NEW TOOLS

Audiobook Authors and Publishers Get a New Suite of Tools With the Launch of Spotify for Authors

November 26, 2024

Spotify’s audiobook catalog brings more than 300,000 titles—and counting—to the ears of listeners around the world. Now we’re launching a new platform to offer more for the authors and publishers behind the audiobook content we all love. Introducing Spotify for Authors.

Much like Spotify for Artists and Spotify for Creators, the new Spotify for Authors platform empowers authors and publishers with better tools and data to maximize their success on Spotify.

For publishers

We have worked alongside publishers to develop impactful tools that deliver better insights and growth for publishers and authors alike. For publishers, Spotify for Authors expands on the catalog management and royalty reporting currently offered in Passport, with insights and analytics to help them better understand their audiences and catalog consumption on Spotify. The platform also provides promotional tools to help publishers enhance their presence on Spotify and expand their listener bases.

For authors

For authors invited by publishers, Spotify for Authors offers direct access to industry-leading insights, as well as growth and promotional tools to help them grow their listeners and catalogs, including:

  • Aggregated age and gender demographics that provide more insight than ever before, to let them know who is listening to their content on Spotify. 
  • Redemption codes to share royalty-free copies of titles with reviewers, superfans, and collaborators (if enabled by their publishers).
  • Promo cards to generate professional and shareable social assets for their titles in just one click.
  • Early access to author profiles, a new feature rolling out to Spotify so fans can easily discover more about the authors behind their favorite books.

For the Record caught up with Owen Smith, VP of Audiobooks Product and Technology at Spotify, to learn more about Spotify for Authors and what this new platform means for the people and teams behind the audiobooks listeners love.

What makes Spotify for Authors unique in the publishing industry?

We believe that one of the best ways to support authors and publishers is by giving them access to the right tools and data. With Spotify for Authors, we’re giving our partners across the audiobooks industry more comprehensive insights and marketing features to make the most of their presence on Spotify. 

This platform is unique for the industry because it is built to support any author or publisher — we’re not gating any features or limiting them based on exclusivity. Our aim is to push the entire industry forward for the benefit of all authors and publishers, and we believe they need the right tools and technology to reach their maximum potential. We’re just beginning to roll out access to Spotify for Authors but are eager to see the impact a platform like this can have for publishers and authors of any size.  

How will Spotify for Authors help publishers and authors reach new audiences?

The more we give rich and granular insights to publishers and authors, the more they can understand their audience and make strategic decisions about how to market their audiobook. For example, they can now see the age and demographic info of who is listening to their titles on Spotify, and also what genres of podcasts they’re listening to. This is important because podcasts are a big part of any book’s release campaign and ongoing success—so now they will have a better sense of what kinds of shows to target. I’m also excited to see authors leverage redemption codes to promote their titles and draw in new and existing fans. 

How will Spotify continue to innovate and update its audiobook offerings?

With audiobooks, we know Spotify can uniquely reimagine the format, and Spotify for Authors is the foundation on which we’ll expand the much-requested creative options for authors and publishers. We have a lot in store for audiobooks on Spotify in 2025: bringing our partners better tools and more insights through Spotify for Authors so they can connect more authentically with their readers and fans, building richer and more dynamic experiences for listeners (like our follow-along experience we’re currently testing), and enhancing our discovery and cross-promotion efforts across content verticals to introduce new audiences to the format. 

Lastly, I’ll say: We’ve worked closely with authors and publishers to develop Spotify for Authors, prioritizing what to build based on their feedback and needs, and will continue to iterate and partner with them along the way. So, if you’re an author or publisher using our tools, please send us your notes! 

Today’s launch is just the first step as we help authors and publishers reach new audiences, connect more deeply with their fans, and drive listening. 

Spotify for Authors is available in all Spotify markets, enabling authors and publishers to utilize Spotify’s tools regardless of where they publish from. Publishers can access Spotify for Authors with their Spotify logins and can invite authors to join at authors.spotify.com. We will be expanding access to authors using Findaway Voices early next year. 

If you’re an author or publisher, visit this link to learn more.