If you caught our last post by Kiffer Brown featuring Joanna Penn’s tips on revenue streams for authors, you may have picked up on the fact that one of those revenue streams should be audiobooks, if it isn’t already. As of 2014, audiobooks grew to a $2 billion industry. Authors should want to share in that revenue slice of pie…

And thanks to Goodreads, owned by Amazon, who also owns Audible, now it’s easier for readers to choose their next audiobook with the new “Listen” feature, which is rolling out in the coming days. Goodreads has added free audio samples for 180,000 Audible titles to the Goodreads website, where they’re available to all 30 million+ Goodreads members. 

The new Listen feature is easy to use. Simply look for the Listen icon on the Goodreads book page. Click on the Listen icon and the audio sample will start to play. You can listen, pause, and resume the sample. There’s no need for any special software – the sample will play within your browser.

If you like what you hear, you can add the title to your “Want to Read” shelf. For Goodreads members in the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, or Australia who are not yet Audible members, you can take advantage of their free trial! Once you click on the Listen icon, you will see a link to the trial. Sign up and you’ll receive two free audiobooks plus a 30-day free trial of Audible.

The new Listen feature is so far only available on the Goodreads.com website on your computer or laptop. It is not yet accessible via mobile web or our apps. But, says Goodreads, “we’re working on getting to that as soon as we can!”

Need to turn your own book into an Audiobook? Visit this link at www.acx.com – you can choose to narrate your own book, or hire a narrator, either outright, or for a percentage of your audiobook sales!

Already have an audiobook? We’re keen to hear how it’s selling and what percentage of your overall sales are from this untapped revenue stream!