The audiobook market is booming, but most first-time audiobook authors make the same marketing mistakes. These aren’t creative failures, they’re strategic blind spots that anyone can fix!
The audiobook industry has grown by double digits annually for the past several years, reaching a projected $9+ billion in revenue worldwide in 2025. Yet I watch authors with amazing stories struggle to see sales for their audiobooks because of completely preventable mistakes.
Based on my own experiences from listening to around 200-250 audiobooks every year for at least the last 10 years, from being an audiobook blogger since 2018, and from talking to many fellow audiobook fans and authors, I’ve put together these 5 marketing mistakes I see over and over again.
We audiobook fans truly appreciate when you go to the length of producing your book in audio format, but you need to understand how to reach us and what we are looking for. That is what will set your audiobook up for success!
Mistake #1: Treating Your Audiobook Launch Like Your Ebook Launch
The Problem
Authors assume their existing ebook marketing strategies will work for the audio format as well. They target the same audience with the same messaging, use the same promotional tactics, and mention audio format as a footnote.
But this is the No. 1 among audiobook marketing mistakes!
Why This Fails
As I mentioned in my essential tips guide, audiobook listeners are a distinct group, and you need to treat them as such! Listening to audiobooks is an intimate and personal experience, and many audio fans listen to audiobooks exclusively.
We have different consumption habits, listening while commuting or multitasking versus focused reading. We also have different discovery methods.
Many of us are “narrator motivated,” meaning we’ll buy books specifically because our favorite voice actor narrated it.
And we don’t follow publishing news. We follow audiobook publishing news!
Pattern I See Repeatedly
Authors promote their audiobook to their established social media following using the same strategies that worked for their ebooks.
They get good engagement metrics but poor sales conversion. Then they discover audiobook-specific communities, places where people discuss their favorite narrators and share listening recommendations, and suddenly see dramatically different results.
The Fix
- Create audiobook-specific marketing materials that put the format and voice front and center
- Target audiobook audiences specifically
- Mention narrator credentials in marketing copy
- Use audio teasers instead of text snippets
- Ask your followers about their favorite narrators and which narrator they would cast for your book
Mistake #2: Ignoring the Power of Your Narrator’s Platform
The Problem
Authors see narrators as hired talent rather than marketing partners. They don’t research the narrator’s social media presence or fanbase during the selection process, missing out on narrator-motivated sales entirely.
Why This Matters
I cannot stress enough how important the narrator choice is! Beyond their performance skills, a popular narrator is also a promotional investment. They bring their own platform and fanbase, who will buy your audiobook because they narrated it.
As I always say, the budget for a popular audiobook narrator partly comes from your marketing budget.
Scenario Example
Picture this choice: You’re deciding between two equally skilled narrators. Their voice fits your character, they have an engaging narration style.
One has 50k social media followers who regularly post about their audiobook projects and tag the books they’re working on. The other has no social media presence but charges slightly less.
Which investment makes more sense from a marketing perspective?
The Fix
- Research potential narrators’ social media presence during selection
- Ask for narrator promotion clauses in contracts
- Coordinate launch announcements with the narrator’s content calendar
- Share and amplify the narrator’s promotional posts
- Consider the narrator’s fan base when setting your marketing budget
Mistake #3: Wasting Promotional Codes on the Wrong People
The Problem
Promotional codes are a limited good! Once your audiobook is published, you will likely receive free codes from Audible and possibly other stores.
And you might think that you have no interest in giving your expensive audiobook away for free, and just leave your codes unused. Or you want to throw the codes out there for some quick reviews.
Why This Fails
Your free audiobook codes will be a hot commodity! Random code recipients rarely reach (or turn into) paying customers. Review farms and freebie seekers don’t build a genuine fan base. Untargeted distribution dilutes word-of-mouth impact entirely.
Pattern Examples
The Scattershot Approach: I see this constantly, authors post their promotional codes on “free audiobook” sites where anyone can grab them. The codes may be used up, but months later, there are few meaningful reviews and no word-of-mouth buzz.
The Strategic Approach: Compare that to authors who research established book bloggers in their genre, reviewers who regularly cover similar titles, and listeners who engage thoughtfully with audiobook content. These targeted recipients are far more likely to provide detailed feedback and genuine recommendations. In addition, you have codes left over for a sweepstakes that will create buzz among your followers!
