The publishing industry has seen some noteworthy changes over the past years, for example the introduction of AI technology in book production and the continuing rise of audiobook sales. Then the pandemic hit, and the cries for increasingly diverse representation added to the chaos in 2020 and 2021. So, what is up and coming in 2022? Here are the 10 publishing and book marketing trends to watch.
1. Audiobook sales will continue soaring
Audiobooks are in. “They are a fantastic way to digest books, especially if you have learning differences that make reading difficult, like ADHD or Dyslexia” says Jesse Story, a marketing blogger at Writinity and Draft Beyond. Audiobook sales have been steadily on the rise and seeing rapid expansion, and there is no sign of stopping in 2022.
2. AI will continue to influence the publishing industry
Did you know that AI is already being used to write fiction? AI has found it’s way into the publishing industry and it looks like it will continue to expand its influence. AI helps publishers in a variety of ways, from plagiarism checks, editing, translations, as well as SEO, and marketing. AI will continue to be a part of the marketing industry for 2022, and only find more useful applications for it within the field.
3. Ebooks will continue to grow in popularity
Ebooks are the rage right now and will continue to grow in popularity. As it stands, eBook sales are currently outperforming audiobook sales, thanks to Amazon’s Kindle, and with new tech developments in the publishing space, it’s becoming easier to create and launch digital books.
4. BookTok will become indispensable for marketing
TikTok became the fastest-growing social media platforms in 2021, and it is instrumental in branding and marketing. Authors and publishers alike latched on and began using this platform to grow their audiences and the BookTok was born and shows no signs of slowing down or going away. You can even find book reviewers on it.
5. Increase in book prices
Inflation is to blame for this rise, which has affected so many different goods and services. In the publishing world, there has been a price increase on materials used to make the books, like paper. If the cost of producing a book goes up, then so to must the price.
On top of this, there is also a shortage of books, and printers have not been able to keep up with the increase, further driving up costs.
6. Direct Sales for authors will continue to climb
“In 2021, authors saw a lot more success with selling their books via their own websites” says Pam Vail, a business writer at Research papers UK. Authors who have a following could see the biggest gains here in 2022.
7. Inclusive advertising will be a must
Advertisers are finally paying attention to what the consumer actually wants, which more diverse representation of people and language. This includes book covers and promotional materials.
8. Independent publishers will see more profits
Indie publishers are seeing a big surge at the moment. Small publishers provide a better variety of literature and are willing to take more risks than your commercial big-name publishers. Independent publishers are willing to publish books in unknown genres by unknown authors and it pays off for them.
9. Authors will up their digital marketing game
Both authors and publishers recognize the need for building long-term, ongoing relationships with their readers. This is why they have embraced and continue to embrace all things digital marketing related, with email marketing being one of the most popular ways to sell books in 2021, and we expect the trend to keep on continuing.
10. Serialized storytelling will call to more and more authors this year
Authors are finding that if you want a fantastic way to monetize your writing that is more consistent, writing serialized fiction on apps like Wattpad and others is a great. Particularly self-published authors benefit from this as they are more like to experiment with these platforms.
The top 10 book marketing trends of 2022 will clearly see continued success in the book publishing field. Let’s see how they play out.
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Jenny Williams is a writer at Dissertation writing service and Lucky Assignments London. She also writes articles for Gum Essays service.