Today, I’ll do an Audiobook Impact Academy to see if it’s legit or a scam.
Audiobook Impact Academy (formerly Audiobook Income Academy) is an online course that teaches you how to make money online by selling audiobooks on Audible.
The Mikkelsen Twins claim the self-publishing business model is an entirely automated system that makes you passive income…
But… can you really make money online with an online publishing business?
Is Audiobook Impact Academy legit and worth it? or is it a scam?
Let’s find out in this Audiobook Impact Academy review!
What is Audiobook Impact Academy?
Audiobook Impact Academy (AIA) is a comprehensive program that teaches students how to make money online by selling audiobooks on Amazon through Audible.
Formerly called Audiobook Income Academy, AIA has evolved into a complete online training course for students with invaluable resources to create and market audiobooks.
AIA was created by the Mikkelsen Twins, Christian and Rasmus. They sell the course through their publishing education company Publishing Life.
While this self-publishing course might seem great on the surface, there are a few things going on behind the scenes that many people don’t know about…
Let’s continue this Audiobook Impact Academy review by looking further into the Mikkelsen Twins.
Who Are The Mikkelsen Twins?
The Mikkelsen Twins are entrepreneurs and educators who have gained recognition for their expertise in audiobook publishing. Christian and Rasmus Mikkelsen are known for their Audiobook Impact Academy, a program that provides training and strategies for creating and selling audiobooks on platforms like Audible.
Through their YouTube channel and other online resources, the Mikkelsen Twins share their insights and experiences, helping aspiring authors and publishers generate income through audiobook production and marketing.
As of 2023, the Mikkelsen twins, Christian and Rasmus, are 28 years old and were born in New Jersey in 1995. They have gained considerable success in audiobook publishing through their flagship program, the Audiobook Impact Academy.
The Mikkelsen twins are known for their entrepreneurial endeavors and have amassed a net worth of $10 million each, totaling $20 million combined.
It’s worth noting that the majority of this wealth comes from selling this course, NOT selling audiobooks.
Let’s continue this Audiobook Impact Academy Review by looking at what’s inside…
Audiobook Impact Academy Review: Curriculum
The content of Audiobook Impact Academy is focused on providing practical strategies for making money through the audiobook publishing business model.
The program includes selecting profitable audiobook topics, finding low-cost experts such as ghostwriters, narrators, and graphic designers, optimizing book listings with keywords and reviews, and listing books on other platforms.
The Mikkelsen twins, Christian and Rasmus, share their experiences and provide insights into their keyword research strategies and marketing techniques.
You also get a private Facebook community, four 1-on-1 calls with an AIA coach, weekly live group sessions every Monday, DFY materials, and 21 templates.
One of the key components of AIA is helping students identify a winning topic for their audiobook. They also recommend using tools like the DS Amazon quick view Chrome extension to view the Best Sellers Rank (BSR) of any audiobook on the search results page, giving students a data-driven approach to selecting a topic.
Let’s dive into Audiobook Impact Academy to see what the curriculum looks like.
AIA Week 1: Millionaire Mindset
AIA Week 2: Picking Your Niche
AIA Week 3: Creating Your Book
AIA Week 4: Growing Your Audience
AIA Week 5: Launch Week
AIA Week 6: Ads & Audiobooks
AIA Week 7: Next Level Publishing
The curriculum seems like it could help you start an online business selling audiobooks, but is it worth the cost? Let’s dive deeper…
How Much Does Audiobook Impact Academy Cost?
The Audiobook Impact Academy course is priced at $4000, but the Mikkelsen twins, known for their marketing skills, present it as $1995 to make it seem more affordable.
They also offer options to skip the enrollment call and pay $999 upfront with two additional payments of $999 each, totaling ~$3,000.
While these marketing techniques are effective, the fact that the webinar is pre-recorded and NOT actually live makes them seem less genuine.
Nonetheless, the Mikkelsen twins’ marketing strategies are noteworthy, showcasing their expertise in the field.
Additionally, the twins mention that they will receive 5% of the first-year royalties.
Audiobook Impact Academy Student Reviews
The reviews on Trust Pilot and Publishing.com are overwhelmingly positive, but the reviews on Reddit tell a different story.
It seems that Mikkelsen Twins’ marketing tactics are one of the leading causes of mostly negative and mixed reviews. Here are a few:
“They had some slick marketing… It was slick, they’re saying all the right things, they’re doing all the right things. They have the T-shirts, they have the people, they have the motivation, and they have the mindset. There are these two good-looking twins and they’re like making it happen and bringing ya into their vision and all the things!”
“Obvious scam. I know people who have followed them for years. They were in Luca’s publishing group (also a publishing scammer) and found out that publishing is crazy difficult. They made some money with fake reviews, using loopholes, and then got their Audible and Amazon accounts banned for sketchy behavior. Then they moved to teaching because there is more money in that.”
