Rebel Insights

Enriching User Experience With Audio Content

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Table of Contents

The way we absorb information has become increasingly diverse. Some prefer reading, others love watching videos, and many find audio perfect for multitasking or simply giving their eyes a break from screens.

To be clear, it’s not just about choosing between reading, watching, or listening. It’s about having the flexibility to engage with content in whatever way fits the moment — whether at a desk, during a commute, at the gym, or while doing household chores. And more and more users appreciate having an audio option available. This flexibility is at the heart of why audio articles matter.

The growing demand for audio content is clear in the data:

  • The Reuters Institute's latest report shows how AI will transform journalism in 2025. Publishers are embracing smart AI tools, with text-to-audio conversion leading the way — 75% said they would offer audio versions of their articles. They also planned to explore AI for quick article summaries (70%) and translations (65%).
  • The 2022 Spoken Word Audio Report from NPR and Edison Research revealed that Gen Z spends 214% more time with spoken word audio content. Listeners aged 13–24 show the most explosive growth. Regardless of age, almost half (46%) of U.S. listeners consume audio content daily.
  • Research from Spotify showed that 93% of the brain's engagement with content on their platform "is transferred directly into ad engagement."

To understand these trends in action, let’s look at a real-world example. Raw Story, a prominent news site powered by RebelMouse, has been offering audio versions of their articles with the help of Trinity Audio. Their data from April 2024 through June 2024 reveals compelling insights about how readers embrace audio.

Benefits of an Audio Format

Improved User Experience and Retention

Audio articles significantly improve user engagement and content accessibility. Raw Story’s data shows:

  • A strong completion rate, averaging 65.75%, means that two-thirds of listeners stayed until the end.
  • An impressive 82.59% average listen-through rate shows that even those who don’t complete the audio playback still consume most of the content.

Enhanced Accessibility

Audio articles support accessibility and create a more flexible user experience in several ways, such as:

  • Offering alternative means of engaging with your content.
  • Supporting visually impaired users or those with reading difficulties.
  • Providing options for users experiencing screen fatigue.
  • Allowing users to stay informed even during their busy days.

The data reinforces those benefits: 905,507 articles were played out of 943,509 clicks, which means that almost everyone who clicked on the player module listened to the audio version.

Reach a Global Audience

Enable language translations if you want to reach a wider audience. With Trinity Audio, clicking on the translate icon reveals a list of available language translations (such as German, French, Spanish, Chinese, and Italian).

Trinity Audio also offers a podcast distribution service, making sure you reach your audiences where they are. Audio versions of your posts are delivered to popular podcasting networks including Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Revenue Generation Opportunities

Audio articles open up multiple revenue streams:

  • Programmatic audio ads match messages to moments — delivering personalized content to find the right listener in the right context.
  • Direct ads, including radio or podcast ads you've produced, can be added to the AI-generated audio content.
  • Sponsored AI ads, through direct campaigns, blend naturally with AI “audiofied” content, creating a podcast-style experience where the “host” delivers the sponsor’s message.
  • Subscription models can offer audio as a premium feature. It also reduces churn, as enhanced accessibility helps retain subscribers. Data from Trinity Audio shows that loyal readers make up 20% of the readers and generate 80% of digital revenue.

Additional Ad Revenue Opportunities

  • Branded Player

Trinity Audio-branded player

An example of a branded player that includes a clickable link to a sponsor’s landing page and features a sponsorship audio ad that plays when users click to listen to the article.

  • Programmatic Display Ad Slot

Trinity Audio programmatic display ad slot

An example of a programmatic display ad shown when the audio player is idle after a preconfigured amount of time if no engagement is detected.

Implementation Best Practices

Our integration with Trinity Audio required just a simple JavaScript tag addition to activate the feature on a website. It’s a responsive, lightweight player that doesn’t impact page performance.

The front view shows a clutter-free audio player with a noticeable play button and a label that reads “Listen to this article now.”

Regardless of which audio solution you choose, consider the following technical best practices.

Lightweight Implementation

Choose a lightweight option so it won’t slow down your pages and, if necessary, enable lazy loading of audio resources to maintain fast page loads.

Intuitive Listening Experience

A frictionless listening experience is crucial for keeping users engaged.

  • Place the audio player somewhere immediately visible, often after the byline.
  • Implement clear audio controls and intuitive navigation that don’t disrupt the reading experience. Include playback controls such as speed adjustments.
  • Optimize for mobile or an on-the-go listening experience.

Natural-Sounding Voice

AI-generated voices have become more sophisticated. Newer models can produce remarkably natural-sounding speech. And while these voices aren’t perfect, choosing the most natural-sounding ones should be a priority.

Pronunciation

Pay special attention to pronunciation, in particular:

  • Foreign words
  • Proper names
  • Technical or industry-specific terms
  • Natural pacing and appropriate pauses

Voice Clone

Many audio solutions offer pronunciation management tools. For example, Trinity Audio has a feature called Lexicon, which lets publishers control how specific words are pronounced, either by spelling or phonetic settings.

The technology has evolved beyond basic pronunciation control, too. Advanced AI now enables voice cloning, where a human voice can be captured and replicated for audio articles. OkayMedia, for example, created an AI voice model based on their CEO, Isha Sesay, a former CNN host. By using professional recordings from Sesay’s audiobook as training data, Trinity Audio created an authentic voice model that maintains her distinct accent and delivery style.

Performance Strategy

Fine-tuning your audio strategy involves two key elements: tracking performance and adjusting your content strategy based on those insights.

Measure Success

Tracking the right metrics helps validate your audio strategy and identify opportunities for improvement. Key metrics to track include:

  • Engagement Metrics
    • Listen-through rates (how much content listeners consume)
    • Completion rates (percentage of listeners who finish articles)
    • Time spent with content
  • Business Impact Metrics
    • Subscription retention rates
    • Audio ads revenue
    • User satisfaction and feedback scores

Let data drive your strategy. Test different voices, measure engagement levels, and refine your approach based on the results. Through testing, you might find that certain voice styles keep listeners engaged longer, or that specific content types and categories perform better in an audio format.

Audio articles are more than just a tech trend. They’re a strategic response to modern content consumption habits. Implement them thoughtfully to meet your audience where they are and enhance their experience.

Curious about how we support text-to-audio technology on RebelMouse? Connect with us to chat about how we can work together.

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