Audiobooks and eBooks have become an essential part of the publishing industry’s revenue stream and represent a market that can no longer be overlooked—whether in the Arab world or globally.
However, an important question remains: Once a book has been converted into an audiobook or an eBook, what comes next? How can publishers successfully market and sell their digital publications? More importantly, how can they reach readers and listeners worldwide while generating a sustainable source of revenue?
Publish the audiobook and/or eBook on the world’s leading digital distribution platforms specializing in audiobooks and eBooks. These platforms connect publishers with millions of readers and listeners, enabling them to generate direct sales and recurring revenue from their digital catalog.
Audiobooks allow people to enjoy books while their eyes are occupied with other activities, such as driving, exercising, commuting, or performing everyday tasks.
eBooks provide the fastest and most convenient way to search for, purchase, and access books instantly from anywhere in the world.
Most importantly, digital publishing opens the door to a rapidly growing market for Arabic-language content—a market that publishers can no longer afford to ignore.
Global Distribution of Audiobooks and eBooks
The proposed service consists of:
⦁ Producing a professional audiobook by converting the printed book into a narrated audio edition.
⦁ Converting the book into the internationally recognized EPUB digital format.
⦁ Publishing both formats on leading international audiobook and eBook platforms.
Printed books are traditionally sold through bookstores, exhibitions, and conventional retail channels.
Digital books, however, can be distributed through major global platforms that generate revenue whenever users purchase, read, or listen to books. These platforms pay publishers a share of the revenue generated from each audiobook or eBook, creating an additional and scalable source of income alongside traditional print sales.
The service is delivered through the following steps:
⦁ The publisher’s book is first converted into a professionally produced audiobook by Tevoi, our specialized audiobook production team, or into a publication-ready EPUB eBook.
⦁ To convert a title into the EPUB format, the source file must be available in Microsoft Word or Adobe InDesign. PDF files cannot be converted directly into a professional EPUB edition.
⦁ The publisher authorizes Tevoi to distribute the audiobook and/or eBook on leading international digital platforms.
⦁ The publisher provides Tevoi with the required metadata and information about the book.
⦁ Tevoi publishes the title on the selected global platforms.
⦁ Tevoi provides the publisher with regular sales reports.
⦁ Tevoi manages the collection of royalties and revenues from the platforms and transfers the publisher’s share according to the agreed schedule.
Audiobook platforms generally generate revenue through two business models:
Users pay a fixed monthly subscription fee that gives them access to the platform’s catalog. The subscription revenue is then distributed among the books that each subscriber has listened to or read during that billing period.
For example, if a subscriber pays USD 10 per month and listens to four books, the revenue allocated to each book would be approximately USD 2.50.
Many platforms also offer books for individual purchase. Each audiobook or eBook has a fixed retail price, and users can buy individual titles without subscribing.
In both models, the platform shares a percentage of the revenue with the publisher. For example, Google Play Books offers publishers up to 50% of the sales revenue, subject to its current commercial terms.
At the end of each reporting period, the platforms provide detailed sales reports showing:
⦁ Total sales.
⦁ Revenue generated by each title.
⦁ The publisher’s share of the revenue.
Payments are made according to the payment schedule of each platform, which may be monthly, quarterly, or based on other payment terms.
Each digital platform pays the publisher a percentage of the revenue generated by book sales, as detailed in the Global Platforms section.
The remaining publisher revenue is then distributed as follows
Maximizing the Publisher’s Return on Investment
To help publishers maximize the visibility and sales of their digital catalog, Tevoi provides a dedicated online library featuring every title distributed through this program.
This online library includes:
No audiobook files or readable digital files are hosted on the Tevoi website.
Instead, each title includes direct links to its audiobook and/or eBook editions on the respective global platforms. Readers can choose their preferred platform and complete the purchase there.
Publishers can also share a dedicated page for each title, containing:
In addition, every publisher receives a dedicated page featuring their complete catalog.
These pages can be promoted through:
This enables publishers to market and sell their audiobooks and eBooks through a single centralized page.
Copyright remains the exclusive property of the publisher at all times.
Neither audiobook production nor digital distribution grants Tevoi any ownership or copyright interest in the published work.
The publisher simply authorizes Tevoi to:
A simple comparison is a traditional printing house: printing a book does not grant the printer any copyright ownership. Likewise, Tevoi acts solely as a production and distribution partner while all intellectual property rights remain with the publisher.
This project involves two types of files:
When working with small regional applications operating in limited markets across the Arab world, publishers may understandably have concerns about piracy and the unauthorized distribution of their books on the internet.
However, the global platforms used in this project invest heavily in information security and digital content protection. Their security standards are designed to safeguard intellectual property and prevent unauthorized access or distribution. Given the scale of their investments and business models, protecting publishers’ content is one of their highest priorities. As a result, publishers can have confidence that their files will be stored and distributed through highly secure systems.
Each publisher receives a secure account with a unique username and password to access a dedicated project dashboard.
Through this dashboard, publishers can:
This reporting system is designed to provide accurate sales data while ensuring the security and integrity of the publisher’s content.
In theory, publishers may attempt to publish directly on international platforms. However, there are several practical challenges:
For this reason, working with an experienced publishing partner significantly reduces delays and ensures a smooth publishing process.
The audiobooks distributed through this program are produced exclusively by Tevoi, as audiobook production is our core business and area of expertise.
As compensation for managing the complete digital publishing and distribution process, Tevoi receives 25% of the publisher’s net revenue share, covering the administration, distribution, reporting, and ongoing management of the publishing process.
By joining this program, publishers gain several important advantages:
Audiobook Market Research
For more information about the global audiobook industry, please refer to the following market research report:
