by Diana Urban, February 5, 2020, reprinted with permission from BookBub
Have you actively promoted your audiobooks? From growing awareness on social media to generating a high volume of sales on audiobook retailers like Chirp, a variety of tactics can be used to market audiobooks. Audio is an extremely fast-growing segment of the publishing market. According to the Audio Publishers Association, audiobook revenue in 2018 increased 24.5% from 2017 (and unit sales increased 27.3%), totaling $940 million!
1. Announce an upcoming audiobook launch.
Before an audiobook launch, build buzz by making an announcement about the book, and reveal the names of the narrators. Getting an audiobook produced is exciting, so make a big splash with the news!
2. Announce when the audiobook is available.
Make sure readers know an audiobook is available. Even with the rise of audiobook popularity, availability is inconsistent. Sometimes an audiobook will launch simultaneously with the print or ebook editions, while other times the audiobook comes later. So don’t assume your readers will know about it!
3. Discount the audiobook and run a Chirp promotion.
Just like discounting ebooks, discounting audiobooks is an effective way to quickly generate a high volume of sales and reach new listeners. Authors and publishers can now run audiobook price promotions on Chirp, similar to how BookBub Featured Deals work for ebooks! With Chirp, listeners can sign up for their favorite audiobook genres, and each day they’ll receive an email with a fresh selection of limited-time audiobook deals they can purchase à la carte directly from Chirp. Authors and publishers alike are already driving exciting sales for their audiobook deals!
To be eligible for a Chirp deal, your audiobook needs to be available for sale on Chirp via the Findaway catalog. Once your audiobook is available through Findaway, you can submit it for a Chirp deal from your BookBub Partner Dashboard. If your audiobook is selected for promotion, Chirp sets up the discount for you, making the process super easy!
4. Tell newsletter subscribers about audiobook discounts.
If you’re discounting an audiobook, whether it’s a Chirp deal or otherwise, let your newsletter subscribers know about the discount. You might turn some loyal readers into loyal audiobook listeners!
5. Add audiobook retailer links to your website.
An author website can be a useful sales tool. Many sites include a page listing all of an author’s published books, including links so readers can easily purchase at their preferred retailer. Consider adding audiobook retailer links to these pages.
6. Upload audiobook excerpts to SoundCloud
SoundCloud is the world’s biggest open audio platform, letting anyone upload their own music or audio. (On Twitter, it’s common to see “check out my SoundCloud” or “I don’t have a SoundCloud, but…” as a quick promotional follow-up after a tweet blows up). But this isn’t just a platform for musicians! You can also use SoundCloud to host excerpts of your audiobooks and link to the retailer page where listeners can buy the full book.
7. Send newsletter subscribers an audiobook sample,
Just as you’d include a one-chapter excerpt of a novel in a newsletter, you can also include an audiobook sample! It’s a great way to get potential listeners hooked.
8. Run BookBub Ads to promote the audiobook.
BookBub Ads lets advertisers market any book at any time to BookBub’s millions of power readers, including audiobooks! These ads appear in dedicated spaces in BookBub’s daily emails, on BookBub’s website, and now in Chirp emails. Many authors and publishers have successfully promoted their audiobooks via this platform.
9. Show off the audiobook unboxing.
If you receive physical audiobooks from your publisher or have self-published, show off an unboxing photo or video on social media! Sharing your excitement helps get fans excited, too.
When A.G. Howard received a box of audiobooks for her new book from her publisher, she shared her excitement in an Instagram post. She also included a link in her bio where followers could listen to a sample.
10. Share a behind-the-scenes look from production.
Readers often appreciate a behind-the-scenes look at an author’s writing and publishing process, and that includes the audiobook production process! You can either post sneak peeks during production, or save some photos to use after the audiobook’s release.
11. Create an inventory of audiobook photography.
Just as you might stage photos of your hardcover, paperback, or ebook for #bookstagram, consider taking photos of the audiobook. There’s even a hashtag for #audiobookstagram! This can help spread awareness that an audio edition is available, and can appeal to social media followers who prefer to listen. You can also use props that clearly represent audio, such as a headset, headphone cord, or mic.
12. Share exciting audiobook accolades.
If your audiobook is nominated for or wins an award, gets a glowing review from a major publication or from a blogger who tags you, or is featured on a list, share the news with your readers and on social media! It’s a great chance to build hype for the audiobook.
13. Ask readers to request your audiobook at their library.
Requesting an audiobook (or a book in any format) at a local library is a great way for people to support their favorite authors, making the audiobook more readily available to a regional audience. So, in your next newsletter or on social media, consider asking your fans to request your audiobook at their local library! You can even make it part of your preorder campaign.
Diana Urban is the Industry Marketing Manager at BookBub, and was previously the Head of Conversion Marketing at HubSpot. She’s an expert in inbound marketing and lead generation. Diana is also an author of dark, twisty thrillers, including All Your Twisted Secrets (HarperTeen, 2020).
