Audioburst, an AI-driven audio search and delivery platform, is eager to stream spoken-word audio within mobile apps in categories like fitness, weather, shopping and many others. The company has been driving down this road since launching its Platform for Apps initiative in April, and even earlier with Audioburst Studio, which creates embeddable audio players.
In support of this line of business, Audioburst surveyed executives at mobile app companies whose products are used by at least 50,000 daily active users. The result, an information deck titled AudioBurst 2021 App Podcast Integration Report (free download HERE), lays out a rationale for streaming topical spoken-word content within mobile apps that provide informational and activity content.
“Fitness apps are all over this,” VP of Marketing Ari Applbaum told RAIN News. Apps produced by Zen Fitness labs are using the service. Other clients include Calm Radio and WTForecast, a weather app. Audioburst’s main content type is spoken word, gleaned from capturing and indexing “millions of minutes of content” from talk radio and podcasts.
The study puts numbers against demand for audio as a kind of soundtrack for all kinds of mobile apps, and identifies suitability numbers for different types of app. According to the results, app builders acknowledge the advantage of providing audio, are planning for it to a large extent, and project that users will remain in-app longer if they are listening to something.
This report seeks to establish two-sided demand — from app users and app builders — for what the company provides. This is how Audioburst describes key findings:
Podcast hunger is greater than ever
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Podcast listening has increased for 52% of app users this year, with 59% of users listening regularly.
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57% of people choose talk audio over video because it enables them to get on with other tasks, 44% say it keeps their eyes off screens, and 40% enjoy being hands-free.
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78% of users spend more time engaging with apps when they are infused with audio.
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Podcast discovery is a challenge for 60% of consumers.
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Consumers feel better about consuming audio (54%) than any other format.
Mobile app publishers are bullish on audio
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78% of app publishers see audio as complimentary, while only 6% believe audio competes with the app content and experience.
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99% of publishers see the benefit of adding audio to their apps. The biggest benefit reported is increased time spent in the app.
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58% of publishers report lacking audio monetization tools, while 24% do not have original audio content to monetize.
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Only 14% of app publishers say their top business goal for 2021 is increasing revenue. Longer engagement (time in-app) topped the list with 48%.
The full report is free, and available HERE.
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