Have Publishers Shot Themselves in the Foot With Costly Ebooks?
January 19, 2016 at 9:50 am

What if the major book publishers inadvertently shot themselves in the collective foot by raising ebook prices to protect their paper book business? And in the process, hurt their 2015 profitability compared to where things stood before the ebook price hikes? Managing price elasticity over time and by product is one of the most difficult…

When Will Content Truly Become Mobile?
January 18, 2016 at 8:58 am

After seven-plus years of working remotely from my home office I recently started a new job with a daily commute. It’s actually quite an enjoyable ride and I originally planned to make it even better with a variety of mobile/audio content. Podcasts were at the top of my list but I also figured I could…

Bublish Makes Online Marketing a Natural Part of Publishers’ Workflow
January 14, 2016 at 1:38 pm

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…

Kindle Instant Preview Reinforces Amazon’s Dominance
January 11, 2016 at 11:21 am

Ebook preview widgets have been around for quite awhile but when was the last time you saw one on a blog or website? I can’t recall the last one I saw but I’ll bet that’s about to change. Amazon recently released their Kindle Instant Previews widget and it does what its name suggests. In short,…

The 10 Advantages of Advertising Books in Print Media
January 8, 2016 at 9:02 am

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…

Authors & Publishers Fail to See Benefits of Google Books
January 6, 2016 at 1:36 pm

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…

My 2016 Ebook Marketplace Hopes And Wishes
January 4, 2016 at 9:21 am

Rather than speculate on what might happen in the ebook sector this year I thought it would be wiser to simply list the developments I’d like to see. So although some, and perhaps all, of these are a long shot, here’s my short list of hopes and wishes for the ebook market in the New…

How to Conquer Your Emotions During Book Sale Negotiations
December 23, 2015 at 9:28 am

Negotiating a large-quantity book sale is a little like playing poker, requiring both hard and soft skills. To be good at it you need practice and experience. You also need a little chutzpah, the creativity to recognize alternatives, the ability to assess odds, the willingness to take calculated risks, and the confidence to bluff when…

Do Book Publishers Have a Post-Barnes & Noble Plan?
December 22, 2015 at 11:22 am

Apologies to any middle children reading this. Honestly, I think you’ll be just fine. Well, sort of. But woe to the business that finds itself sandwiched in the middle! It doesn’t matter what you make or what you sell, middle market players are always in a truly bad position. I think this is even truer…

How Publishers Can Use Ebooks to Connect Directly With Their Readers
December 21, 2015 at 11:12 am

Low website traffic and a lack of existing customer engagement are some of the most common reasons book publishers aren’t pursuing a direct-to-consumer (D2C) model today. They’ll point out that almost nobody comes to their site, so they question the value of investing in a D2C solution. That’s a great point and one that shouldn’t…