The Book Marketing Network

For book/ebook authors, publishers, & self-publishers

I posted a similar market research question in one of the subgroups, but it might better serve as a forum question. I’m looking for market research data to improve our book marketing platform and pricing model to better serve independent authors, publishers and distributors.

I’ve come across a common theme on this forum when it comes to book marketing and sales;
  • How do I drive traffic to my website?
  • How do I get people to my blog?
  • How do I get followers on Twitter?
  • How do I get views on my Youtube video?
  • How do I get potential buyers to convert?
Unfortunately, the Internet is distributed and “pulling” readers from one site to another is actually counter productive (not to mention it a lot of work and SEO mastering). Also, once a reader is “pulled” away from a site, they are unlikely to return. Internet marketers and eretailer know this, which is why they rarely use hyperlink (i.e., keep the user on the page containing the BUY button). This seems like a catch-22; “rich Internet content provides the tipping point for increasing readership, but pulling them to it will have the opposite effect.” However, what if you instead of "pulling" readers to the rich content, you could “push” the rich content to the readers?

What if there was a markeing platform that could;
  • Aggregate your book’s Internet marketing material (i.e., social media, blog posts, website content, Youtube, Tweets, etc.) could be combined with traditional internal marketing material (i.e., chapter samples, book trailer, author bio, appearances, news updates, etc.), organized and compressed into easily recognizable icons (i.e., Social Media icon, Author Bio icon, News Updates icon, etc.). This would centralize all the book's rich content, marketing and research material.
  • The icons are packaged into a compact dashboard and expand to display their content with a simple mousesover. This would exponentially expand the marketing real estate and allow readers to pick and choose what information is important to them.
  • This dashboard would follow your book throughout the Internet using a simple embed snipet (similar to Youtube videos); eretailers, blog posts, your websites, fan websites. This viral ability expands your marketing reach and delivers fresh and identical content to all distribution points (content that you control).
  • You could monitor which icons where being accessed, on which sites and for how long. This would allow for real-time marketing campaign updates that are instantly available to all distribution points.
  • The BUY button where part of the dashboard. That provides a purchasing option wherever the dashboard is available; on blog post, your website, fans website, etc.
Market Research Question:  Would independent authors and publishers be interested in this type of book marketing platform?  If so;
  • How would you determine its value in relationship to your other marketing efforts?
  • Is there a specific price point that must be achieved (i.e., my yearly marketing budget is x dollars)?
  • Are there specific return on investment (ROI) requirements (i.e., it must sell x number of books)?
  • What features, other than those already described, are a "must have" in a book marketing platform before you would consider using it (i.e., geoIP, time, market based campaign features)?
  • Who do you think should manage a book marketing platform (i.e., author want full control, author want the publisher or book distributor to manage marketing)?
  • Other thoughts, comments, feedback?
Thanks in advance for any feedback.

Chris Glennon
SmartSymbols Book Marketing Platform

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I was a bit surprised that no one has any comments on what they need from a book marketing platform. So, I retitled the discussion.
To provide some context, I've added an independent author example of how such a marketing platform works. However, my post is for feedback on improvements and price point information for marketing to all independent authors and publishers.

Example: Jothy Rosenberg's book "Who Say I Can't" Look for the icon dashboard and mouse over them on each page. Note the same content on each page, real time Tweets and blog posts, videos, etc., purchase options, share button allows for viral distribution, etc.

1. On the publisher's website
2. On his professional website
3. On his personal website
4. On a third party blog posting
Hello,

I have experience in doing social media analysis of social networking sites on the Internet, specifically targeting the book industry. I am a philosopher, published writer and analyst (marketing and cultural). Next year I will have a book published by a major European publisher. If you would like to talk more, you may contact me.

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