The Fix
- Create a strategic code distribution plan
- Target established reviewers and influencers in your genre
- Use codes for relationship building, not just review generation
- Track code recipients and their engagement
- Save codes for fan giveaways that build community
- Don’t request reviews when giving codes to fans, that’s a bad look!
- Take big publishing houses as an example: They carefully monitor their reviewer pool, then give them access to free review copies as a courtesy.
Mistake #4: Using Your Ebook Cover Without Audiobook Optimization
The Problem
Authors upload rectangular ebook covers to square audiobook platforms, text becomes unreadable when shrunk to thumbnail size, and the cover doesn’t signal “audiobook” to browsing listeners.
It’s an unpolished look that gives listeners the idea that your audiobook was not professionally produced.
The Technical Reality
People judge a book by its cover! Audiobook covers are square and require design adjustments to match the format. The cover is the first thing many people see of your audiobook!
From my experience browsing audiobooks, most of this happens on mobile devices with tiny thumbnails. If it looks like someone made it with Microsoft Paint, they will likely scroll on.
Penguin Random House can get away with very lazy covers that just add colorful bars to the left and right of the ebook cover because many of their books find buzz outside of the audio world.
But just because the by far biggest traditional publishing house does it, doesn’t make it a good idea that anyone else should adopt!
Visual Impact
What looks great as a 6×9 rectangle often becomes unreadable as a small square thumbnail. Typography that’s clear on a book spine disappears on mobile screens. A professional, eye-catching cover, on the other hand, makes listeners more likely to click through and check out your blurb and sample.
The Fix
- Talk to your cover artist about redesigning covers specifically for square format (don’t just crop!)
- Increase font size and contrast for mobile readability
- Add the narrator to the cover
- Test thumbnail visibility across different devices
Mistake #5: Launching Without Understanding Audiobook Discovery
The Problem
Authors assume their audiobook will sell and catch on just by telling their existing ebook audience about it They don’t optimize for audiobook-specific search behaviors and ignore narrator-based discovery methods entirely.
How Audiobook Discovery Actually Works
From my years of browsing and buying audiobooks, I’ve noticed that many audiobook listeners search by their favorite narrator first, then discover new authors through voice actors they trust.
We rely heavily on audio samples and spend considerable time evaluating them before purchasing.
Social media algorithms show us content that focuses on “audiobook”, not just “book”. And many of us react to visual queues, like a headphone graphic and a square image on our Facebook timeline, indicating that this is audiobook-related content.
The Fix
- Research audiobook-specific keywords (not just ebook SEO)
- Optimize for narrator name searches
- Ensure your sample pulls listeners in right away
- Make sure listeners can sample all narrators if you use multiple
- Create social media content that targets audiobook listeners
- Double-check that your full blurb is visible on all platforms
The Audiobook Marketing Mindset Shift
Successful audiobook marketing isn’t about working harder, it’s about understanding that audiobook listeners are a unique audience with specific needs, behaviors, and preferences.
Many audiobook fans listen to an audiobook a week, some even to 2, 3, or more, preferring an audiobook over watching TV or reading other book formats. Audiobooks are a lifestyle!
The authors who avoid these mistakes don’t just sell more audiobooks, they build lasting relationships with one of the most loyal audiences in publishing.
Audiobook listeners who love your work will follow you for years, buying every new release and recommending you to friends. They’re worth the extra effort to reach properly.
Action Steps
- Audit your current marketing plan against these 5 mistakes
- Research audiobook-specific communities in your genre
- Create an audiobook marketing timeline separate from your ebook strategy
- Invest time in understanding your narrator’s platform and audience
- Develop audiobook-specific promotional materials
Want a complete step-by-step system that avoids these audiobook marketing mistakes and helps you build your author career in the audiobook market? My comprehensive Audiobook Production & Marketing Guide will be your trustworthy companion each step of the way!
Eline Blackman (pronouns: she/they) fell in love with books as a child – with being read to and reading herself. 10 years ago, she bought her first Audible book. It was love at first listen! An average of 250 audiobooks per year has become the new normal and you will rarely see Eline without a wireless earbud. Romance and Fantasy are the go-to genres for this audiobook fan.