According to Snap, the decision stems from user feedback and a commitment to innovation based on user needs. The company aims to provide greater flexibility and control over conversations, catering to the preferences of its community.
Currently undergoing trials in select markets, the new feature empowers users to adjust retention settings on a conversation-by-conversation basis. Flexibility remains paramount, with participants able to modify settings within chats and receive in-chat notifications to ensure transparency.
Snapchat underscores that the default auto-delete feature will persist, reinforcing its design philosophy centered on ephemerality. However, with the app gaining traction as a primary messaging platform, the option offers users a means to preserve longer chat histories.
The update marks a pivotal moment for Snapchat, renowned for its disappearing message premise, especially popular among younger demographics. Retaining this focus has been pivotal to Snapchat’s identity, but the shift suggests a broader strategy aimed at diversifying its user base.
This strategy may appeal particularly to older demographics, potentially extending Snapchat’s relevance as users age. By emulating features of conventional messaging platforms, Snapchat seeks to enhance its appeal and broaden its reach.
Yet, the introduction of message retention poses questions about Snapchat’s uniqueness. While addressing user demands, the risk of diluting Snapchat’s distinctiveness looms large.
As Snapchat ventures into uncharted territory, the outcome of this experiment remains uncertain. Will message retention propel Snapchat to new heights, or will it compromise the platform’s uniqueness?
Only time will tell.
SOCIAL
Catering to specific audience boosts your business, says accountant turned coach
While it is tempting to try to appeal to a broad audience, the founder of alcohol-free coaching service Just the Tonic, Sandra Parker, believes the best thing you can do for your business is focus on your niche. Here’s how she did just that.
When running a business, reaching out to as many clients as possible can be tempting. But it also risks making your marketing “too generic,” warns Sandra Parker, the founder of Just The Tonic Coaching.
“From the very start of my business, I knew exactly who I could help and who I couldn’t,” Parker told My Biggest Lessons.
Parker struggled with alcohol dependence as a young professional. Today, her business targets high-achieving individuals who face challenges similar to those she had early in her career.
“I understand their frustrations, I understand their fears, and I understand their coping mechanisms and the stories they’re telling themselves,” Parker said. “Because of that, I’m able to market very effectively, to speak in a language that they understand, and am able to reach them.”Â
“I believe that it’s really important that you know exactly who your customer or your client is, and you target them, and you resist the temptation to make your marketing too generic to try and reach everyone,” she explained.
“If you speak specifically to your target clients, you will reach them, and I believe that’s the way that you’re going to be more successful.
Watch the video for more of Sandra Parker’s biggest lessons.
SOCIAL
Instagram Tests Live-Stream Games to Enhance Engagement
Instagram’s testing out some new options to help spice up your live-streams in the app, with some live broadcasters now able to select a game that they can play with viewers in-stream.
As you can see in these example screens, posted by Ahmed Ghanem, some creators now have the option to play either “This or That”, a question and answer prompt that you can share with your viewers, or “Trivia”, to generate more engagement within your IG live-streams.
That could be a simple way to spark more conversation and interaction, which could then lead into further engagement opportunities from your live audience.
Meta’s been exploring more ways to make live-streaming a bigger consideration for IG creators, with a view to live-streams potentially catching on with more users.
That includes the gradual expansion of its “Stars” live-stream donation program, giving more creators in more regions a means to accept donations from live-stream viewers, while back in December, Instagram also added some new options to make it easier to go live using third-party tools via desktop PCs.
Live streaming has been a major shift in China, where shopping live-streams, in particular, have led to massive opportunities for streaming platforms. They haven’t caught on in the same way in Western regions, but as TikTok and YouTube look to push live-stream adoption, there is still a chance that they will become a much bigger element in future.
Which is why IG is also trying to stay in touch, and add more ways for its creators to engage via streams. Live-stream games is another element within this, which could make this a better community-building, and potentially sales-driving option.
We’ve asked Instagram for more information on this test, and we’ll update this post if/when we hear back.
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