
4 reasons why publishers should consider music focused streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music
Carla Herbertson joined Zebralution, a leading distributor of digital media content, as their Head of UK Audio Content in January. She has been working in the audio industry for twenty years, starting her career as a BBC Producer across a variety of programmes. Before joining Zebralution in January, Carla developed audio strategies for numerous services and products for the Royal National Institute of Blind People.
1. More than music alone!
With streaming membership services now offering spoken word in the form of podcasts, it is only natural for audiobooks to be at the forefront; opening up new target group opportunities for publishers who are willing to operate in the same ecosystem. Some podcast numbers:- The latest Edison Research Consumers‘ Survey reported that 68% of all US podcast listeners have listened to a complete audiobook. Additionally they noted that podcast listeners listened to twice the number of audiobooks last year as others who listened to audiobooks.
- Here in the UK a recent RAJAR Midas Audio Survey revealed that 6 million adults (or 11% of the adult population) use a podcast in an average week. This figure does not include the younger audience (more on this later).
- We all know that the audiobook market is booming, Nielsen UK Books & Consumers Survey recently reported the doubling of audiobooks sales in the last five years. Jacks Thomas, director of The London Book Fair told the Bookseller that audio was bringing new consumers into the market, perhaps encouraged by podcasts. She said that the rise in podcasts and the ease of listening on digital devices “may have turned on a new generation to the joys of having a book on the go“.