It’s been a couple of years since we last answered some of publishers’ burning questions about promoting audiobooks on NetGalley. Now, with even more data to draw upon, we’re excited to share updated recommendations for audiobook publishers!
How early should I add my audiobook to NetGalley?
As early as possible! In most cases, we’ve seen that publishers are uploading their audiobooks to NetGalley within one month of pub date. This makes sense for most audiobooks, where the final file is not available until very close to the release date. However, if you have a highly-anticipated title, consider building extra buffer time into the production schedule to take advantage of a longer pre-pub marketing timeline. This can help you piggy-back the audio format alongside the earliest marketing and publicity efforts for a simultaneous hardcover release.
67.5% of audiobooks are added to NetGalley 30 days or less prior to the pub date.* However, if you have a highly-anticipated title, consider building extra buffer time into the production schedule.
In the chart below, you will see that a small selection of titles were added to NetGalley much earlier than one month pre-pub.
How long should my audiobook be available to NetGalley members?
3-4 months is our recommendation for audiobooks to remain active on NetGalley. Generally, the longer you keep an audiobook active on NetGalley, the more impressions it will receive, and we’ve seen that 90 – 120 days of activity is the sweet spot! Right now we’re seeing that most audiobooks are active on NetGalley for only 2 – 8 weeks but, based on our data, activity continues to grow all the way up to 4 months. Keep your audiobooks active for longer so you don’t miss out on members who discover and request a copy in those additional few weeks!
Audiobooks that are active on NetGalley for 90-120 days receive the most impressions, on average.
How can I drive more activity for my audiobook on NetGalley?
In addition to the organic interest that’s found on NetGalley, there are a number of ways to drive additional activity:
- Widget: The NetGalley Widget is the quickest and easiest way to invite your key contacts to access your titles. Simply include the widget link in your pitch email and use our template language to ensure they have all the information they need to get started right away. This tool is included as part of your NetGalley subscription.
- Detailed Activity & Feedback Reports – Use your Detailed Activity and Feedback reports for comp titles to identify key contacts who may be interested in your new title, and invite them to listen using the NetGalley widget. These reports, and more, are available on demand within your account.
- NetGalley Promotions – Audiobooks can be included in any NetGalley promotion, from email promotions like newsletters and eBlasts, to on-site promotions like Category or Dashboard Spotlights, Featured Title placement, etc. There are also a number of audio-dedicated promotions available throughout the year. The link above suggests options based on specific goals like gaining overall exposure, introducing a new imprint, or driving activity during a particular time period. You can also view our Media Kit to see more information about open and click rates, editorial calendars, and pricing.
Audiobooks can be included in any NetGalley Promotion!
What should I expect from NetGalley members’ audiobook reviews?
In our article, How to Write an Audiobook Review, we recommend that NetGalley members discuss a number of audio-specific features in addition to commenting on the content of the book. For instance, we ask them to focus on the narration, discuss how the audiobook flows, mention unique elements like music or if it is a full-cast recording, and share a specific recommendation.
Members are highly likely to submit audiobook Feedback on NetGalley and share it widely with their audiences.
The Feedback Rate** for audiobooks is 58%, which continues to be higher, on average, than it is for digital review copies (36%). This means that approved members are highly likely to submit Feedback on NetGalley and share it widely with their audiences. We are thrilled that NetGalley members continue to embrace the audio format.
Remember, you can always follow up with approved members to encourage them to share their Feedback! Take a look at our template language here, and best practices for reaching out to NetGalley members.
**Feedback Rate is calculated based on the amount of overall Feedback submitted divided by the number of approvals (of any kind).
For more information about audiobooks on NetGalley:
- August 2024: Kristina Radke speaking about Audiobooks on NetGalley, on the BookSmarts Podcast
- June 2024: Audiobook Month NetGalley Update
*Data is based on audiobooks created on NetGalley.com between July 1 2023 – June 30 2024 unless otherwise noted.
