We already know that for many young professionals, sporting earbuds while at their desks has become quite commonplace. Not surprisingly, listening to music or life hacking podcasts while typing is pretty darn popular, but we also wanted to know what else people like to listen to while working.
While some debate whether or not listening to audiobooks counts as reading, most would agree that audiobooks are a valuable alternative to music and podcasts.
With the rising popularity of Audible and other audiobook providers, it’s easier than ever to stimulate one’s mind while doing other things. Using SurveyMonkey Audience—a powerful product that lets you target a specific demographic—we surveyed nearly 300 working professionals between the ages of 22 and 35 to better understand the role that audiobooks play in their everyday lives. How prevalent are they amongst young professionals? And when do these busy people find the time?
Let’s take a look at our data!
Just over two-thirds of young professionals did not spend any time listening to audiobooks in the past three months. However, one out of every ten listened to audiobooks more than twice a week, most of which indicated listening 5-7 days per week, on average.
Hands down, audiobooks got the most attention during commutes, with 73% of listeners using them in this way. Second place went to “while completing housework” at 33%, followed closely by “while exercising” at 25%.
It turns out that there was a fairly even split between individuals who purchased all their audiobooks (30%), purchased none (33%), and those who used both free and paid providers (37%). Unsurprisingly, Audible was the most common source for paid downloads and public libraries were the most popular for free versions.
Audiobook providers will be happy to know that at least 67% of these young professionals have already swiped their cards for these books, suggesting a healthy market with room to grow. While audiobooks may not be for everyone, our data suggests there is a strong core of loyal listeners that use them to redeem monotonous tasks and routines.
What’s your favorite way to get audiobooks? Let us know in the Comments section below.
Interested in reaching your own respondents? Visit SurveyMonkey Audience to get started today!
