How audio content format helps publishers to increase reader base
Audio takes up a major chunk of the multimedia world. From the age of classic radio to quirky podcasts, audio has found a way to stay relevant. Audio content is any material that is consumed through listening. The focus of any audio content is to provide an auditory experience for the purpose of entertainment or marketing. Audio content exists in formats such as - audiobooks, podcasts, sound bites etc. Audio content can be played through headphones, smart speakers or smart devices. Audio content is easy to create and consume. The equipment required is lighter in comparison - a high quality mic is usually the first step.
In 2021, there were 850,000 active podcasts, with over 30 million total episodes. As the consumption of audio content continues to rise, the importance of adding them into business cannot be ignored. It is an effective way to put the brand’s story out there, adding the mission and mission through voice to potential customers and business partners. It also opens a space for discussions and brand interactions.
Uses of audio content
Audio can be used to reach the audience faster through the means of amazon echo, Siri or google assistant. It can help answer product questions and increase client interaction.
You can use audio formats of your blogs to increase traction. This would help the audience browse through while consuming your content.
One can use audiograms and voice overs set to videos or images for social media.
You can also have podcasts as a dedicated platform for important topics, updates and discussions.
One can also have tutorials and demos in audio formats. Translations could be better this way and users could listen in without having to be properly dedicated to their screens.
Benefits of audio content
With audio only formats, there are several advantages to businesses.
Opens up a new channel to gain traction.
Helps consume content without having to be glued to the screen.
Adds dimension to content.
Improves accessibility of native content
Brings a personal voice to the brands by humanizing it
Better return rates
It is free of hardware constraints - you have platforms that support audio only formats.
Singles out noise typically found in websites.
Repurpose blogs into audio content
If you’ve been in the content building platform, you’d probably already have a good stack of blogs out there. Repurposing existing blogs into audio formats should take very little time but it can make a huge difference. Everyone has something playing in the background as they fall into the pits of scrolling. This would open up a new audience and also encourage readers to go through the entirety of the content.
Create your podcasts
Podcasts have been getting a lot of attention in recent years. Podcasts have grown from 122 million to 252 million in the last three years according to a study by Improve podcast. Creating your own podcast can help you bring your native content out to a wider audience. Podcasts are easy to create and can be added into your existing work system. You can create experiences with sounds and also add advertisements as you grow to make revenue. You can have webinars, interviews, client feedbacks and product questions on podcasts.
Become a guest speaker
If creating a podcast is a challenge, you could always make use of the podcast platforms that exist. This would also help you introduce yourself to a new crowd. You could be a guest speaker for podcasts hosted by partner brands or subject experts. You can also sponsor some episodes or a show to leave a stamp.
If you’re sponsoring a podcast, you may have to set your expectations. Remember that it is only audio, so you’d have to decide your brand messaging for audio only platforms.
Create audio for social media
Social media is a great platform to promote your audio content. You can live stream audio content, or upload audio only content.
Twitter, meta, instagram - all offer uploading audio only storytelling. There are also several audio only platforms like - soundcloud, Riffr, AudList etc. You can also interact with other audio only creators to collaborate and brainstorm.
You can also post audio clips to connect with people and have the platform be more interactive.
Make use of advancements in voice technology
Amazon alone records 76 million users that have smart speakers. The search is going to be massively led by audio. From Siri to Google Assistant - voice searches have been democratised. You can take advantage of these advancements and rank higher with high quality and seo friendly audio content.