To many in the publishing world, leading readers to find their new books has become harder as the category has shifted to largely online purchases from the neighborhood bookstore.
Last week's news that Amazon was acquiring Goodreads, the internet's largest book-recommendation site, again brought up this "discoverability" challenge.
In a February review of the Goodreads website, New York Times journalist Leslie Kaufman summed up the problem: "The digital age has created online retail sites that are overflowing with new books, leaving readers awash in unknown titles. At the same time the number of bookstores has shrunk considerably, depriving customers of the ability to browse or ask staff members for guidance."
To some, the answer to improving online discovery is richer and more accessible online reviews, a specialty of Goodreads.
Founded in 2007, Goodreads enables its members to list, rate and review books they've read as well as discover new books by using the site's recommendation tool. It has amassed more than 23 million reviews. In over just the past 90 days, members have added more than four books per second to their "want to read" shelves.
With the acquisition, Amazon can tap into the leading social network of active readers and its busy recommendations engine to boost its book and Kindle sales. With its own reviews under scrutiny amid accusations of manipulation, Goodreads provides a more credible and expansive review base.
Writing for Forbes, David Vinjamuri added that Amazon could target Goodsreads' members based on their preferences, better identify key influencers, and cross-promote.
On the downside, some Goodreads users may defect, given Amazon's fractious relationship with publishing. Other user concerns included how their content would be used as well as Goodreads' "neutrality" with Amazon as its parent.
On the Goodreads blog, CEO Otis Chandler assured users that Goodreads would remain independently run. Benefits include better integrating Kindle with Goodreads and the ability of readers to more easily sharing their review/recommendation content on Amazon's website.
Amazon's resources and scale also promises to help Goodreads "move faster" to spread its experience. Mr. Chandler wrote, "We're looking forward to inspiring greater literary discussion and helping more readers find great books, whether they read in print or digitally."
- Amazon.com to Acquire Goodreads - Amazon.com
- Exciting News About Goodreads: We're Joining the Amazon Family! - Goodreads
- Read Any Good Web Sites Lately? Book Lovers Talk Online - The New York Times (tiered sub.)
- Why online book discovery is broken (and how to fix it) - Paidcontent.org
- Three Hidden Benefits of The Amazon Acquisition of Goodreads - Forbes