Today, audio is a much more important part of our daily lives. Whether it's podcasts, music, radio or even books, our ears are increasingly solicited. We've long been accustomed to the visual, but audio seems to be taking a more important place in our lives. This change is largely due to the fact that the exchange of emotion is more intense when spoken. And brands are well aware of this, since many of them have already adopted this means of communication. But do you know what it does to your brain? And why is audio so widely used in 2022? We'll shed some light on these questions for you in this new article.
#Audio and our behavior
Depending on what our ears hear, our body reacts. If we hear an alarm, we panic; if we hear our dog barking in front of the house, we worry. Every sound we hear provokes a psychological reaction in us, whether good or bad. The link between the sounds we hear and our behavior explains these reactions.
Take music, for example. You listen to it almost every day, but you probably don't know what it does for our brains. First of all, when we listen to music, all our neurological circuits are activated in our brain. This activity releases dopamine into our bodies. This hormone gives us a feeling of happiness. Secondly, it has been scientifically proven that music makes us work on our memory. Indeed, music stimulates memory-related brain regions such as the hippocampus. Music is also used in the medical field, as with Alzheimer's disease, to reduce anxiety and stimulate memory. It's called music therapy. Of course, we don't realize all these reactions when we put on our headphones. But our brains are always busy!
In short, it's important to remember that hearing plays an important role in our information process, our security and the enrichment of our emotional experiences. To convince you, a human being can close his eyes but not his ears, which says a lot about the importance of hearing. For human beings, hearing is an important sense. Without it, communicating with others, orienting ourselves in our environment and perceiving a person's emotions in their voice become complex if not impossible tasks.
#Audio and our emotions
As you saw coming, there's another link. It's the one between what our ears hear and our emotions.Audio allows us to convey emotions through words, thanks in particular to the tone and vibrations of the voice.
University College London analyzed the emotions of people who were first asked to watch a striking scene from a film. In a second phase, they were asked to listen to the audio of the scene. It turned out that emotions were more intense when the testers listened to the audio of the scene. Higher body temperatures and faster heart rates were recorded. Audio narration was also found to be more captivating than visual narration. Audio appeals to the emotions. That's why audiobooks are so popular. By 2021, more than 1 in 5 French people had already listened to an audio book.
Telling with the voice creates a special bond with the listener and makes it easier to convey the message you want to convey. If someone addresses us with a contemptuous tone, we'll feel it, and it will offend or anger us. On the other hand, if someone addresses us with enthusiasm and positivity, we'll feel the same way. So, as you can see, the best way to convey emotion and authenticity in your story is to use your voice.
#Audio in our daily lives
You don't have to look far to find audio today. Just pick up your phone and open an application like Snapchat or WhatsApp to send and listen to audio messages. This isn't a new feature, but it's becoming increasingly popular. In fact, WhatsApp is planning to improve this feature by making it possible to listen to a voice outside the conversation with the person concerned and, in addition to this, it will be possible to pause while listening to or recording vocals.
Podcasts are also on the ascendancy, and are growing steadily on a multitude of platforms. Spotify is one of the top 5 platforms for listening to podcasts, with 400 million users. You can listen to this audio anywhere, anytime, without moderation. It's undoubtedly this formula that has won over so many people. It is estimated that nearly 200 million podcasts are listened to every month in France.
As we mentioned above, audiobooks are also very much in the news. They make up for the lack of time to read, and allow you to follow the story of a book while doing something else.
Siri, Alexa or Google Assistant are names that speak to you? It's only natural. Voice assistants are increasingly present in our homes. No longer do you need a screen to put on music or do an internet search, all you have to do is use your voice.
There are still many other audio media, such as radio or even audioguides in museums, but the important point is the place that audio takes in our everyday lives and the practicality it brings.
#A new trend
Audio hasn't always been as central to our lives as it is today. It's only in recent years that there's been a real boom in audio, thanks in particular to the development of asynchronous conversations with leaders Snapchat and WhatsApp. Other applications, such as Twitter, are also planning to take the plunge and offer this now essential feature.
More than just a fashion statement, audio has been able to develop thanks to new technology, more specifically audio equipment, smartphones and 4G. Nowadays, we all have access to audio content wherever we are. It's also this advantage that makes audio a new trend. The massive use of connected objects such as connected speakers has also boosted the audio boom. Digital players had better adapt to consumer behavior and follow this new trend if they don't want to be overtaken by their competitors.
In a society where the screen is increasingly criticized, audio is making its mark. Visual fatigue, migraines, loss of concentration and sleep problems can all be avoided by turning to audio. What's more, at a time when the environment is becoming a priority for society, audio is favored over the screen. It's worth noting that video ads consume a lot of energy, whereas audio uses fewer resources, with lighter files.
This raises the question of whether consumers will end up preferring audio, which will eventually replace screens.
#A marketing tool
Audio has also become a real marketing tool for brands. During one of your shopping sessions, you've probably already heard music playing in the store. It's one of the most widely used techniques, with 71% of retailers broadcasting it. So what's the point? Firstly, it lures you into the store by creating the right musical atmosphere. Secondly, it enhances your shopping experience. For example, you'll be entertained if there are a lot of people at the checkout. According to a study by the Beausoleil agency, customers find waiting times shorter when music is played in the store. What's more, more than 8 out of 10 French people listen to music every day. This technique therefore helps to keep customers' bearings within the point of sale.
Audio is also used in other marketing strategies. No more paper shopping lists! There are voice-assisted applications to help us draw up our shopping lists. Monoprix was the first to launch, thanks to its partnership with Google. The aim is to focus on the customer experience and simplify it as much as possible by offering voice solutions. Already, 1 third of consumers use voice assistants to buy everyday products. Major companies are innovating in this field, such as Google, which is working on voiceprint identification. Other solutions are under development, such as credit card payments controlled by our voice.
#Brands are on the move
More and more brands are beginning to see the value of involving audio in their marketing strategies. Among the major brands that have embraced audio is Audible, the world leader in audio content creation, with over 400,000 visitors a month. There's also the Hermès podcast "Le faubourg des rêves", which immerses listeners in the world of this luxury brand. This podcast gives a voice to designers and reinforces the brand's image with consumers.
Ekoo understands that ears are the eyes of tomorrow. That's why Ekoo offers professionals the chance to talk about their products themselves, through audio, as well as buyers to talk about their experiences and sellers to talk about their top sellers. So when you're looking for a product on the Internet, you can hear people talk about their stories and the product itself. This system provides authentic opinions that will help you better understand the product you want, and give you confidence in your purchase.
So are you going to try it out?
