So, you've spent months writing and editing, hired an expert audiobook narrator to produce a high-quality recording, and, finally, your audiobook is finished.
Congratulations! But now that your book is complete, you might wonder how to market it and get it into the hands of your target audience, or should we say ears! Like any other product, marketing your audiobook is key to its success. You need to let potential listeners know that your book exists and persuade them to give it a try.
With that in mind, I've put together some tips learned from some of my most successful clients to help you market your audiobook and give it the best chance of success.
1. Create Buzz for Your Audiobook on Social Media
One of the best places to promote your audiobook is on social media. When marketing an audiobook on social channels, you can use loads of cool features to drum up interest, foster intrigue, and create buzz.
Audiograms, an audio snippet played as a small video with a moving waveform over an image, are one such feature and offer an excellent way to market your audiobook on social media. They give potential listeners a taste of what they can expect from your book and can be easily embedded on social media posts for sites including Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
SoundCloud is another platform that allows you to create audio snippets to market your audiobook. You can link to these audio clips on social media or embed them on your website with captions such as "coming soon..." or "preview the first chapter of my new audiobook." This helps to create a sense of anticipation and excitement for your audiobook.
2. Get Book Bloggers and Reviewers to Listen to Your Audiobook
Another great way to market your audiobook is by getting book bloggers and reviewers to listen to it and write about it. This is a tried-and-tested method for marketing any type of book, but it can be especially effective for audiobooks.
When getting in touch with potential reviewers, make sure to mention that your book is available as an audiobook. This is important because many book reviewers focus solely on print books or eBooks, and might not be aware that your book is also available in audio form.
If you can't find any book bloggers or reviewers who review audiobooks in your specific genre, don't worry – you can also approach general book bloggers and reviewers and simply ask if they'd be interested in listening to and reviewing your audiobook.
3. Cross-Promote Your Audiobook with Your Physical Offering
As I sort of alluded to above, anytime you are promoting or marketing physical copies of your book, make sure to also mention that your audiobook is available.
For example, if you're listing your physical book on Amazon, don't forget to mention the availability of your upcoming audiobook in the associated marketing blurb. Other events such as book signings, author talks, and book festivals are all great occasions to market your impending audiobook release.
Remember, millions of people globally prefer to consume books in audio format, so it's essential to market your audiobook every bit as much as your traditional formats.
4. Rope in Family and Friends to Help with Reviews
Today, people don't just judge a book by its cover. They also take reviews into account before hitting the "buy" button.
With that in mind, it's essential to get as many positive audiobook reviews as possible before releasing it to the wider public. And one of the best ways to do this is by enlisting the help of family and friends.
Now, I'm not saying you should ask them to write fake reviews (that would be unethical and could get you into trouble). Instead, simply ask them to listen to your audiobook and leave an honest review on platforms such as Amazon, iTunes, Audible, etc.
The more positive reviews your audiobook has, the better chance it will have of resonating with potential listeners and selling well.
5. Offer a Free Sample of Your Audiobook
When people are mulling over whether to buy an audiobook, they often like to "try before they buy." That's why it's a good idea to offer a free sample of your audiobook before its release. This way, potential listeners can taste what your book is like and decide if it's something they'd be interested in purchasing.
There are a few different ways you can offer a free sample of your audiobook. For example, you could create an extended teaser trailer that's 60-120 seconds long (similar to audiograms, but longer) and upload it to social media or your website. Alternatively, you could make the first chapter of your audiobook available for free on platforms such as Audible or iTunes.
Lastly, if you have a blog or website, you could also embed an audio player on your site and offer visitors the chance to listen to a sample of your book for free.
6. Collaborate with Other Authors in Your Genre
If you want to market your audiobook effectively, then it's also a good idea to team up with other authors who write in a similar genre.
There are a few different ways you can go about this. For example, you could collaborate on an audiobook bundle where multiple authors' books are packaged together and sold at a discounted price. Alternatively, you could do a joint promotion or cross-promotion with another author where you promote their book to your audience, and they promote your book to their audience.
This is a great way to reach new listeners who might not have come across your audiobook otherwise. And it's also a fantastic way to form relationships with other authors in your genre.
7. Invest in Advertising
Finally, just like any other product or service, if you want to market your audiobook effectively, then you need to be willing to invest in advertising.
There are several different ways you can advertise your audiobook, both online and offline. For example, you could create an advertorial (a cross between an advertisement and an editorial) and post it on popular book-related websites. Alternatively, you could run ads on social media or even invest in traditional forms of advertising such as print or radio.
Of course, advertising can be expensive, so it's essential to do your research and figure out which platforms are most likely to reach your target audience. Then, once you've decided which platforms to advertise on, be sure to track your progress and results so that you can tweak your strategy and marketing spend as necessary.
The Key to Audiobook Success is Excellent Marketing
Getting your marketing right is critical if you want your audiobook to succeed. By following the tips and advice outlined above, you'll be well on your way to marketing your audiobook effectively and reaching a wider audience of potential listeners.
If you still haven't made your physical book into an audiobook, then there's no time like the present. There are several compelling reasons to invest in professional audiobook narration and production, and when paired with the right marketing strategy, you could see a significant return on your investment.
If you want to learn more about my professional voiceover and audiobook narration services, then please don't hesitate to get in touch. I'd be more than happy to discuss your project in more detail and provide you with a free, no-obligation quote. You can also view my audiobook portfolio here to get a better feel for my voice.
I look forward to hearing from you soon :-)
Nicky Griffiths