Preview: Seeing Sound

The podcasting industry is in a fit state, but it faces challenges with regard to the discovery of new content. How can your audience find content they cannot see?

New tools and campaigns from public radio stations are making audio content visual, allowing information to be quickly gleaned by the time-poor audience. ‘[The visuals] should provide cues to that person and answer questions for them: What is the mood of this story? Who is telling this story? Is this something I can identify with?’ says NPR’s editorial team.

Crucially, the pieces protect the intimate nature of audio conversations, adding complementary features. In May 2016 The Guardian Labs, in association with Seat, launched Inside the Mind of an Innovator. The website features an abstract interpretation of a sound wave, and animations that celebrate the voice itself.