Audiobooks are the new darlings of the publishing industry. In fact, audiobooks are currently the fastest-growing segment of the digital publishing world, accounting for more than $2.5 billion dollars in 2017 — a 32 percent increase over 2016. Over that same period, more than 26 percent of the U.S. population listened to an audiobook. Plus, in a recent survey, 77 percent of frequent listeners “agreed” or “strongly agreed” that listening to audiobooks “helps you finish more books.”
What’s more is that publishers are equally excited — the Association of American Publishers reported a 33.9 percent increase in the number of audiobooks published in 2017 vs. 2016.
Part of this increase is simply that listening to audiobooks is an enjoyable experience. Fans of the medium appreciate how audiobooks allow you to do other things while listening and that you can enjoy them wherever you are — in the car, at home, on your phone. Plus, for a lot of us, it’s just fun being read to.
Not so fast. Here’s why that assumption is incorrect.
Leave a Reply