Thomson Reuters amplifies their SEO with audio

Thomson Reuters is a global leader in providing services and information to industries that require accuracy, speed, and reliability. 

In early 2024, they partnered with BeyondWords to transform how their audiences engage with their legal directories, FindLaw.com and Abogado.com.

In this post, learn how Thomson Reuters leveraged AI voices to enrich interactions with their customers, drive engagement, search engine performance and accessibility.

Improving reader engagement with new formats

In recent years, as attention has moved away from primarily text-based articles to content that incorporates audio and video, publishers globally have had to adapt. 

The ability to listen has become particularly appealing as we spend more time multitasking and wearing headphones. In fact, between 2018 to 2023, daily listeners of spoken audio increased by a huge 17% in the US.

The team at Thomson Reuters developed a strategy in response to these changing habits.

“Who wants to read?!” said Amelie Collins, Product Innovation Manager at Thomson Reuters. “Audio makes our articles more appealing, especially for busy professionals who might not have time to sit and read. It’s a practical way to meet our audience where they are—whether they’re commuting, exercising, or multitasking.”  

Since launching audio articles on Abogado.com and FindLaw.com, the results have been overwhelmingly positive. 

On average, listeners on Abogado.com engage for 3 minutes and 6 seconds—approximately 4x the average time spent with the average news article.

“More than 80% of our Abogado.com visitors are using mobile devices. The mobile friendly BeyondWords audio player allows our users to engage more with our site while they are on the go.” Collins said.

Audio for SEO 

To drive traffic to their legal directories, Thomson Reuters relies on search engine optimization.

They recognized that offering an alternative way for their readers to engage with articles would boost overall dwell time—a factor closely tied to better search engine performance.

In a recent study, we found that listeners are 32% more likely to engage in multiple sessions than non-listeners. Furthermore, listeners visit 19% more pages than non-listeners. 

Improved average time-spent and lower bounce rates send positive signals to search engines helping to improve page rankings. 

“We’ve seen double digit percentage increases in clicks and visibility from search engines and return visits to content where we have added the BeyondWords player. More surprising, we’ve seen over a 200% increase in organic search engine traffic and visibility since we have added the audio player to all of our blog posts.”

Audio can also help reach a wider audience of those who prefer to listen on-the-go, further increasing site traffic. 

Essential accessibility standards

Lastly, for Thomson Reuters, ensuring the highest level of access to legal insights is a top priority. Access to accurate legal information is essential for professionals to provide sound advice and empowers consumers to make informed decisions about their rights and responsibilities.

To ensure that their insights are accessible to all, Thomson Reuters adheres to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 standards.

Adding audio was essential to maintaining these standards and confirming the BeyondWords Player met the specific functionality was a key acceptance criterion.

To achieve this, our teams collaborated closely to enhance the player’s functionality, upgrading keyboard controls to ensure full WCAG 2.1 compliance.

Collins added “At BeyondWords questions and problems are not only answered and solved, they are welcomed in the true spirit of improving the product.” 

We’re always eager for the opportunity to collaborate more closely with our customers—not only to solve issues but to refine and enhance our product continually to better meet their evolving needs.

To learn more about how publishers globally are using audio to develop stronger ties with their audiences, head over to our blog, or drop us a line at [email protected].