“Their commercials talk about a “new” online business model, which has actually been around for a decade or two. They pretend the competition is low, but there are more than half a million audiobooks on Audible alone. And sure, there are some niche markets where you can take a piece of the pie, but most people end up losing money or wasting time. Everything they say makes it sound like it’s the best opportunity on the planet. Moreover, they act as if they’ve invented the damn thing.”
I find it odd that everything outside of PublishingLife.com and Trust Pilot is overwhelmingly negative, and everything inside the course is positive…
Anyways, let’s continue this Audiobook Income Academy Review.
Is Audiobook Impact Academy a Scam?
Despite some marketing tactics that may appear exaggerated, Audiobook Impact Academy is NOT a scam. The Mikkelsen Twins offer a legitimate course, including access to a Facebook group with over 20,000 students, mentorship, and support.
While they aren’t a scam, I wouldn’t say they are 100% legit either… In my opinion, they use some shady marketing tactics, like referring to their strategy as “stress-free income,” which is most likely untrue.
Additionally, they mostly skip over potential challenges, such as the quality of products, the delayed payout from Audible, the costs associated with hiring skilled writers and narrators, and much more.
I also find it a little sketchy that they allow people to go into debt to buy their course (they offer Affirm at checkout).
Audiobook Impact Academy Review: FAQ
What is Ghost Audio?
Ghost Audio is a term used by Christian and Rasmus to market their strategy of creating content for Audible, which involves utilizing low-cost ghostwriters and narrators to produce books. Christian and Rasmus claim that Ghost Audio is a method that allows individuals to create audiobooks for Audible without having to write or narrate the content themselves.
What is Publishing.com?
Publishing Life is The Mikkelsen Twins’ education company name.
What happened to Audiobook Income Academy?
The Mikkelsen Twins rebranded their course to Audiobook Impact Academy for some unknown reason.
What is Audiobook Impact Academy’s refund policy?
The refund policy of Audiobook Impact Academy allows for a full refund of the purchase price within the first 6 months of enrollment.
Is selling audiobooks on Audible worth it?
Yes, selling audiobooks on Audible can be worth it for many authors and publishers. Audible is one of the largest and most popular platforms for audiobook sales, with a large customer base and extensive market reach. It offers the potential for significant royalties and exposure to a wide audience of audiobook listeners.
Additionally, Audible provides resources and tools for authors and publishers to promote their audiobooks and increase their sales potential. However, success on Audible, as with any sales platform, depends on factors including book quality, genre, market demand, marketing efforts, and competition.
It’s important to research and understand the platform’s terms, royalties, and marketing opportunities and invest in professional audiobook production to ensure the best chances of success on Audible or any other sales platform.
Can you really make passive income with the self-publishing business model?
Yes, it is possible to generate passive income with the self-publishing business model. By creating and publishing books, including audiobooks, on platforms like Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) and Audible, authors can earn royalties on sales that continue to generate income over time without requiring continuous effort or active involvement.
However, it’s important to note that achieving true passive income through self-publishing typically requires significant upfront effort in book creation, marketing, and establishing a strong author platform. Success may vary depending on book quality, genre, market demand, and marketing strategies.
Are there other “Gurus” like the Mikkelsen Twins?
Yes, there are many. These include Jordan Welch, Hayden Bowles, Mike Vestil, Davie Fogarty, AC Hampton, Biaheza, Tan Choudhury, Sebastian Ghiorghiu, The Ecom King, Nathan Nazareth, Scott Hilse, Sebastian Esqueda, Sharif Mohsin, Austin Rabin, Cortney Fletcher, Ecom Babes, E-Farming by Igor Kheifets, Iman Gadzhi, The Millionaire Shortcut by Jeff Lerner, Andrew Tate, The Real World by Andrew Tate, Hustlers University, Tristan Tate, Entre Blueprint by Jeff Lerner, Jeff Lerner, Sophie Howard, Kindle Publishing Income by Sophie Howard, Agency Navigator, Remote Integrator Academy, The One-Day Flip, Lunar Automation, Fiction Profits Academy by Karla Marie, Leadific, FPA Workshop, Douglas James Training, Astroflipping, BNB Formula, Commission Hero, Fullstaq Marketer, Ascend Ecom, Legendary Marketer, Capital Syndicate, Leila Hormozi, Luke Belmar, Karla Marie, and Mikey Kass.
Conclusion: Is Audiobook Impact Academy Legit?
After being in the dropshipping trenches for 6+ years, it’s clear that you can make a TON of money with an online business.
But after doing this Audiobook Impact Academy review, there’s nothing special about this course or the Mikkelsen Twins.
Yeah, self-publishing audiobooks is a legit business model, but it’s not even close to as easy, passive, or profitable as Christian and Rasmus make it out to be.
It also seems like it will cost you multiple thousands to start an audiobook business.
If you want a better chance to make money with less financial risk, I highly recommend dropshipping physical products instead.
Running a dropshipping business isn’t easy, but it requires barely any money to start, and the potential reward is immense (as seen below), so it’s 100% worth it.
