Spotify is letting authors market like musicians

This week, Spotify introduced a brand new function to let audiobook authors and publishers tease their new releases. Countdown Pages, which debuted for music artists final yr and has been utilized by the likes of Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift, let followers pre-save an upcoming title and have it pop into their library when it’s launched. The web page is adorned with a big countdown clock — with a timer happening to the second — to get listeners excited. The function’s not revolutionary, however it’s in step with how Spotify differentiates itself as an audiobook supplier.

Getting forward of a brand new audiobook is fairly normal. On conventional platforms like Audible, you may preorder the title, and it’ll present up in your library on launch day. However most individuals consuming audiobooks on Spotify are doing so by way of premium streaming moderately than as a purchase order, breaking the normal launch mannequin. Mixed with the promo web page and countdown clock, the function permits authors to have interaction in fandom in a means that’s extra typical of music than publishing. It’ll launch in mid-April.

I think about this gained’t be the final music-style function we see added to Spotify’s audiobook vertical. After a bumpy begin, the image of what the corporate’s method to audiobooks appears like is getting clearer. That doesn’t imply the whole lot will work — I’m notably skeptical of the audiobook-only tier that prices solely one greenback much less than a daily premium subscription. However to this point, the info does point out that Spotify is increasing the market.