SoundCloud is adding video ads, the latest service to roll out the commercial format.
Often referred to as the "YouTube for audio," SoundCloud said Tuesday it is debuting video advertising across its mobile apps in the United States. The ads, which can be either horizontal or vertical format, will pop up between tracks when your screen is on and the SoundCloud app is actively engaged in the foreground.
In other words, you'll see video ads when you're actually using it, not when SoundCloud is playing in your pocket.
SoundCloud is a popular source for music, with about 175 million unique visitors a month compared with the 100 million active listeners for streaming music service Spotify. It differs from services like Spotify and Apple Music by allowing people to upload tracks.
Ads are still relatively new on SoundCloud. Launched in 2008, SoundCloud introduced advertising less than two years ago. And not long after that, it introduced an option for people to pay so they don's see any ads: In March, the company launched SoundCloud Go, a $9.99-a-month service that also includes a wide catalog of full-track, licensed recordings.
This article also appears in Spanish. Read ¿Usas SoundCloud? prepárate para ver anuncios en video.