Publishing : Future trends

Impact of the internet

The internet now affects everybody working in the industry. There are many opportunities to publish online. New entrants to the field must, therefore, be adaptable, flexible and prepared to work with new technologies.

Consumers are increasingly accessing journals and magazines online, which some think may lead to an overall decline in print sales. Online versions can be accessed, searched and archived more easily. This growth in online publications may also lead to future security issues for subscription-based products. Protecting online content is vital for all areas of publishing.

There is a strong relationship between a successful magazine, journal or book series and a corresponding website that adds depth to the content of the original product.

Publishers are now exploiting the internet to find new ways of interacting with the consumer, for example via blogging.

Digital content

Digitisation of new and existing content is a key issue facing publishing companies and booksellers. The Booksellers Association (BA) predicts that the downloading of digital audio books will enjoy some of the success of music downloading. It is crucial for publishers to pre-empt this demand and establish a precedent for legal downloading. There may even be a threat to traditional publishing companies from new ‘content providers’ who sell copy via other channels such as DVDs.

Electronic books or e-books are read on personal computers, smart phones or dedicated e-book readers. They are becoming increasingly popular, with many authors now publishing in e-book format.

New ideas and writers

Book publishers try to uncover new writing talent and find new and exciting stories. Popular fiction has the potential to earn the publisher a lot of money: a bestselling title can be sold to film and television companies for huge sums, and may also tie in with other product options such as computer games, merchandise (e.g. clothing, gifts) and complementary publications.

Customer magazines

In-store magazines, paid for by the retailer, have enjoyed huge success in recent years and should continue to be a valuable marketing tool for supermarkets and other retailers.

They are built on the traditional publishing skills of editorial copy and good design, but are increasingly about sending messages out to the consumer and providing a channel of communication to the shop’s customer base. Customer magazines are strongly connected with branding, retaining customer loyalty and selling.

Supermarket competition

Large supermarket chains are now selling books in-store and online and their appeal to customers is that they are often cheaper than when sold by traditional booksellers. It is estimated that 20% of all UK book sales come from supermarkets (Skillset, 2009).

Publishers will have to manage this growth area carefully to make sure that the business of the specialist bookseller is not undermined.

Online shopping

Books can be bought new and second-hand via sites such as Amazon, Ebay and the Book People. Book publishers are increasingly recognising the value of online selling and are looking to develop ways of nurturing and retaining control over this retail channel.