A Note About Freedom
As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of our Constitutional democracy, and at a point when that democracy faces severe threats from around the world and our own administration, I invite you to stand and hold a light with me. The ultra-wealthy hold a tremendous and outsized amount of power. But we the people also have power and need to recognize and remember that. We get to choose where we spend our money and what business models we support and utilize.
I hear many authors say the words that Amazon has propadandized into our culture: “Everyone buys on Amazon.” Not true. If it were, we would not have over 60 audiobook channels to choose from. Also, increasingly consumers are waking up to the fact that their spending choices matter and serves as a vote. We vote with our dollars every day.
Let’s stand together as creators and for creators, shining a light to show the way. Together we can create an economy that reflects our values and supports each other.
The Future of Audiobook Success
Over the past three weeks, we’ve explored ACX’s new royalty model, the implications of exclusivity, and the uncertainty surrounding future earnings.
If there’s one lesson that emerges from all of it, it’s this:
The creators who will be in the strongest position moving forward are the ones who build direct relationships with their listeners.
Not because every platform is bad.
Not because Audible is going away.
Not because subscription models are inherently wrong.
But because every platform can change.
And eventually, every platform does.
The Real Asset Isn’t Your Audiobook
Most authors think their audiobook is the asset.
It isn’t.
Your greatest asset is your relationship with your audience.
That relationship is why people buy your audiobook. Initially, they may find your audiobook and get curious enough to buy. As they learn more about you, the relationship grows. This can happen by seeing your picture, viewing your author page, visiting your website, reading your bio and credentials, or hearing about your audiobook from a friend.
Word of mouth is where sales magic starts to happen, and it’s still the top way audiobook fans choose their next listen. A loyal audience can generate sales for years, because of you.
An audiobook can be affected by platform policies.
A loyal audience will follow you wherever you go.
An audiobook can get buried by an algorithm.
A loyal audience already knows where to find you.
The strongest businesses are built on relationships, not transactions.
The Hidden Cost of Platform Dependence
Many creators spend years building success on a platform they don’t control.
Then one day:
The algorithm changes.
The compensation model changes.
The visibility changes.
The rules change.
And suddenly they discover that what they thought they owned was actually borrowed access. That’s true for all social media platforms and retail sales channels.
That’s why diversification matters.
Not because you need to abandon one platform.
Because you should never be completely dependent on one platform.
What Does a Diversified Audiobook Business Look Like?
A healthy audiobook business includes multiple ways for listeners to discover, engage with, and purchase your work.
That might include:
- Direct sale online platforms like AMPlify Audiobooks™
- Standard retail platforms
- Library distribution
- Direct sales, such as back of the room sales at events
- Your website—linking to a direct-sale platform for fulfillment
- Email marketing
- Social media
- Events—online and in person
- Audiobook clubs
- Reader and listener communities
Each channel strengthens the others.
Each relationship creates additional opportunities.
And each additional connection reduces your dependence on any single company.
Community Is the Missing Piece
One of the challenges facing many authors today is that platforms excel at transactions but often do very little to help build genuine relationships.
A listener purchases a book.
The transaction ends.
But what if that’s where the relationship begins?
What if listeners could (read on and you’ll discover they now can):
- Share reflections
- Join discussions
- Attend author events
- Participate in audiobook clubs
- Connect with other listeners
- Discover new books through trusted recommendations
Community creates engagement.
Engagement creates loyalty.
Loyalty creates sustainability.
Why We Created AMPlify Audiobooks™
This is one of the reasons we created AMPlify Audiobooks™.
We wanted to create a place where listeners, authors, narrators, and publishers could connect in meaningful ways.
A place where authors could build relationships rather than simply collect transactions.
A place where discovery happens through community as well as algorithms.
A place where creators earn more, while having more options and more control—and built-in tools and options that make marketing fun. Imagine! (That’s exactly what we did!)
Because ultimately, success isn’t just about selling one audiobook.
It’s about creating a sustainable ecosystem that benefits everyone involved.
Your Next Step
- Is the platform I depend on today aligned with and supporting the growth I desire?
- Is it providing me with the tools I need to connect with and grow my audience?
- Am I so happy with my current royalties that I don’t need to consider an option that would 2-4x those royalties?
If the answer is yes, you’re on the right path.
If the answer is no, now is the perfect time to begin building additional pathways to reach your audience.
The future belongs to creators who own their relationships, diversify their opportunities, and remain adaptable in a changing marketplace.
AMPlify Audiobooks™. Because books should bring us together in ways that help us all thrive.
