How to Promote an Audiobook in the Modern Age
The audiobook industry is in the midst of exponential growth. More people are listening to audiobooks than ever before. Therefore, your new audiobook is in a prime position to reach more ears than was previously thought possible. Whether your audiobook is a conversion of your print book or an audio original, your promotion is crucial.
Your promotion can take any form you want it to take. You can hold events and post on social media, but whatever you do, make sure it feels authentic to you. Whatever your book is about, you can tap into an interested market eager to listen to it.
Cloverly Audiobook’s Support
Publishing with Cloverly Audiobook puts everything your interested listeners need into one easy spot. We also launch initial marketing materials for you as you embark on your audiobook promotional journey. From here, people can find your audiobook for sale on Apple, Audible, and Amazon. You can browse our recent releases to see what you can share with your audience.
Here at Cloverly, we have a team of professional press release writers who craft individualized releases for your new audiobook. These releases provide an overview of the content of your book and where to buy it and are distributed through a global distribution service. A real person custom tailors the press release to your new audiobook.
Our new releases will be announced via posts across our social media platforms — Linkedin, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Also, we will create a short promotional video announcing your book that can easily be shared. This is just a baseline of material that gives you a jumpstart on your journey.
Share with Your Pre-Existing Readers
The first audience you should share your audiobook with is the readers of your print or digital book! This is your built-in fanbase that will be the most eager to listen to an audiobook. The value of engaging your already-existing network of readers is immense. It can motivate their passion for your book and urge them to share it with others.
You can share the news of your audiobook’s release across mediums, whether in person or online. Doing so will recapture this existing audience while working to expand it further.
Promote Within Community Organizations
When looking to expand your audience, a natural starting point is those in communities with you. These groups can be faith based, affinity based, book clubs, sports, or anything else in your life. Promoting within these groups who already know you is an easier task than finding completely new people. For example, at a regularly-scheduled meeting, you can play a sample of your audiobook.
You can also target your outreach efforts to groups that would be of particular interest to your book. A faith-based audiobook, for example, would be a natural fit for a Bible study or Church group. A children’s audiobook could be shared with a school or library for specific events. Either way, feel free to reach out beyond the groups you already are part of. Branch out into new spaces!
Posting on Social Media
In this day and age, social media is the most important marketing tool in your arsenal. Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, X, or YouTube are some of the most common platforms today. It is increasingly important to gain traction across social media platforms to increase your success as a writer. The platforms you engage with readers on can depend on your comfort level, but feel free to learn new ones. Friends and family or online resources can help you learn new social media platforms.
Your content you should post will be dependent on the platform you are using. Regardless, for audiobook releases, clips of your audio are going to be the most successful in finding new listeners. To prepare the clip or clips you want to use, select a passage of your audiobook you are exceptionally proud of. Once you have these clips, you can share them as you please.
Customize the content for each website; do not just post your audio clip with nothing else. On Facebook or X, you could include a longer post about your process and what drew you to the material. On TikTok or Instagram, you can easily incorporate video content with it. Whatever you decide to post on social media, make sure it will be enticing to the audience you are seeking.
Further, do not forget to ask your listeners to review your book on online retailers. That is the surest way to boost your audiobook’s presence online with reviews from real listeners.
Throwing an Audiobook Launch Party
You should celebrate when you release your new audiobook — it is a big accomplishment! By hosting a launch party, you can both celebrate your achievement and court new listeners. Your party can be as big or small as you want, but you should definitely include a listening component. Give your attendees a taste of the work you have dedicated so much time into. If your guest list is limited to personal acquaintances, they will be proud to hear the fruit of your labor. If you open the party to the public, this is a golden opportunity to find new listeners.
While a traditional book launch would feature hard-copy copies of a book, an audiobook released through Cloverly will not have a physical option. Therefore, make sure to provide an easy way for the audience to purchase your book on their personal devices. Never let an opportunity to sell more copies pass you by.
Getting Support from Friends and Family
The process of promoting your audiobook may seem daunting, but you do not have to do it alone! Before your audiobook is released, ask a group of friends and family to help you tackle this highly-important time. Upon release, these people can help you with creating content for social media and sharing it on their own networks. This provides an immediate boost to the visibility of your work. THey can also help you with planning and coordinating any events you may host for your audiobook. As long as you include trusted friends and family in your “launch team.”
