Videos are taking center stage at Facebook; and as YouTube has proved, people love to add music to their videos. Under a backdrop of record labels bashing YouTube, Facebook has chosen to explore a more controlled option.
Facebook has confirmed that it had been testing a new product, called Slideshow, that gives uploaders a variety of “soundtrack options.” Warner Music Group has signed on for the test.
“We are always testing ways to help people better share their stories with friends,” a Facebook spokesperson told the New York Post.. “Slideshows are a new way for people to share photos and videos in a creative and succinct way. To date, we’ve been using Facebook-owned music to accompany these slideshows, we will now be testing the use of a limited amount of music from Warner Music Group as soundtrack options.”
Why care?
Average online video viewing is expected to expand to 72 minutes per day in 2017, up from 46 minutes in 2013, according to eMarketer.