Why We Built Soundbooth – A Manifesto from our CEO, Jeff Hays

Soundbooth Theater has been producing audiobooks for eight years now. Starting this company is the best thing I’ve ever done. We’re growing. We’re reaching new audiences. We’re learning new skills and learning more about our industry, our customers, and our own abilities. And we’re learning from our experiments and mistakes.

If you’ve been with us for a while you’ll remember when we first launched our independent audiobook distribution platform in 2020. It was a mess, but it worked. You all had faith in us and you gave it a shot. You even stuck with us when we tried again in 2022, with a different developer, and you know what? It was better, and you guys appreciated the upgrade.

But it simply wasn’t enough. Still buggy, poorly organized, and you’ve been dealing with it ever since. So, last year we tried AGAIN.

This time we worked with a company who understood our vision and our needs, and put together something solid, streamlined, sexier and faster. Our new app is our best attempt, and I’m happy to announce that it’s finally ready for everyone to enjoy NOW.

This time we couldn’t build a third app simply to sell our own audiobooks and Cinematic Audio. We’ve realized that this wild, expensive and stressful venture could never be worth it to distribute audio for one audio publisher. Especially at the rate we produce!

For too long, small independent publishers have only had one place to go to publish their audio that actually had the reach they needed to sell their products. And there, they’re beholden to the decisions of one company who continues to show no concern for the welfare of creators, and only seeks to squeeze more royalties out of an already lopsided deal.

And it’s just how it sounds. Publishers can set up their own booths on our platform, their own marketing page, branded and designed how they like, featuring only their audio set at their price, attached to the greater convention that is Soundbooth.

Any publisher that works with us will also get detailed access to sales data that can help with marketing, a dashboard to track sales in real time, and even the opportunity to join our new advertising program that helps streamline and optimize the ad-buying process.

No streaming services cutting into your sales, no penalties for multiple sales a month from one user, no exclusivity, with the royalties in your favor.

So to all our listeners, thank you for sticking with us. This new platform will perform better in every way than what you’ve been using thus far, and I can’t wait for you to start using it. The app is in its beginning form now, but we will be incorporating more features, such as wishlists, bookmarks, playlists, sharing, and even some social aspects and new achievements. And soon, even more file formats than simple audio.

This app will officially replace SBT Direct. The transition should be smooth. All of your purchases and account details will carry over seamlessly. Just go to your app store on iPhone or Android and search for Soundbooth. Our app has the raccoon face.

For now all of Soundbooth Theater’s audiobooks and Cinematic Audio will be in the main Soundbooth market, but once we have the spaces ready for our first publishing partners, we’ll make announcements, and Soundbooth Theater will have our own booth, on Soundbooth!

Thanks again for all your support! Hope to see you there.