Subscription platforms represent 19% of total digital sales of Spanish and Latin American publishers

More than 800 Spanish and Latin American publishers represented by Bookwire, the leading ebook and audiobook distribution platform in the Spanish Markets, have experienced a 113% growth in their digital revenues derived from the sales of their ebooks and audiobooks in 2020 compared to the previous year, according to the main conclusions of Bookwire’s seventh annual report on the digital evolution of Spanish Markets (Latin America and Spain) published in collaboration with Dosdoce.com

Subscription culture consolidation in the Spanish Markets

Audiobooks and podcasts are booming in Spanish, even more than previous years. Spanish audiobooks’ revenues grew 137 % in 2020.

Although unit sales of ebooks and audiobooks on online retailers such as Amazon, Apple, Google, Kobo, among others, are still the main sales channel for Spanish and Latin American publishers, representing 86% of their total digital sales, one of the main conclusions of this year’s Bookwire Annual Report is that sales derived from subscription platforms, such as Audible, Nubico, Scribd, Podimo and Storytel among others, are becoming more and more relevant each year for the Spanish publishing sector.

Total turnover for eBooks: 112 % increase in turnover in 2020

Publishers who are looked after by Bookwire Spain have recorded growth in turnover from eBooks of 112 %, consolidating a high double-digit growth for the seventh year in a row.

As in previous years, 50 % of digital turnover was generated outside of Spain. Mexico is the most important market (growing from an 18 % share in 2019 up to a 20 % in 2020). 16 % were  attributed to the other Spanish-speaking countries in South America. The market in the US represents      8 %, and Europe contributed 4 % to turnover from digital exports of Spanish Publishers.

Sales figures for eBook licences to libraries also continued to rise to 6 % of total turnover. According to information from the Spanish Ministry of Culture, loans in libraries grew 120 % compared to 2019 – from 1.7 milion up to 3.7 milion digital loans.

For the first time, this newest edition of the  Bookwire.es Report includes the analysis and trends of  prestigious voices within the Publishing industry, including:

• Manuel Gil (Director of Madrid’s Bookfair) talks about the impact of Covid-19 on the book industry with a special look at the LatAm exports.
• Rubén Padilla (Coordinator of the Professional Program of the Mexico-Guadalajara FIL Bookfair) analyses the foreseeable future of bookfairs.
• Ed Nawotka (Publisher’s Weekly International Editor and US Coordinator of PW in Spanish) covers the evolution of the Spanish language market in the US.
• Elena Neira (Streaming Platforms’ expert) invites us to reflect on the key trends of the subscription services for Publishers.
• Olalla Novoa (Head of Voice and Digital Content Services at Prodigioso Volcán) discovers the opportunities of the podcasting world.

Download the full Bookwire report on the digital evolution of the Spanish Markets (Latin America and Spain) at the following link: Bookwire Report 2021.