Editor's Note: This post was originally published on The Future of Publishing. Netflix released its latest quarter earnings report today. In a Letter to Shareholders (PDF), Netflix CEO Reed Hastings described the competitive landscape the company faces. In doing so he framed the challenge faced today by all publishers, certainly all book, newspaper and magazine publishers.…
Last month I shared some thoughts about how indexes seems to be a thing of the past, at least when it comes to ebooks. I’ve given more consideration to the topic and would like to offer a possible vision for the future. Long ago I learned the value an exceptional indexer can bring to a…
Publishers know promoting books and authors on Facebook is smart, but it's a lot more impactful when there's high engagement from Facebook users. Why do some publishers earn 1,000 or more likes on a post while others may receive as few as 7? If you want to increase Facebook engagement, here are 12 tips you…
What if editors possess a hidden ability to help publishers sell more books? Editors and selling may seem like an oxymoron. In most publishing houses, the editorial team is associated with guarding the grammar, managing the manuscript, and guiding the author’s voice. In contrast, the marketing department is charged with creating a book’s promotional plan,…
In today’s market there are typically two methods for ebook distribution: free or paid. I’ve said before that one day we’ll see an ad-subsidized model take hold. Purists generally reject that concept, saying they won’t let advertisements interfere with their reading experience. That’s fine. They can pay full price but I’ll sometimes opt for the…
Another major trade publisher has launched a consumer-facing site, hoping to build a community of avid readers around its authors and titles. Yesterday Random House Germany announced the launch of romance-focused site Sinnliche Seiten or “Luscious Pages.” According to Publishing Perspectives, the site offers the latest romance news, book reviews, videos, and blogs. Readers can…
Mike Shatzkin said in his opening remarks at Digital Book World 2016 that publishers need to help authors with their marketing efforts. “At the very least, every house should do a ‘digital audit’ for every author they sign that includes concrete suggestions for filling in gaps and improving discoverability and engagement. To my knowledge, not…
What if all the hype about marketing books via social media is just noise? Social media may be here to stay, but are publishers seeing the ROI that they expected? At the end of 2014, Book Business Magazine surveyed the industry and asked the question, “What marketing platforms do you see the most opportunity for…
Ebook windowing is a technique designed to prevent ebooks from cannibalizing print book sales. The original thinking went something like this: Release a new title in print format only, thereby preventing e-cannibalization. The result? Frustrated consumers. If you’re an ebook reader there’s nothing worse than realizing a digital edition doesn’t exist for that new book…
On February 25th Book Business hosted a webinar titled “Trends for 2016: The Future of Books in the New Year,” which asked experts from the Book Industry Study Group, the Book Manufacturers Institute, and the Independent Book Publishers Association to share their perspectives on the industry and the major trends that will drive its future…
