Amazon started to put advertisements in audiobooks that can potentially indicate a change within the industry. The limited testing is being conducted on a select user base, currently reserved for non-paying members for its subscription services.
(Photo : Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for Audible at SXSW)
AUSTIN, TEXAS - MARCH 10: A general view of the Audible Sound Studio as seen on March 10, 2023 in Austin, Texas.
Ad-Supported Access in Audiobooks
Audible is testing ad-supported access to selected titles in the platform, dedicated to non-paying members for its subscription services. According to a report from Engadget, this test will be limited for now and will not be applied to subscribers.
Ads will pop up while listening to traditional audiobooks, podcasts, and Audible original content. As per the company, providers were informed of this change to give a chance to opt out of advertisements.
Audible will be limiting a maximum of eight ads within a 24-hour period per title, regardless of what title the user is listening to, and has taken additional measures and updates to make sure that ads in audiobooks will be balanced and will not be heard too frequently within a short period.
While this may not seem bad for some users, it does set a troubling precedent for many consumers. Adding advertisements on its platform is one of the company's dedication to continuously optimize how they deliver audio programming to its users.
The company noted, "From time to time, Audible tests new products and services to gain knowledge about the evolving needs of our customers and partners." Testing this feature may potentially lead to adding an ad-supported tier.
As of the moment, no confirmations were announced by the company regarding this possibility as these tests intend to understand the evolving needs of their consumers and partners in the industry.
Testing Locations
The company is conducting the tests in a few different regions without revealing and specifying. But TechCrunch reported that the United States might be included in one of these regions, given that the help page was published on Audible's US website.
Adding this access is not that surprising as Audible already talked about exploring the possibility of ads on its platform. The company confirmed a few years ago that it was testing ads internally but did not go live with them.
Audible Offerings
BGR reported that Amazon rolled out these tests about a week after announcing that it will release over 40 titles in Dolby Atmos for the first time in audio experience audiobooks.
Currently, the Audible Plus membership plan costs subscribers $7.95 per month. This comes with a selection of Audible originals, audiobooks, sleep tracks, meditation programs, and podcasts.
Aside from this tier, the company also has Audible Premium Plus, which costs $14.95. This includes the same in the Plus membership in addition to one title per month from an extended selection of best sellers and new releases.
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