Publishing businessDavid Aldea, Strategic Consultant, Digital Transformation/Digital Innovation, The McGraw-Hill Cos.

We are becoming more connected and less private, and seem to be OK with that. Over 70% of world’s population have mobile phones and in US 90% of population have phones and 85% of children have phones. Apple has sold over 60 million iPhones with an ereader built in. 87% of people with ereaders have incomes of over 100K; largest demographic is between 35 and 54. Market for ereaders in 2010 was about $460M. New demographic, called young people, is saying I want what I want, when I want it, where I want it, in the format that I want it, as frequently as I want it updated, and I’m willing to pay to receive it that way. But what about drm? Technical means of protection can always be gotten around and people are unwilling to accept it. One method of “drm” being used is to embed a key that will show who has shared it and use this to target a person fas a qualified sales lead for stuff related to the book that was shared. Hosting or curating a conversation on topics you write or publish about is a great way of protecting your copyright and selling more content in the future. Publishers need to recognize their roll in hosting the conversation around what they publish. Publishers need to be aware that your fiercest competitor may be a completely new player. Large publishers with deep pockets are no longer the only game in town. Need to have the ability to accommodate smaller print runs. Publishers need to organize their content so that portions of it can be used on any device, on any media, or on any format on the web. SEO is becoming less effective over time.

2 COMMENTS

  1. “I want what I want, when I want it, where I want it, in the format that I want it, as frequently as I want it updated, and I’m willing to pay to receive it that way. ”

    He didn’t finish: “…except when I don’t have money, in which case I want it anyway.”

    And I think Aldea’s idea of calling file-sharers “sales leads” is a lot like calling a mugger a “hospital supporter.”

  2. “I want what I want, when I want it, where I want it, in the format that I want it, as frequently as I want it updated, and I’m willing to pay to receive it that way.”

    This is the attitude of modern customers and any company that goes against it is losing business.

    “One method of “drm” being used is to embed a key that will show who has shared it and use this to target a person fas a qualified sales lead for stuff related to the book that was shared”

    Giving the game away, that sharers are actually helping sales. Something many have been saying for years. Now admitted by the inside people.

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