Audible, the audiobook company, ventures into podcasts as tech companies try and get into people's ears

Spotify, Google and originators Apple are all trying to lead the spoken word audio market

Mo Farah is just one of a range of celebrities making documentaries, drama and discussion podcasts for the site (Audible)

There's a race on to get into your ears. And Audible is trying to win it.

The Amazon-owned audiobook company is just the latest to launch a new range of audio content, in the form of podcasts. It comes as Google attempts to take its spot by offering audiobooks, and other companies like Spotify launch their own podcasts.

Audible is referring to the new podcasts as "Audio Shows". But they work in the same way as podcast – they are cut down into a range of shorter episodes that are intended to be listened to in a series, and fans can subscribe and then receive new episodes when they come out.

The Audio Shows feature a range of different celebrities, including Mo Farah, Mark Kermode, Sue Perkins, Nick Offerman and more. There are 14 original series in all – taking in a range of genres such as documentaries and panel shows – with more expected to come in the future.

Unlike other podcast platforms, people will either need to pay to be an Audible member or buy the series outright to actually listen to them.

Audible has made some content that at least resembles podcasts before – it was responsible for the Jon Ronson series The Butterfly Effect, for instance, which has now made its way onto more traditional services like Apple Podcasts. But the new vertical is the first official project by the Amazon-owned company to get involved with them, and offers considerably more podcasts than it ever has before.

It comes as a range of companies try and launch their own audio content.

Google, for instance, has attempted to branch out into audiobooks to compete with Audible, and allows people to have their books read to them by their smart speakers. Spotify is also trying to get people listening to spoken word, making its own range of original podcasts as well as hosting some from outside.

Apple, which is the original podcast company and invented the word, has built spoken word content into its new HomePod. It supports the company's podcast platform but also news briefings from the BBC and Sky News, all of which can be triggered using your voice.

Amazon, which owns Audible, allows people to start their books and now podcasts by just asking its range of Echo smart speakers to do so. Alexa, the voice assistant inside of those speakers, will then start them playing.