Editor’s note: As we wind down 2018, the Local Media Association is looking at some of the biggest trends of the year and sharing much of what is working in that space. This week, we take a look at smart speakers.

2018 trend: Smart speakers

Smart speakers are blowing up. The statistics are eye popping.

According to data from Edison Research, the consumer growth with smart speakers has reached pretty unbelievable levels. A few numbers that Convince and Convert nicely packaged up here:

• 18 percent of the US adult population owns a smart speaker.

• 75 percent of those who own a smart speaker have had it for less than a year, showing just how new these devices are for consumers.

• More than 50 percent of owners of smart speakers are using their device more now than they did when they first bought it.  

In an effort to showcase the opportunity and how media companies are using them, we have rounded up a variety of interesting reading:

The opportunity in front of publishers

Digiday: News publishers and smart speakers, a hot new platform

Folio Mag: Publishers learn about smart speakers

What’s New In Publishing: From search to smart speakers, why voice is too big for media companies to ignore

Business Insider: News publishers and the opportunity with smart speakers

Medium: Why publishers should pay attention to the rise of Alexa and other smart speakers

Editor and Publisher: Newspapers are given a new voice through virtual assistants

Twipe: How publishers are experimenting with audio

Reuters: New report on voice and the implications for news

INMA: Future of smart speakers for media looks promising and profitable

Radio and smart speakers

Inside Radio: Smart speakers success step one: Make sure your station is found

Current: How public radio is using Amazon’s smart speakers

Insider Radio: Alexa skill still needed for local stations

RBR: Is radio smart enough to keep up with smart speakers?

How companies are reacting

Local Media Association: Where Spoken Layer sees voice content going

Ad Exchanger: Al Jazeera finds its voice on smart speakers

Media Shift: What GateHouse Media is learning from its experiment with Alexa 

Technically DC: The Washington Post has a new way to get your morning news

Scripps: Scripps brings local news to Alexa

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Get LMA’s report on smart speakers

You can download our white paper looking at how media companies are attacking smart speakers.