Social Media Within the Big Six

In the publishing industry, social media is now one of the biggest ways to interact with consumers. Book publishers are finding social media to be extremely successful within their marketing campaigns. The “big six” trade book publishers which include: Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin Group, Random House, and Simon & Schuster, are finding sites such as: Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr as one of the best ways for advertisement. However, not all publishers are using these social media sites in the same way but they are experimenting in various ways. (MacManus, Readwrite.com)

For example, the Penguin Group has taken to Twitter verse and is using the social media site to host monthly book clubs with the help from hashtags and tweeting authors. Each month Penguin selects a book by one of their authors and then invites readers to tweet. The Penguin staff incorporates the hashtag #readpenguin and then holds the “mini book club meetings.” During the mini book club meetings, readers are able to interact with the current author and ask questions. The author then replies by tweet to the readers’ questions. With the use of Twitter, this allows consumers to interact with their authors in ways that have never been done before. There is no more writing fan-mail to the author and hoping to hear back from them. With this innovative Twitter account, Penguin has made way for the reader to have instant gratification. (MacManus, Readwrite.com)

Another example of social media within the publishing industry is the use of Facebook. Most of the big six trade publishers all have Facebook accounts but each of them uses their pages differently. Random House seems to enjoy interacting with their readers through Facebook because on average, they appear to update their status 3-4 times per day and have over 38,369 likes. Publishers are also encouraging their authors to create a Facebook page so readers are able to interact with them as well. For example, Hachette Book Group’s leading novelist James Patterson has over 3.4 million likes and appears to be regular and personal when it comes to updating his page. (MacManus, Readwrite.com)

A final example of social media within the publishing industry is Tumblr. This is perhaps the most popular among book publishers. For example, HarperCollins uses social media in a great way and their use of Tumblr is one of the best in their class. HarperCollins’s Tumblr page features a range of blog posts by their staff, eccentric promotional ideas and does a colorful Tumblr. This is a great way to grab the attention of readers and generate mass followers. (MacManus, Readwrite.com)

When it comes to social media, book publishers are definitely jumping on the band wagon. With the author and reader in mind, publishers are making way for social media to help promote them in new ways. Whether it is from a Twitter account, Facebook or Tumblr page, publishing houses understand the importance of the social web and the influence it has on people today. This is one of the best and most exciting new ways to engage their readers and publishers are at the top of their game! (MacManus, Readwrite.com)

Stephanie Price Henderson

 

Source:

Richard MacManus http://readwrite.com/2012/09/19/how-the-big-six-book-publishers-are-using-social-media#awesm=~ojweBfwyraBffX

The Cat in the Hat appears as eBooks

56 years ago, the Cat in the Hat first appeared at our doors and sparked a phenomenon that forever changed children’s literature. Now, coming September 24^th, the Cat and the Hat will once again make an appearance on their tablets and e-readers. Starting September 24^th and continuing through November, Random House will begin releasing Dr. Seuss’s children’s works as eBooks.

Many of these books have already been turned into low priced Apps for children’s enjoyment by Oceanhouse Media, but this will be the first time the books are placed in this format. There are currently over 600 million Dr. Seuss books in print worldwide, and soon parents will be able to place the eBook versions on their own readers or their children’s tablets. They will be released as both eBooks and as Read & Listen editions with new readings of the original text. In addition, the original layouts and illustrations will be kept for the new format.

Come September 24^th  we will see 15 of Dr. Seuss’s classic titles released in this new format, including:

• The Cat in the Hat
• Green Eggs and Ham
• Oh, the Places You’ll Go!
• Horton Hears a Who!
• One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish
• Dr. Seuss’s ABC
• Fox in Socks
• Hop on Pop
• Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can you?
• Oh, the Thinks You Can Think!
• The Cat in the Hat Comes Back
• The Foot Book
• There’s a Wocket in My Pocket
• The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins
• The Lorax

We will see another 18 books including the How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Will be released on October 22^nd, and 8 more on November 5^th.

Publishing Perspectives: http://publishingperspectives.com/2013/09/random-house-to-offer-dr-seuss-as-ebooks/

Media Bistro: http://www.mediabistro.com/appnewser/random-house-to-release-41-dr-seuss-ebooks_b40216

Kid Screen: http://kidscreen.com/2013/09/05/random-house-to-publish-first-dr-seuss-ebooks/