HarperCollins, Goodreads & PRH on How the Book Discoverability Game Has Changed
And What About Free?
Often advocated by services like BitLit, giving away ebooks for free does not always sit well with book publishers. Panelists were asked what they thought about the practice, and overwhelmingly they cautioned to go into a free ebook promotion with a specific goal in mind. Amanda Close, SVP and director of marketing and development & operations group at Penguin Random House said "Free doesn't take you very far unless you are doing some sort of engagement program." At PRH, Close will offer free titles and early access to certain users in order to get book reviews. The reviews will live on book description pages on Goodreads or Amazon. And regardless of whether they are positive or negative reviews, they actually boost conversion, said Close.
Ellen Harvey is a freelance writer and editor who covers the latest technologies and strategies reshaping the publishing landscape. She previously served as the Senior Editor at Publishing Executive and Book Business.