Yesterday sold on CD, the audio book takes advantage of our smartphones and tablets to offer a real rebound.
With 800,000 new readers/listeners in France in 2021, the sector is fueling the desire for new platforms.
By the act or by subscription, the audio book seduces passionate readers who continue to buy printed books, but also more and more young people who do not necessarily read.
It is simple, effective and well in tune with the times.
Because it makes it possible to gain some on an activity which generally takes some: reading.
“In our crazy lives, the audio book finally gives back the possibility of READING!
“says Hélène Mérillon, head of the Nextory France platform.
Preface: a real revolution underway
You heard it right!
A new wind is blowing in the world of reading.
The audiobook is revolutionizing.
Formerly on vinyl records, then on K7 and CD, the book read aloud is now available on smartphones and tablets where it is most often listened to with headphones or earphones.
For their part, the little ones already have it in their own way, with storytellers, like Faba or Merlin.
Chapter I: 800,000 new readers in 2021
Previously reserved for a few platforms, listening to digital “audio books” is also becoming more democratic with the arrival of new players and attractive subscription formulas.
20 Minutes
pushed the doors of these new digital bookstores, which are increasingly numerous on the market.
“6.6 million French people now listen to audio books, a figure that is up 20% per year,” says Constance Parpoil, European editorial manager at Storytel.
800,000 new readers would have converted to audio books in 2021!
“The health crisis has accelerated the trend,” confirms Hélène Mérillon.
"We are witnessing a rejuvenation of the readership, with audiobook readers who are on average between 36 and 39 years old, compared to more than 46 years old for printed books", adds Valérie Lévy-Soussan, CEO of Audiolib.
Chapter II: Reading in Action
Does this tempt you?
Several formulas are proposed.
First there is the reading to the act, as with Apple Books.
Thanks to this application, it is possible to buy an audio book individually, like
Cher connard
, by Virginie Despentes at 20.99 euros… Audiolib, a subsidiary of Hachette Livre, has opted for a similar offer.
Surrender
, Bono's memoir book (the singer of U2) can be downloaded there for 32.45 euros.
The price charged is slightly higher than that of the paper book.
"We have fixed costs that we will amortize over fewer copies", justifies Valérie Lévy-Soussan of Audiolib.
The sales ratio of a printed book to an audiobook would be one to twenty…
Alternative, pay-as-you-go audio playback, but on subscription.
This is the credo of Audible (subsidiary of Amazon), the leader in the sector, which, for a subscription of 9.95 euros per month, allows you to select the audio work of your choice.
This model is also that of Kobo, with a proposal (9.99 euros / month) compatible with its readers, but also smartphones and tablets.
On paper (if one can say so!), the principle of such offers is interesting.
All the books (the file of which will be kept) are at the same price.
But if you don't like the selected book after listening to a few chapters, you have to wait until the following month to change it...
Chapter III: Subscription to the hourly package
New players, such as Storytel, Nextory or Bookbeat have imagined subscription offers based on hourly packages.
“It's rather virtuous and likely to reassure publishers.
And this improves the discoverability of catalogs by readers,” notes Valérie Lévy-Soussan, CEO of Audiolib.
In concrete terms, subscribers to one of these new platforms choose their reading time.
At Nextory, packages are 9.99 euros / month (up to 15 hours of reading, or at least two audio books);
14.99 euros (up to 30 hours) and 19.99 euros (up to 50 hours and on four screens simultaneously).
"The subscription is the distribution model of the future, capable of attracting young people", predicts Hélène Mérillon, of Nextory.
"This corresponds much more to the way we consume culture in 2022", confirms Serge Torossian, Country Manager France at Storytel, which offers offers of the same type.
Listening to unlimited audiobooks is rare, but it does exist.
At YouScribe for example, for 9.99 euros/month.
But its offer is mainly dedicated to students, teachers and the youngest.
It's hard to find the bestseller of the moment.
Chapter IV: Towards completeness?
The depth of the literary offer could also make the difference between all these platforms that buy rights.
And completeness is not yet required.
Will the available content be identical on all platforms in a few months?
“I am not for exclusivity which would consist in ceding rights to a single platform”, insists Valérie Lévy-Soussan of Audiolib.
To differentiate themselves, some platforms also produce their own content.
Storytel has just launched ten new erotic audiobooks.
The platforms' ability to recommend will also be crucial because, even if the great literary novelties are popular, certain genres are emerging in the top listening: romance, personal development... Works of knowledge, such as culture manuals, are also popular in audiobooks.
"It is also because we are proactive that we seek out small publishers who may not be of great interest to global platforms", notes Hélène Mérillon.
Small publishers who do not have all the means to hire actors and technicians, nor to rent a studio, to record audio books… “This market needs to get off the ground so that more and more publishers are recording.
We are committed to quality,” says Valérie Lévy-Soussan.
10 to 12,000 audio books in French would exist for the moment...
Afterword: Waiting for the new greats…
The market is therefore still under construction.
For its part, the democratization of the audio book could raise fears for the paper book.
No panic: according to the Sofia/SNE/SGDL Barometer on the use of digital and audio books (March 2022), 98% of audio book listeners read printed books.
54% say they buy as many printed books as before, 28% more than before (18% less than before).
And new players, such as Spotify, which launched in the United States with fee-for-service purchases, should be invited to other countries.
Apple, he could review its formula by passing ... to the subscription.
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Young people, frequent listeners
Listening to audio books is increasing among young people: 21% of 15-24 year olds and 21% of 25-34 year olds have already “read” an audio book.
Audiobook listeners enjoy their hobby at home (38%), at bedtime (29%), in their car (22%), during leisure time (22%), on vacation (21 %) and during household chores and transportation (20%).
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