One in five Americans listened to audiobooks back in 2019. In terms of sales, that’s equal to $1.2 billion dollars—a double-digit revenue growth that has been the trend in the audiobook industry for eight straight years. Audiobooks are now selling more than eBooks. So if you’re a book author, clearly the next step is to publish an audio version of your content.

Converting your work into an audiobook is not only profitable, it’s also a terrific way to reach out and engage with an entirely new and different audience. Not all book lovers like to read, so by converting your book into an audio version, you can get your work more easily discovered by a large percentage of the population.

Audiobook Production

So now the question is, how do you turn your work into an audiobook? You have two options: Record it yourself or hire a professional company to do it for you.

If you want to do all the work, you will need to invest in software and equipment, lots of time, and you’ll still need some technical expertise to pull it all off. But if you choose to go with an audiobook production company instead, they’ll take care of everything for you— from the recording and directing to proofing and audio mastering. Some will even help you distribute your work.

Choosing Your Audiobook Production Company

The right audio production company can make your story come alive and help it create a deep connection with your listener. Some things to do when shopping around for one:

1. Try out an audiobook. From the audiobook selections published by that audio production company, choose one with a story that you’re familiar with so you can judge for yourself if they managed to fully translate the essence of that specific work into audio form.

2. Listen to the samples. Does it sound professionally done? Is it clear and consistent? Can you understand everything that is being said? Listeners should never have to miss even a single syllable.

3. Check the studio. Does the audio production company employ certified technicians and sound engineers? Does it have state-of-the-art audio suites and equipment? These are all critical to getting that professionally done audiobook sound and feel. You don’t want your listeners to think that the audio form of your book is a DIY production.

4. See if the company has a wide selection of narrators with a variety of backgrounds. The narrator will be the voice that represents your story. And for it to be meaningful, the narrator has to sound authentic. The voice must capture the sound, dialect, accent, and all the unique attributes of the time and locality where the story is set in.

A good audiobook production should be able to transport you, as the listener, inside the story and make you feel as if you were there.

5. Look at the reviews. It helps if you can check the reviews and portfolio of the audio production company and see if they are good to work with. They should also be able to handle simple to complex pieces with speed and professionalism.

6. Can they distribute your work? This is optional, but an audio production company that can also provide distribution services is a major plus. The company will take on all the work of placing your audiobook on digital retail platforms all over the globe, taking the load off from you.

You tell the story, and we’ll give it a great voice.

Lantern Audiobooks by Lantern Audio Productions is a client-focused company that works with independent authors and publishers of all sizes. We’ll create a listening experience that will keep your audience captivated from chapter to chapter.

See the difference an award-winning audio production company makes. Drop us a line at contact@lanternaudio.com or call us at (678) 733-9487.