Wouldn’t You Rather Listen to a Blog Post?
People are busier today than ever before. There’s work, which frequently extends beyond regular business hours, responsibilities at home, taking the kids to and from extracurricular activities, and social gatherings whenever there’s free time. Americans are looking for shortcuts in their lives, especially when it comes to reading.
For instance, there are a variety of ways to consume books. You can read print books or eBooks and listen to audiobooks. Even though print books are still the most popular way to consume a book, audiobooks are a popular alternative among Americans.
Twenty percent of Americans now listen to eBooks, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in early 2019 (that’s six percentage points higher than in 2016). More Americans today are listening to audiobooks than ever before.
And that shouldn’t be a surprise. Many people today would rather multitask. Instead of sitting down to read a book, they’d rather listen to an audiobook on the way to work or while running on the treadmill. They’d also rather listen to a podcast or music while working. (Why not kill two birds with one stone, right?).
Now, let’s apply that same mindset to blog posts.
It’s estimated that approximately 70 to 80 percent of internet users read blog posts. Since many of these people probably read their favorite blogs while at work or in between errands, they may find it more convenient to listen to them, especially when they’re on the longer side. While blog post lengths vary, the average blog post is approximately 1,500 words, according to survey results published by OrbitMedia in 2017. When you think about it, that’s about the length of a chapter in a book.
Instead of switching between tabs, some people would probably rather listen to these blog posts. (Again, why not kill two birds with one stone?). But the typical blog doesn’t allow users to listen to posts. Go ahead — scan your favorite blogs. You won’t find a single one that offers voice-enabled blog posts!
And that’s where the opportunity lies!
When it comes to marketing, you always want to be ahead of your competitors. Voice-enabled blog posts have the potential to be the next big thing in marketing. Instead of waiting to find out, start doing your research to find out if it’s the right opportunity for you.
And remember: You don’t have to do everything in-house.
You don’t need to hire someone to do voiceovers for your blog posts (that can be costly, and the turnaround time isn’t always quick). For example, there are marketing firms and services in the marketplace that can help you turn text to voice using artificial intelligence (AI).
While voice-enabled blog posts aren’t common today, you may see more of them in the future. Avoid being left in the dust by your competitors by looking into how voice-enabled blog posts can help you promote your brand in the future.