Amazon Audible Review

Amazon Audible used to be all about the audiobooks, however, in recent years it has become an app more dedicated towards podcasts with hundreds of thousands of podcasts on its vast catalog.

We admit, it is hardly Spotify when it comes to podcasting, but it is growing more and more.

However, if you enjoy listening to podcasts, or you are thinking about making one, what does an Amazon Audible membership have to offer you?

Is Audible worth it? Should you stick to Spotify like everyone else seems to, or is the Audible app actually worth a shot?

Some would think yes, since their video streaming service does so well, and they are well known for their audiobook service.

But! Don’t jump the gun just yet. Let’s talk about this!

Books To Podcasts

Back in 2020, Audible noted they were adding over 100,000 free podcasts to their Audible library that were already available on other streaming platforms.

You didn’t even need a subscription for these.

Audible then launched Audible Premium Plus, which gave listeners the ability to access original audio content for less money.

The thing is with an Audible account, they charge for the subscription when people have this plan.

So, much like Audible books, would you make that much from it?

What Is Audible?

Let’s talk about this. What is Audible? How does Audible work?

Well, they have over 300,000 titles for books, and they are the world’s main seller and producer of audiobooks too!

ALSO SEE: Podcasts Vs Audiobooks

Now with all these podcasts under their wing, you could say they are hot on the audio.

They are owned by Amazon, or are part of Amazon’s many streaming services.

For those who want to listen to books and podcasts, using this service gives you free credit which allows you to redeem for whatever you wish to listen to.

However, if you want to produce podcasts, it is a different story.

How Does It Work?

Podcasts are hot to trot, but there are so many platforms to choose from, Audible is one of them.

Podcasting does not have a high barrier for you to get into it.

You just need a little equipment, it barely costs anything, and it can be a great way to spread your voice, tell stories, and get ideas into the world (also see, ‘Best Podcast Starter Kit‘).

It is pretty good, but there is little much in the way of a roadmap.

With Audible, the process, much like with their book publishing service, is pretty simple and there are countless guides.

ALSO SEE: How To Get your Podcast On Audible

Do Your Research & Pick Your Niche

Before you start up your podcast, you need to do your research (also see, ‘How To Choose A Podcast Category’).

You first want to look at competitors, and start listening to podcasts in a more, strategic way, less about the fun side, but consider what everyone else is doing.

Figure out your idea, and listen to others, figure out how others are listening to them, what the idea is for them, and what the interesting aspect is to their podcasts. (also see, ‘Podcast Questions Every Host Should Be Asking‘)

If you fancy, even listen to podcasts about podcasting!

But, you need to do plenty of research (which is why you are here most likely) and then pick your niche, or the other way around, you need to research your niche too!

Formatting & Name It

You will need a format for your podcast. This means looking at interviews, narratives, or if the podcast is conversational and informative.

What is the genre? Then come up with a name for it. The name should be in theme with what the podcast is about.

The format will also help you to name your podcast.

Naming your podcast makes it more real, makes it more exciting, and you can create a short pitch that will help you to connect your target audience with the concept behind it as well.

ALSO SEE: Types Of Podcasts – Different Formats For Podcasters

Recording

Recording it is usually the part that holds us back, but thankfully you do not need a sound studio to make a podcast.

The main thing you need are some podcasting microphones, but an audio interface or mixer will be ideal as well.

A play and play mic works just as well, and you can focus on the content itself (also see, ‘Can You Use A USB Mic With An Audio Interface?‘).

However, if you want a decent sound a condenser microphone, an adjustable boom stand, and a pop filter is all you need.

Editing

Editing is the next step, you will need to edit your podcast before it is done.

You can pay for a pro service or do it on a budget, if the latter applies to you then you will want to seek out Audacity, which is a super easy editing software for free (also see our comparison post on ‘Oceanaudio vs Audacity‘).

Just remember, editing is where the magic happens, you edit out time-wasting tangents, make transitions smooth, but be careful of editing out little off-topic side pieces which can be unscripted and interesting (also see, ‘Best Podcast Editing Software‘).

Your listeners want to remember you’re human.

ALSO SEE: What Specs Do I Need For Podcasting and Editing?

Audible & Publishing

Now you have completed the standard bit of podcasting, we have to get into the bit where you publish it through Audible.

Audible is pretty simple, you will need to set up an account with them however, and make it colorful.

Much like any seller on an Amazon platform, you need your account to be appealing to listeners, so they WANT to listen to your podcasts.

Audible & Advertising

This is the interesting part. Amazon does have its own advertising and marketing abilities, which you do pay for.

This can be advantageous if you want to take advantage of this.

They will promote you and advertise you for a cost according to a plan you craft in a simple fashion.

However, you can also make use of social media and invite participation from your audience, and have guests on your podcast.

But most of all be consistent, in whatever regard you choose.

Is It Worth It?

We would say that Audible is worth it. It might not be Spotify, which is probably the most popular or common platform.

However, Amazon has its perks, they do have a lot of content on their site giving advice to potential podcasters.

Amazon Audible also has a lot of offers. You can earn a commission with them.

If you promote their Audible trial membership plan in your podcast, you will get a $15 commission for each trial that is generated as a result of you doing so.

You offer them free audiobooks, you do not actually need to sell anything, and you can make a bit of cash from doing so.

This is one of their biggest perks.

Pros

• Trial membership commissions.
• Easy payments.
• Large audience base.
• Simple uploading.
• A lot of help in creation.

Cons

• Less traction than Spotify.
• Takes a lot of time and effort.
• Amazon does not have a great reputation.

What Do Podcasters Think?

Podcasters do seem to like Audible, to a point.

It is a good platform to get heard on, and they have got the commission plan going for them if you want to earn a bit for your efforts.

The help pages are also very good for beginner podcasters. However, there is one gripe.

A lot of people do have a bit of a gripe with the organization of Amazon, especially if they need to contact customer service.

While some don’t mind their reputation, there are a large enough number of people who do, and avoid it because of this.

Audible is being run by Amazon, and their reputation is much worse in comparison to other alternatives like Spotify who are also big on podcasts.

This means that while you can get many listeners through Audible, there may not be as many as you might get on Spotify.

It does depend on your topic though. There have also been reports that some people struggle with the way it is organized.

It can be hard to find shows you want as a listener, and reordering episodes in playlists can be a bit heavy.

While there is no exact dislike of Audible, there are some downsides to it.

Audible Vs Spotify: Battle Of The Platforms

Now, the question everyone is asking is, which is the better podcast platform? Spotify or Audible? Well, here is the real clincher.

For many years Audible had one one-up on Spotify. Audible audiobooks were the main thing, but not anymore.

As 2022, Spotify has announced they will be entering the realm of audiobooks.

How this will go down is yet to be seen, but their entrance into the market could see the subscription service competition go up in droves with Audible.

Check out what we discovered:

• Podcasts available on Spotify: 4,000,000.
• Podcasts available on Audible: 100,000.
• Podcast listeners on Spotify: 32,500,000 (per month).
• Audible Listeners (books and podcasts overall): 300,000,000.

To Conclude

Overall, we cannot say if Audible is the best option for you. It depends on your tastes.

Audible has only just breached the realm of podcasts, so it is a pretty new ground in comparison to other sites.

It also depends on your audience, realistically, you should go where your audience is. However, in terms of numbers, Spotify does better in some regards. Audible does not realize how many listeners they have for podcasts, so while their number is high, it remains suspicious.