How Is Product Promotion Changing in the Publishing World?

We live in a digital world where social media reigns supreme. These changes affect how publishers approach the promotion of their products.

Whoever we are, social media has probably had an impact on our lives. As authors, editors, and publishers, we are no exception. The advent of social media has had a profound impact on the promotion of products, including books. Many readers use social media as a source of book recommendations, and publishers are adapting to this reality. As authors, editors, or publishers, we need to understand how marketing techniques have changed and how that impacts us.

THE RESEARCH 

In 2015, researchers David Throsby, Dr. Jan Zwar, and Callum Morgan (2018) from Macquarie University set out to gather information about changes happening in the Australian publishing market. They surveyed large and small specialty publishers, or companies whose main product was books. The survey asked the publishers about changes occurring between 2010 and 2015 in organization, market research, business operations, promotion, author relations, and more. Throsby, Zwar, and Morgan outlined this process and their results in their article “Australian Book Publishers in the Global Industry: Survey Method and Results.”

They found that one of the biggest areas of change was in product promotion. A majority of publishers reported an increase in the range, budget, and time spent on promotional activities: 75% of publishers increased the range, 61% increased the budget, and 82% increased time spent on promotional activities. Publishers also reported increases in author involvement with promotion: 41% of all publishers reported an increase, and 100% of large publishers reported an increase. These results indicate that both publishers and authors have an increased focus on promoting products. 

Additionally, the survey asked what types of changes in promotion were made. The most notable result was that 84% of publishers increased their use of social media in promotion, with 64% of publishers also increasing their engagement with social media based communities of readers. The next most notable change was that 59% of publishers provided copies of books to bloggers to be reviewed. These statistics suggest that publishers are recognizing and adapting to an increasingly digital world.

THE IMPLICATIONS

While the survey only included Australian publishers and the results are a few years old, many of the changes, including promotional techniques, can be applied to the international publishing industry that is facing additional promotional change (e.g., AI). We live in a world that is becoming increasingly interconnected, and a lot of that is due to the internet. social media, and AI. This research indicates that publishers can and do respond to changes in promotion channels and technology.

It’s notable that the researchers found that “the largest area of change across all trade publishers is the increased use of social media” (Throsby et. al, 2018) and that the other two most significant changes in promotional tactics also had to do with social media and online communities. If anything, the use of social media has only increased since 2015, and its importance in marketing has also increased. Additionally, new challenges related to AI are also appearing. As authors, publishers, or editors, it is essential to understand how the promotion of books has changed and will continue to change. But if historical trends continue, publishers are up to the challenge.

To learn more about the changes in the Australian publishing industry, read the full article:

Throsby, David, and Jan Zwar, and Callum Morgan. 2018. ​​Australian Book Publishers in the Global Industry: Survey Method and Results. Sydney: Macquerie University. https://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2018-02/apo-nid140701.pdf

—Brooke Francis, Editing Research

FEATURE IMAGE BY GERALT

Find more research

To learn more about how authors’ circumstances are changing, check out David Throsby, Jan Zwar, and Thomas Longden’s (2015) research: Book Authors and Their Changing Circumstances: Survey Method and Results. Sydney: Macquerie University. https://research-management.mq.edu.au/ws/portalfiles/portal/122626152/02_2015_BookAuthors_SurveyFinal_2.pdf by.

To learn more about readers’ habits, take a look at David Throsby, Jan Zwar, and Callum Morgan’s research: Australian Book Readers: Survey Method and Results. Sydney: Macquirie University. https://creative.gov.au/sites/creative-australia/files/documents/2025-03/australian-book-readers-24-05-592762e0c3ade-1.pdf