Are Audio Articles The New Wave Of Content Marketing?

Audio articles are, quite simply, articles that you can listen to instead of reading. And there’s no doubt that they’re on the rise.

Every day, more companies are adding the audio feature that will allow you to listen to your favourite articles whenever and wherever you are.

But, how do they work?

There are lots of different ways companies can introduce audio articles into their content. One of the most affordable and easiest ways to do so, is to simply have your content writers record themselves reading the article.

Then, you can imbed this on your website using a number of ways.

Another option for introducing audio articles can be done using a service that will convert the text into computerised speech. Or, apps like Audm or Curio, which use voice artists to narrate your texts to give a more human and personal experience.

The relationship between audio and marketing has existed for a long time. From radio adverts that would allow companies to market their products to listeners, to sponsored podcasts ran by big businesses, audio has always played a role in marketing.

But now, it seems that audio articles are potentially impacting the future of content marketing.

In an area of marketing that is so reliant on text and the visual, are audio articles changing the game?

Read on to find out.

One of the most obvious benefits of audio articles is that they easily fit into the lifestyle of the average worker.

The common commuter on the way to work can’t read articles as they drive, or may not be able to focus on reading off their phones as they’re standing up in a busy train.

However, it’s a lot more accessible and easier for someone to consume if they can listen to the article as they’re travelling.

What’s more, according to CSS Tricks, 45% of people always listen to music at work, with 24% of people listening to music when they work regularly.

Meaning, that a large number of workers listen to audio content as they’re working – either at home or in the office. Whether that’s because they’re more productive when listening to audio content, or they simply like to be entertained at all times, it would make sense that audio articles would be appealing to a large number of workers.

Not only are audio articles more accessible and easier to consume for those busy working or travelling, but they’re also more accessible to those who are hard of seeing.

For people who cannot read, cannot read easily, or have a disability that impedes their reading, an audio article will make it easier for them to experience your content.

As a result, this opens you up to a larger audience as you are no longer isolating a potential consumer base.

What’s more, there are plenty of apps that already allow users to listen to content rather than reading it. However, these aren’t always compatible with all websites and devices.

By integrating this into your content organically and allowing consumers and customers to listen to your content rather than reading it, you are smoothing out the user experience. This would make it easier for customers to consume your content without being dependent on external apps or services.

Not only could this potentially increase the number of people who are consuming your content, but it is also a step towards making your website more accessible for those who have disabilities or difficulties.

Another benefit of using audio articles is that they make it easier for you to compete with the large companies that are dominating the industry.

Places like BBC, Apple News, and The Washington Post all have options where you can listen to an article instead of reading it.

What’s more, these companies are going above merely listening to an article.

In the instance of the BBC, not only are they allowing consumers to listen to their articles, but they’re also incorporating a more personal element as well. The software that they use to create their audio articles also features cognitive and behavioural integration.

Not only will this track and analyse the types of articles being listened to – in order to suggest to consumers content based on their user preferences along with important news – but this also allows them to pause their listening and return to it later as their listening habits are tracked.

But why does this matter?

Well, if audio articles really are the future of content marketing, it would make sense to get ahead of the game and start incorporating this into your site. Rather than having to play catch-up a few years later, when they have become more mainstream.

As well as this, if you begin integrating audio articles into your content now, it gives you more time to perfect the new medium and include additional bonuses similar to the BBC.

Not only do audio articles allow you to elevate your content, but you can do all this with very little hassle.

In comparison to podcasts that have a higher production quality – soundtracks, music, advertisements – audio articles cost a lot less to create and produce.

One of the biggest reasons why this is, is because you don’t have to undergo any new research or work in comparison to what you’re already doing. Given that the article had already been researched and written, you’re simply just reading it aloud.

This saves you time and money when cutting down on your production costs.

As well as this, you’re also not losing out on any revenue that would have come from ads if you had been running a podcast.

A large portion of audio articles are places behind a paywall or require a monthly fee, and so the revenue that you would be gaining from that could equate to or even surpass what you would have gained from an advertisement.

But your revenue when it comes to audio articles aren’t just from playing your content behind a paywall.

Your revenue can also come from an increase in your conversions, something which you can expect when you implement audio articles on your website.

For one business, Convince and Convert, they found that the average time spent on the pages for their articles went from 4 minutes to 9 minutes.

Why? Because people were actually consuming the entire article.

Rather than having someone read only a few paragraphs from the article and click off, people were actually more engaged with the content and were remaining on the page to listen to the entire thing.

As a result, this boosts your metrics and reduces your bounce rate. Website visitors are more compelled to remain on your page, meaning that there’s more time for them to be drawn in by your products and services.

As everyone knows, the longer someone spends on your website, the more likely they are to buy something.

This increase in engagement will undoubtedly impact your sales, and have a positive effect on your website traffic.

Whilst there are certainly benefits to using audio content on your website, there are some downsides too.

Some businesses don’t have the means or resources to create and produce audio content, which limits them and reduces the number of potential people who are consuming their content.

Converting written articles into audio articles either adds more work for the content team, as they now have to spend time recording the article before they can publish it, or you have to pay for a freelancer or business to do this for you.

This can sometimes be out of budget, particularly for smaller businesses and organisations, and therefore not be a viable option for everyone.

Because of this, you need to decide whether the increased interactions and potential new revenue can fund this cost. Or, if you’re going to be working at a loss by producing so much audio content.

If you’re paying for an AI service to translate your written articles into audio content, like using a service such as Bingewith, then you have to consider important factors such as tone of voice and brand.

Much like how your choice of fonts on your website impacts the perceptions of your business, the type of audio content you use will also do the same.

Say for example you are using a text to audio service that is ran using Artificial Intelligence, the audio may sound robotic or automated.

Whilst this may work for a more serious or factual article for a place like the BBC, it’s likely that this wouldn’t work for a lifestyle magazine or children’s brand.

In fact, this potentially could put some consumers off from using the service and therefore decrease your impressions.

Ultimately, audio articles are making huge waves in the world of content marketing.

It seems that more and more businesses are deciding to implement them on their websites, making them much more mainstream.

It’s safe to say that audio articles will become more popular, and may even come to replace written content at a point in the future.

So, now that you’ve heard about the benefits and downsides of audio articles, will you be introducing them on your website? Let us know in the comments!

And, as always, if you need Shape The Market to help with your content writing, our excellent content writing packages are suitable for any size or type of business. Check them out here.