4th Annual Digital Book World in NYC

It is always useful to recap developments in the industry, especially when the landscape is changing as quickly as it has been over the past several years. Featured here are some of the topics and insights from this year's Digital Book World conference.

On the topic of ...

DISCOVERABILITY

"Closing the New Book Discovery Gap": Angela Tribelli (HarperCollins Publishers) is second from left, and Matt Baldacci (St. Martin's Press) is second from right.

This continues to surface as the holy grail with bookstores on the decline and old-fashioned "hand-selling" nearly impossible. Notable observations:

• Trends and publishing company leadership lean toward audience-specific marketing, enabled by social media. Audiences are more narrowly defined than they were in years past. 
• There is a need for publishers to engage “authentically” in social media. (Angela Tribelli, Chief Marketing Officer, HarperCollins Publishers)
• Matt Baldacci (Vice President and Associate Publisher, St. Martin’s Press): Publishing needs more influential reviewers. Reviews were not supported by advertising in the past.

“Recommendations from friends make the sale.” (Jim Hilt, Vice President, eBooks, Barnes & Noble) 

Based on Jim Hilt's comment, publishers aim to simulate the endorsement of a friend by appealing to consumers directly and through natural, informal channels. Continue reading now, or subscribe (top left) to receive this blog via email.

Digital Book World, Day One

In today's program, several themes emerged consistently. The first two of these are related to one basic concept: discoverability. That is, while cost and time to market are shrinking, and the number of titles available increases exponentially, how does a publisher ensure that the audience for a book is aware of its arrival? 

In the past, serendipitous discovery on the bookstore shelf led readers to books that interested them. In particular, independent bookstores were, in Malcolm Gladwell's terms, "mavens," recommending titles for their community. While the decline of the traditional bookstore is considered inevitable, publishers still embrace the power of a bookseller's influence. Michael Cader of Publishers Marketplace described a new potential category of the un-bookstore--a space to hold author events, host a live community of readers, and perhaps sell reader hardware in conjunction with an online e-book storefront.

 
Taking the concept of discoverability a step further, several presenters discussed the importance of publishers connecting DIRECTLY with readers. Social media makes such connections possible, especially if authors have an online following prior to publication. Jane Friedman from Open Road Integrated Media discussed that identification of actual readers ("having the names") is not as important as knowing where and how to reach the appropriate audience over time. Contact with readers is thought to be critical in identifying desired platforms and levels of interactivity (technological sophistication), and experimenting with pricing or marketing of digital content. Presentation pictured is "Content First, Format Second."

Mike Shatzkin and Cristina Mussinelli

.

A separate but persistent point today concerned international sales. The number of English language speakers worldwide is large, and the portability of the electronic format may open new opportunities for US publishers who have world rights. There are barriers to entry based on country, however, and intermediaries are most likely needed to partner with local resellers. The European market was discussed in most detail: while online purchasing in general has lagged in Europe as compared to the US, it is on the rise. Smartphones are the dominant platform abroad, as adoption of dedicated e-reader technology has been slow.