Audiobooks specifications

StreetLib offers a series of services for the production and post-production of the audiobook, in collaboration with IlNarratore.com. If you are working on the production of your audiobook independently or you need to commission it to professionals, we suggest you visit the dedicated section of our e-commerce.

Specifications for producing and uploading an audiobook

Audio files

  • You will need to load all audio tracks individually and in mp3 format (mono or stereo).
  • Audio files must be compressed at 192 Kbps 44.1Hz, 16 bit.
  • The bitrate does not have to be variable but uniform for all tracks.
  • The average audio level should be between -24 dB and -14 dB (RMS).
  • The order of the audio files must coincide with the correct sequence of the work.

The preview

You will need to provide us with a sample (or preview) that you will have to upload separately and in the Preview section of the article card:

  • Upload a preview_ sample at 192 Kbps, the duration must be from 5 'to 6' max.
  • Rename the preview file like this: Isbn_author_title_sample.mp3

ATTENTION. Some platforms automatically generate previews from the audiobook content and it is not always possible to edit this excerpt. In the case of Google for example, the preview is automatically generated for 10% of the audiobook and a maximum of 5 minutes.

How to rename and organize mp3 files

  • All the tracks that make up the audiobook must be numbered consecutively with 3 digits. Example:

    001_chapter_1.mp3
    002_chapter_2.mp3
    003_chapter_3.mp3
    004_epilogue.mp3
    Etc.

To indicate the chapter, you can write the chapter number or the name of the chapter itself, trying to respect the original index of the book as much as possible. You will have to write the name without leave blank spaces.

  • The text characters of the name can be either uppercase or lowercase.
  • The track name must not contain the following characters \ /? : '* ",> <| nor accents on words (à, è, ò, etc.)
  • Each number and word of the name must be connected by underscores (underscore: _) (see examples above)
  • Mp3 file names (including number and underscores) must NOT be longer than 50 characters
  • If a chapter or a passage of the text is too long (more than 1 hour) it is better to divide it into two or more tracks, as follows:
    001_chapter_1_part_1.mp3
    002_chapter_1_part_2.mp3
  • For better usability and viewing of mp3 files in the various apps and audio players used by users, it is advisable that the audio tracks and samples have incorporated the ID3 TAGs and the 600x600 cover. To incorporate them, you can use various software (even free) available on the net that allow you to assign ID3 TAGs with great ease (among others we recommend free TAGSCANNER).
  • We suggest avoiding pauses or silences longer than 2 seconds in any part of the various audio tracks.

Cover

  • The cover for the audiobook must be in .jpg, RGB color profile 72DPI, 2400x2400 px (or higher as long as it respects these proportions).
  • The cover must contain these metadata: author, title, optionally the narrator, the publisher's logo. It must not contain any reference to the format of the book (eg the word "Mp3" must not be shown on the cover)
  • The cover file will need to be renamed according to this example: ISBN_Hugo_Miserabili_2400.jpg.ISBN_Title.jpg.

Some notes on METADATA

  • Synopsis. We suggest a minimum length of 600 characters and a maximum of 3000 characters.
  • Keywords. We suggest adding at least 5 keywords to improve the indexing of the content.
  • Price. It is not possible to distribute free audiobooks.
  • If you intend to publish an audiobook that corresponds to a given volume of a series, you must make sure that any previous volumes of the series are also present in StreetLib, otherwise the audiobook may be rejected by some stores.
  • It is mandatory to indicate the name of the narrator of the audiobook in the appropriate field of the article sheet.

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