Focusing on the US market, Audible announced that it is doing a limited beta of in-app immersive video to tap into the growing trend of audio discovery through visual content.

By Erin L. Cox, Publisher | @erinlcox

Last month, Audible announced that they would be doing a limited test of featuring immersive video in the Audible app to help with discovery of audiobooks. The content of these videos will be trailers, author interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage; each video links back to the audiobook for more information or for purchase. According to Audible, it is the first feature of its kind designed specifically for audiobooks.

“Visibility is critical in today’s content landscape, and we’re focused on building experiences that help publishers stand out and reach new listeners,” said Sue Shlapakovsky, Head of Product Science, Discovery and Martech, Audible.

“By bringing short-form video into the Audible app, we’re meeting listeners where they are while helping creators showcase the true entertainment value of their stories. This immersive experience gives listeners a real taste of what they’ll feel when they hit play.”

The move to feature video content is in response to both the growing trend for audio content discovery using video that we are seeing through TikTok and Instagram as well as interest from Audible’s publishing partners who wanted to enhance the listening experience with visual content.

Here is an example of the content featuring Gone Before Goodbye by Harlan Coben featuring Reese Witherspoon, courtesy of Hachette Audio.

In addition to Hachette Audio, the initial beta test includes titles Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, and Macmillan, along with Audible Originals including the full-cast editions of Harry Potter.

Currently in beta and available only to US customers, the results of the test will help dictate if Audible will roll out this content more widely and in other markets.

This move is among other new partnerships and integrations to help engage and expand audiences for their audiobooks, including a collaboration with TikTok to share the top books trending in BookTok within the Audible app and bringing their Goodreads Want To Read Shelf into the Audible libraries, both of which were also announced last month.