Marketing

Book marketing is perhaps one of the most upended areas of the publishing industry, thanks to the rise of the internet and digital content. As physical bookstores have shuttered, removing much of the marketing space books once occupied, publishers and authors have had to fight for reader attention online. And that fight for attention is…

While many publishers are striving to solve the book discovery problem through semantic recommendation algorithms and expansive book metadata, for the past two years Penguin Random House has employed a decidedly old school approach during the critical holiday bookselling season. Instead of generating automated book suggestions based on clicks, PRH staff manually creates completely personalized…

Successful book publishers market their books using an assorted mix of promotional media. A powerful communication mix includes publicity, advertising, sales promotion, content marketing, and personal selling. Many publishers focus on publicity and avoid advertising -- print advertising in particular. In part that is a cost decision, since it has become easier and more affordable…

Data enables book publishers to connect with their readers in deeper and more meaningful ways — and sometimes, interact for the very first time. As digital exchanges between publishers and readers increase, data insights culled from those interactions continue to emerge and make a significant impact on how book publishers operate. Publishers are using data…

Educational publisher Pearson has rebranded as it looks to grow its business to become the ‘world’s learning company’. The ambition behind the new brand is to unify Pearson’s portfolio of products and services under one master brand, distinguish Pearson from its competition and to drive global awareness. It builds on Pearson’s heritage but has a…

My daughter is studying Voltaire’s Candide and hates it. That’s OK, she’s allowed her opinion. But there’s a line it which I think Bill Gates would especially enjoy: ‘Fools have a habit of believing that everything written by a famous author is admirable. For my part I read only to please myself and like only…

The decade-long scuffle between the Author’s Guild and Google may return to trial in 2016, this time in the Supreme Court. On December 31st, The Author’s Guild put forth a petition for the case to appear in front of the Supreme Court, arguing that a judge’s previous ruling, which dismissed the Author’s Guild lawsuit on…

David Langridge is Microsoft’s Worldwide Education Senior Partner Development Director, Worldwide Microsoft Education Industry Group. Publishing Perspectives caught up with him to hear his thoughts on the future of edtech. One of the big issues in edtech is the continued popularity of printed textbooks. Why do you think this is the case? They are popular…

A German trade publisher has partnered with a bookseller and come up with a new twist on the idea of book vending machines, one which will give German readers an alternative to returning the ugly sweaters grandma gives you every year.

In the wake of declining sales and increasing debt, Barnes & Noble is struggling to deliver growth, increase foot traffic in its stores, sell more digital goods and otherwise race against the clock to find a winning formula before it suffers the same fate as former chief rival Borders. Facing stiff competition from Barnes &…