In recent years, podcasts and other audio content have become much more popular. Here are the 4 reasons why I like audio content as a substitute for text on websites:

People retain what they hear better than what they read. Our eyes need a break from the screens!
Your listeners can multi-task or do something relaxing while they listen to your clip.
It's easy to set up - with a good mic, headphones and a user-friendly app, you can create high quality recordings.
There are few things that pique a person's curiosity like the human voice !

Is it worth paying a professional reader to narrate your content? Yes, if you feel that you have neither the time nor voice quality to do so. You'd want a clear reading voice. A voice with modulation and good diction. And one that doesn't sound monotonous or overly "sale-sy". Also, content counts. So tell it like a story -- perhaps start with a real-life case or client situation (without mentioning names, of course). People love stories, so paint a picture. One that showcases how you've been of service to your clients.

But equipment counts just as much. This means you'll need:

a good external mic (don't rely on the built-in one on your computer - you're not going to get the sound quality you need)

a good recording-editing app that allows for noise reduction and other editing requirements. There are quite a few recording apps which are extremely user-friendly and which offer excellent playback quality. Some of them can be downloaded for free, so try them out

headphones that allow you to hear what's being recorded, as it's being recorded

You don't have to provide audio clips on everything, but having a few available can add variety and freshness to your content. In fact, these days, it's almost a given that visitors to your website would expect you to have multimedia available.

So, if you placed an audio file on your website with a "Click to Listen" button, you might be pleasantly surprised by how many people actually do!

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