Audiobook publishing is a great way to expand your reach and increase sales. But you need to know what you’re getting into.
There are many options for audiobook distribution and production services, from one-stop self-publishing shops to agencies that offer complete support. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at some of them and discuss the pros and cons of each.
ACX
ACX is a self-publishing platform that makes it easy to create and distribute your audiobooks. They also offer royalties that are lower than those of other distributors. However, there are still a few things to consider before you publish your first audiobook.
First, you need to decide whether to make your book exclusive or non-exclusive on ACX. This decision is important because it determines which distribution platforms your book will be available on.
An exclusive deal means that your book will be distributed on Audible, iTunes, and Amazon only. This can be an attractive option for authors who want to control the sale of their audiobooks but don’t have the time or expertise to make their own audiobook.
If you choose to distribute your book on ACX as an exclusive deal, you’ll receive 40% of the profits from each sale on these platforms. But, that may not be enough money to pay for your production costs and cover the expenses of marketing your book.
A non-exclusive deal, on the other hand, allows your book to be distributed on Audible, iTunes, and other platforms. This will result in a lower royalty rate of 25 percent, but it will allow you to distribute your book on other outlets and territories, including library sales and promotional services like Chirp.
Regardless of which distribution model you choose, it is essential to promote your audiobook to drive sales and reviews. You can do this by distributing your audiobook with promo codes and using social media to spread the word about it.
Another way to promote your audiobook is through podcasts. This is a growing medium and there are plenty of opportunities to get your books featured on podcasts, which can be a great way to reach a new audience.
In the meantime, you can still sell your audiobook through KDP and other traditional platforms. But don’t forget that audiobooks are an entirely different market and require a different strategy for success.
To upload an audiobook, you need to create an account on ACX. Once you have an account, you can start uploading your audiobook files chapter by chapter and fill in the appropriate information about your book. This process is very simple and takes just about 5 minutes to complete.
Author’s Republic
Author’s Republic is a distribution platform that specializes in audiobook publishing. It offers a wide range of services for audiobook authors and narrators. Its features include easy royalty payments and a free ISBN.
It also has an online bookstore, which is great for self-published authors who don’t want to deal with traditional bookstores. It also provides clients with a variety of marketing opportunities, including book fairs and book reviews.
The website offers a simple, easy-to-use portal that lets you sell your audiobook to listeners through Audible, Amazon, iTunes and other digital audiobooks outlets. It also offers a dashboard that makes it easy to track your sales.
Aside from distributing your audiobook to major retailers like Amazon and Audible, you can also choose to distribute it to libraries. This will help you earn more royalties on the sale of your audiobook to library patrons.
You can also make your audiobook available for pre-order before it is finished. It’s also a good idea to proof-listen to the audio sample before uploading it to ACX. This way, you’ll be able to catch any mispronounced names or slang words that may cause confusion for your listeners.
Once you’ve completed the process, you can submit your audiobook to ACX. You’ll need to follow their submission guidelines, and ensure that you use the correct chapter numbers. Once your audiobook is approved, you’ll be able to market it on your website and social media platforms.
It’s also a good idea to sign up for giveaway codes, which will give your readers free promo code to download the audiobook. These codes are offered to listeners for a limited time, and you can then promote them through email or other social media channels.
Audible has a liberal return policy, which allows listeners to exchange their audiobooks. However, this can be a hassle for Authors and narrators. It is especially frustrating when you’ve spent a lot of money to promote your audiobook and then see it get returned within a few days.
Author’s Republic aims to solve this problem by offering a wide array of marketing tools. These include a book video, radio interview and author video interview. It also has a marketing dashboard to monitor your sales, which helps you focus on the most profitable markets.
PublishDrive
Audio is the fastest growing format in self-publishing and is a great way to increase your overall revenue streams. With an estimated 193 million people listening to audiobooks every month, there is a huge audience waiting for your work.
Having an audiobook professionally produced is a great way to stand out from your competition, and it also helps build trust and credibility with readers. There are a number of companies that can help you get your book out there, but you’ll need to decide what’s right for you.
A full-service audiobook company like Scribe is a good choice because it takes care of everything from production to distribution. This includes a narrator, an editing engineer, and a quality control engineer. They also provide you with marketing resources, including an email list of buyers who have listened to your work.
The process of producing an audiobook can take several hours, especially if you’re trying to create an epic novel. That’s two to three times longer than creating an ebook. That’s not to mention the time it will take to find and hire a sound engineer, edit your manuscript, and upload it to various distributors.
If you’re willing to spend the money, a professional production company can save you a ton of time and stress, and will give you an audiobook that’s as high-quality as it can be. In addition, a full-service company will help you make sure your audiobook is ready for distribution in all major stores.
There are a few big names in the traditional publishing world that have their own audio imprints, and these can be a good option for Authors who want to have their books professionally produced. These include Macmillan, HarperAudio, and Penguin Random House Audio.
These audiobook publishers typically acquire titles from Authors represented by a literary agent. They have a wide range of genres, from business to children’s books.
PublishDrive is an audiobook distribution service that reaches hundreds of online stores and libraries, including Audible, Kobo Writing Life, and Libby/OverDrive. They offer a variety of options for distribution, and their pricing is affordable.
Soundwise
Soundwise is a self-service audiobook publishing platform that helps coaches, authors, and entrepreneurs sell and deliver audiobooks to their audience. It offers a host of features to help you market and sell your content, such as secure audio hosting, in-browser recording, automatic editing, built-in sales pages, payment processing, and analytics down to the individual listener.
One of the most appealing things about Soundwise is that it allows you to keep 100% of your profits. It is a good alternative to traditional self publishing platforms, like Audible ACX, which take 40 to 60 percent of your earnings, while also charging you high transaction fees.
Another reason that Soundwise is a great choice for authors is that it allows you to charge whatever price works for your book. This allows you to experiment with different strategies, such as price promotions, bundles sales, limited time discounts, and exchanges for listener reviews.
In addition, it allows you to create free chapters for listeners who want to try your content before they commit to purchasing. This allows you to build an audience that you can sell more audiobooks to in the future.
It also lets you set up landing pages for each chapter, which can be helpful if you don’t have a website or you just want to target people who are interested in your book. You can even send them to a dedicated page where they can listen to the first chapter for free before they decide whether or not to purchase it.
Finally, Soundwise gives you an app that lets your listeners download your audio programs to their devices and enjoy them wherever they are. This is especially important if you’re a coach who wants to reach your audience on the go.
The app is easy to use and can be downloaded on iOS and Android. It lets you play and pause your content, speed up or fast forward it, and download it for offline listening. You can also leave comments and appreciations for your listeners, which can help you build a community around your audio programs.