If you don’t have time to read, try audiobooks!

Storytel streaming service, announced a Kids Mode in their app service some six months ago. As a strong entrant into the audiobooks space, with a premium content library spanning 5 languages — across 16 categories, Storytel hosts 1lac+ audiobooks and ebooks. Storytel has a subscriber base of

8 lakh globally, hosting titles for every age group across a diverse set of genres such as romance, thriller, spirituality, horror, drama, adventure, etc.

Here, Yogesh Dashrath, Country Manager, Storytel India, shares more about their offerings.

AABP: What are the subscription rates?

Yogesh: We provide a 14-day free trial and post that there is a fee of Rs 299 per month. Once you have subscribed, you can listen to unlimited audiobooks, both offline and online. There is no limit onto the audiobooks/ebooks you can consume.

AABP: Are Indian listeners open to this model?

Yogesh: Everybody enjoys entertainment. Storytel is also an entertainment app. Our subscription rates are Rs 299 to access an entire library of close to 1lac+ audiobooks and ebooks.

When it comes to payments, book lovers are more than happy to subscribe to the app. Our growing subscription numbers tell us that there is wide and increasing adoption of this format.

AABP: What are the popular genres?

Yogesh: We always see self help, personal development, biographies to be the most preferred categories in audiobooks.

When it comes to Hindi or Marathi, we see a lot of classics and thrillers being consumed. In Marathi and Hindi, classics and fiction are more preferred. Classic novels like Mrutunjay are doing very well. In Hindi, it is novels Godan or Gaban that are increasingly popular.

While in English, Business books and biographies rule the roost. In English, it is also driven by the popular titles we see in bookshelves in stores. For example, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson, or Becoming by Michelle Obama.

Moreover, in regional-languages, Stoytel originals are doing very well.These books are great to listen to with powerful narration, it is as good as a storytelling experience.Originals are a series of 10 episodes that are created and recorded in-house in our studios — the content is exclusive to Storytel. These are written exclusively to be made into audio, unlike the books, which makes the narration much more interesting and gripping. The app has audio stories narrated by Mrinal Kulkarni (Son pari actress), Vijay Vikram Singh (Big Boss Voice) who very much keep up the local flavour.

AABP: How is the kids mode faring?

Yogesh: With kids mode around, parents can let kids enjoy stories just the way they like it. A very welcoming move since our app also hosts thriller, crime etc — categories which can be sensitive for children, with a kids filter, those categories get hidden. Harry Potter is popular in India, listened not just by kids but adults as well.

AABP: What is the target audience you want to reach out to?

Yogesh: Storytel’s listeners are basically people who love stories in any format — those who want to read books/ were reader but due to lack of time are unable to do so and those who like stories in any format.

Early adopters usually fall between the age group of 25-35/40. These are light TV viewers, more present on video streaming apps and mobile for content (OTT consumers).

We also target heavy mobile users, who are tech savvy and for those whom online transactions are a habit now. Also on our radar are career driven people, who are constantly on the move, looking to improve themselves. These are people usually earning between Rs 5-15 lakhs per annum, likes to save and is conscious of money spent. They enjoy the concept of me time alone with books and appreciate high quality content/stories/books.

We, of course, cannot miss out our little audience — we have children who are also our customers, a lot of parents nowadays want their kids to have an educative entertainment and are steering away from televisions.