By thevyvymangaa 
If you are living in 2025 and are still unaware of the existence of audiobooks, then we’re sorry, but you are pretty outdated. Audio books are the coolest invention of the early 1900s, where they were initially called the ‘talking books’, introduced for people with reading disabilities and veterans.
However, they soon grew popular, and now even the young generation had started to like them. This meant the world needed more authors, narrators and audiobook publishing services. So, to satisfy the hunger of book lovers, the market has kept growing, and was at more than £1.5 billion in 2024.
6 Steps of Selecting the Right Audio Book Publisher
The first step of hiring audio book publishing services in the UK is understanding what production quality they are offering. You need to choose a service that emphasises high-quality narration and a professional tone, which is necessary to make the script feel appealing. In addition, the service you hire should know about the recording technicalities. You can ensure it by picking a platform that offers not just good recording facilities, but also thorough editing and mastering services.
The second step is to pick someone with a broader distribution network. It allows your audiobook to reach a larger audience through almost all platforms and digital stores. Moreover, the agency you pick can be any of the mentioned, such as Audible, Google Play Books and Spotify. They are all tried and tested for maximum exposure. You can also opt for distribution at the libraries, like Hoopla.
Once done, the third step is to worry about the financial terms. You can start by comparing the royalty percentages that they have offered with those of other services. This way, you can ensure a higher income. Besides this, you also need to understand the pricing structure, rights management and the hidden costs, if any. Not talking about the flexibility in rights and pricing can result in you not being able to adapt to market trends.
Step four is to look for the ease of use. Having a user-friendly platform that can significantly simplify the audiobook production and publication process. This is something you should be running after. Then comes the support system; if your publishing services are not supporting you enough throughout the process and you cannot count on them, then it is a waste of money.
Step five is the other consideration that you need to take care of while hiring book publishing services. For instance, the sales potential, the existing marketplace, and the marketing support. Number one, you should always pick the audiobook agency after understanding whether or not they can handle the genre and length. Number two, make sure that the agency is experienced, and number three is that, make sure you are hiring a service that will give you marketing support.
Once all these things have been taken care of, the sixth step is to place an order, but before you sign it, take a comprehensive look at the terms and conditions of the contract.
What is an Audiobook?
An audiobook is a soundtrack of a manuscript read out audibly. This practice of listening to stories allows the listeners to enjoy the story to the fullest, without even the need to open their eyes. They can just keep on listening and imagining, however and whatever they like.
Usually, the narrator who reads the book is someone professional and knows how to do their job using appropriate intonation and expression. So, if you are feeling interested, visit the nearest bookstore, ask for CDs, stream live or virtually download the audible novels.
How Did This Production Process Evolve Over the Years?
The ways an audible story is published started with traditional publishing. This version required the rights to publish the script, and the publishing agencies would tackle the whole process from production to distribution. Then came the specialised audiobook publisher. They were experts in this niche and could manage everything from recording, editing, to distribution.
Not long after, the market was captured by self-publishing platforms. For example, Acquired and ACX by Amazon. These platforms could directly broadcast their audiobooks within hours. Finally, the direct-to-customer platform like Amazon’s Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX) allowed authors to keep the entire control them.
The Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Who is dominating the audiobook market in the UK?
Speaking of the United Kingdom, the platform Audible, which is a subsidiary of Amazon, runs the best. It is a strong competitor of Kobo, Bookbeat, Google and even Apple.
Q. What is the average cost of producing one script?
In the big city, the cost of publishing an audio script can vary significantly. However, a fair estimate is somewhere between £250 and £500 per finished hour of audio. The price keeps changing due to factors like the narrator’s experience, the complexity of the script and the royalty-share.
Q. Does the publishing of these books require a license?
Yes, rightfully so. Whenever an audiobook is published in the UK, the owner has to have a license or permission from the copyright holder. The publisher needs to obtain these rights before they create and distribute the audiobook.
Q. What is the bestselling audiobook of all time?
- The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins
- The Perfect Divorce by Jeneva Rose
- Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
- The Tenant by Freida McFadden
- Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
The Summary of Choosing an Audio Book Publisher
The journey of choosing a publisher for your audiobook is quite simple and just down the road if you pay attention. You need to start looking for the most reliable audiobook publisher by considering factors like their expertise, production quality, distribution reach, royalty rates, and support services.
You can also research different platforms, including traditional publishers and audiobook production companies, to make sure which one best suits your needs and financial terms. Last of all, pick only the agencies and platforms that offer professional narration, broad distribution, and transparent pricing. This way, you save yourself from cheaters and frauds.