The pandemic saw a significant rise in readers but many are turning away from physical books and embracing audio as their medium of choice.
A survey by BookNet reports 60 per cent of people who participated in the survey said they read at least one book in the past month.
BookNet Canada is an organization that conducts market research and develops technology and analysis for the book industry.
In our fast-paced world, where everyone is always connected online, storytelling has taken on a new form that people like — audiobooks.
More and more people are getting into audiobooks. It’s changing the way we enjoy stories. Unlike regular books, audiobooks give a special and immersive experience.
The number of people who listen to audiobooks has increased in the last few years.
A Pew Research Report found one in five Americans listen to audiobooks.
While there has been a certain decline in the readership of printed books, there has been an increase in the audiobook listeners.
The trend is not limited to the United States alone. The Publishers Association reported that one out of five British book buyers have shifted to audiobooks.
The primary audience has been the adults between the ages of 18 and 44.
The reason behind the surge in the number of audiobook listeners can be associated with the convenience it provides.
People can listen to audiobooks while doing their daily chores or while driving. It helps while multitasking, which is what everyone in this busy world is doing.
The pandemic saw a rise in non-fiction readers as self-help books sold more than fiction books.
All the self-help book readers are switching to the audio format, thus increasing the number of audiobook users.
Beyond the convenience of multitasking, wireless earbuds and Bluetooth headphones make it even more enjoyable to dive into audiobooks, whether at a cafe or working out.
Reading from screens can be tiring, and there are so many distractions, so audiobooks offer a different way for people to enjoy stories without straining their eyes.
It’s like having someone tell you a story while you go about your day.
In a survey by Wordsrated, 23 per cent of Americans listened to at least one audiobook in 2021, which was 15 per cent more than in 2020.
The growing trend of audiobooks is not just a temporary thing. It is changing how we enjoy stories.
Audiobooks might not become as popular as regular books or ebooks in the near future, but their growing popularity is a big change in how we consume literature.
We will have to wait and see how this new way of storytelling continues to shape our reading habits.