From social media to social reading: The strategic role of book influencers in publishing and the spread of reading

Abstract

In recent years, following the awareness by companies of the increasingly active role of consumers, the main protagonists of the publishing chain have become the readers. Much more informed and responsible about what they buy and consume, they gather online to share their readings and exchange opinions on books. Within these “digital tribes” the figures of book influencers stand out: people who manage to guide the choices of other readers through the reviews they publish, giving visibility to new releases and stimulating purchases and participation in editorial initiatives (such as presentations, fairs and festivals).
With the consolidation of social media and social reading, the publishing sector has also begun to change its style of communication, adapting to the prerogatives of the web and the needs of readers, with whom today it is necessary to build a dialogue and establish a relationship that aims at the consumer loyalty. This goal can be achieved through the use of social media, thanks to which publishing houses implement effective marketing strategies.
Furthermore, it is only thanks to the synergy between “hyperreaders”, booksellers and publishers that many titles manage to find space in people’s free time. This implies, first of all, an effort by the publishing houses to implement a cross-channel strategy: optimizing their website, implementing an effective social media and e-mail marketing plan, participating in fairs and events and, lastly, exploiting social networks and influencers. In particular, TikTok is proving to be a very useful platform because, on the one hand, it allows you to speak directly to readers, and on the other, it is designed to do marketing and monetize.

For an initial cognitive approach to the usefulness of book influencers for the book market, a survey was conducted on a sample of 521 people (made up of average readers, hyper-readers and occasional readers) on three fundamental points:
1. The use of social networks in the purchase and reading of books;
2. The degree of reliability on the advice of book influencers;
3. The usefulness (perceived by the sample) of book influencers for the dissemination of reading.
The research results have been fruitful. It emerged that the majority of the sample follows people who talk about books on social media, above all to keep themselves informed on novelties and book initiatives; moreover, the sample shows that recognizing oneself in a community is stimulating, it encourages debate and motivates one to read. It was then found that the elements that influence the choice of a title are (in addition to the plot and the cover) trust in the publisher and the reviews of book influencers.
In light of what has been gathered, the article wants to affirm the essential nature of building a solid relationship with the consumers and the advantage that influencers who talk about books on social media bring to publishers.