Every few years, new social media platforms focused on audio-only content crop up, capturing the attention of users before losing steam and inevitably shutting down. 

A recent article by Protocol asks why audio-centered social media platforms are failing to capture the hearts of social media users and investors. 

Cliff Lampe, an expert on digital communications at the University of Michigan School of Information, was cited in the article. He talks about the relationship users have with listening and why it's so difficult to hold the attention of users. 

“We’re doing something else when we’re listening to audio, right?” Lampe says.“That’s not true with either reading or video because it grabs more of our attention.”

Lampe also pointed out that it’s a rare skill to speak well, “especially using the cadence and emotion, reducing your number of ‘ums’ and hesitations.”

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Read “Why audio will never capture the hearts of social media users” on Protocol. 

Learn more about professor of information and associate dean for academic affairs Cliff Lampe’s research interests and publications by visiting his faculty profile.