Image credit: Spotify
Recently, Spotify has announced the launch of a new feature called ‘Countdown Pages’ to be launched next month. It will allows Spotify users to pre-save audiobooks before their release date, while publishers and authors can promote their work before the launch.
These YouTube-like Countdown Pages were launched alongside other new additions for Spotify’s artists last year. It provides a dedicated space on artists’ profiles where a timer could count down to a new release. Now, the same feature will be available to audiobook publishers and authors, the company announced today at the London Book Fair.
For audiobooks, the Countdown Pages will allow Spotify’s users to pre-save books ahead of their release. When the book becomes available, Spotify will alert the users through a notification. This will allow publishers and authors to promote their book before its launch. So, they will be able to gather interest in the upcoming titles.
In addition, when users visit the Countdown Page to save a title, they’ll be able to tap on a “More Like This” tab to see similar, but already released, books that they can listen to immediately.
Countdown Pages had been used by artists like Taylor Swift, Karol G, Florence and the Machine, Paramore and the Jonas Brothers — the latter who introduced the feature at last year’s Spotify’s press event. Since then, more than 80% of people using the pre-save feature would stream the new release within the first week, on average.
The company also offered an update on its audiobooks service’s usage, noting that “millions” of users have now listened to more than 150,000 titles on the platform since its launch. Totally, the service offers a catalog of over 200,000 audiobook titles. With the addition of the new Countdown Pages feature, Spotify hopes to grow the service’s adoption further by tapping into its larger global user base of over 600 million listeners.
Countdown Pages for audiobooks will launch in all markets where Spotify’s audiobooks are available, including the U.S., U.K., Australia, Canada, Ireland and New Zealand.
Navkiran Dhaliwal is a seasoned content writer with 10+ years of experience. When she's not writing, she can be found cooking up a storm or spending time with her dog, Rain.
