Tools for Audiobook Discovery and Growth: Insights from the ACX Author Summit

In May 2025, we held the ACX Author Summit, bringing together audiobook authors to explore ACX and Audible's latest product innovations and top discovery strategies. We're sharing the key learnings from our sessions on how these updates can help you grow your audiobook business. In our growth and discovery panel, Audible product and product marketing leaders shared valuable insights on audiobook listener trends and behaviors, to help creators make more informed and strategic decisions for their creative business and marketing efforts.

Understanding Today's Audiobook Industry

The audiobook market is experiencing unprecedented growth. The Audio Publishers Association 2025 Consumer Survey reveals that "51% of Americans aged 18 and older, an estimated 134 million people, have listened to an audiobook." Even more promising for creators, interest among non-listeners is surging: "38% say they are interested in audiobooks, up from 32% last year, with the number of those very interested nearly doubling from 10% to 18%." Among this rapidly expanding audience, Audible remains the preferred listening service.

ACX's Growing Impact

The numbers tell an impressive story of growth and opportunity for independent creators:

• 31% of Audible's entire catalog now comes from ACX titles

• 339,000+ titles have been created through ACX since 2011

• Nearly 40% increase in listening hours for ACX titles in 2024

Tools for Creator Success

Author Profile Pages

Your Author Profile Page serves as your homepage on Audible—it’s where listeners can go to view all your titles at a glance, learn about you as an author, and follow you for updates on your audio catalog. Maximize your impact by:

• Maintaining updated headshots, bios, and social links through Amazon Author Central

• Encouraging listeners to follow you—they'll get notifications of your new releases, and Audible may recommend you to listeners who follow similar authors

Promotional Codes

Creators of exclusive Audible titles automatically receive 50 codes per title (25 for US, 25 for UK), available for both new releases and backlist titles, which they can access and track through ACX. Promo codes are another great tool for discovery and growth if used to drive reviews and engagement for your audiobooks:

• Drive honest reviews - Send fans a code in exchange for an honest review. Reviews can be instrumental in driving listener interest in your new audiobook, and their impact is more significant than you might expect. A 2024 Business Wire study indicates 54% of consumers are putting their trust in online reviews first—outweighing the opinions of friends and family (24%), company claims (18%), social media influencers (2%), and media reviews (2%). You can even publish your favorite reviews in your marketing materials!

• Encourage listener engagement - Compel your listeners to take an action, like signing up for your newsletter or filling out a survey by offering a free copy of your audiobook as a perk. Here are some good guidelines to follow when offering codes as incentives:

  • Always state upfront the exact code quantity - "Only 5 codes available!"

  • Clarify it's first-come, first-serve

  • Use countdown updates when possible such as "2 codes remain!"

  • Communicate any specific regional restrictions and set a firm end date regardless of remaining codes

  • Update all promotional materials immediately once codes are exhausted to prevent participant frustration

Growing Your Audience on Audible

Ready to help shape the future of ACX? We're looking for creators to join our early access and beta testing initiatives below. If you're interested in being part of these exciting developments, reach out to us at the email address provided. Early Access to Audible’s New Royalty Model

• Earn royalty rates of 50% for exclusive, 30% non-exclusive content

• Submit list prices within Audible's suggested range that align with your goals

• Enroll content into an all-you-can-listen offering for increased visibility

• If interested, reach out to earlyaccess@acx.com

Voice Replica (Beta)

• Expand your audiobook catalog with the Voice Replica beta to produce more titles quickly

• Test audience appetite with Voice Replica. New to audio, or have titles in your backlist you want to try? Voice Replica is a great way to get started with audiobook production.

• Email acxbeta@acx.com with interest to learn more about this service

What This Means for Your Strategy

Key opportunities:

1. Think cross-genre: Your listeners likely consume multiple genres—consider readers outside your primary category who might still connect with your content

2. Leverage multiple discovery paths: From author following to promo participation, diversify your visibility strategy

The audiobook industry continues its rapid expansion, and ACX authors are at the forefront of this growth. By understanding your audience, optimizing your presence, and leveraging tools and opportunities, you're well-positioned to reach more listeners than ever before.

For more learnings from the first ACX Author Summit, check out our recaps of the panels on audiobook marketing strategies or writing and producing immersive audio.