Table of Contents

1. Summary.............................................................................................................................................. 3
2. Sociodemography ................................................................................................................................ 4
2.1 Age ................................................................................................................................................. 4
2.2 Gender ........................................................................................................................................... 4
3. Reading Habits ..................................................................................................................................... 5
3.1 Number of Books Read in a Year ................................................................................................... 5
3.3 Where do Heavy Readers and Influencers Discover New Books? ................................................ 6
4. Reading Recommendations................................................................................................................. 7
4.1 Heavy Readers as Influencers ........................................................................................................ 7
4.2. Multiplier Effects and C2C Reach of Heavy Readers .................................................................... 7
4.3 Online Recommendations by Influencers ..................................................................................... 8
5. Purchase Habits ................................................................................................................................... 9
5.1 Number of Purchased Books ......................................................................................................... 9
5.2 Decision Criteria when Purchasing Books ................................................................................... 10
5.3 The Importance of Reviews and Ratings in the Purchasing Decision Process ............................ 11
6. Recommendations............................................................................................................................. 12
1. Summary
Social media has become a part of
life for many consumers and thus
became an important part of the
marketing strategy of many
companies. In recent years,
publishers, authors and the book
trade have dramatically extended
their marketing activities to social
media like Facebook, Twitter and
Blogs.
The Holy Grail of Social Media
Marketing is the access to and the
good relationship with heavy readers
and so called “influencers”: certain
readers that develop an enormous
reach through social media and
influence the purchase decisions of
other readers through their opinions.
As a special interest platform for
literature, the reader network
LovelyBooks.de particularly attracts
book and online affine readers that
share a great pleasure in talking
about books. We can answer the
above question as we have surveyed
these readers.
The online survey was conducted
from 25 June 2012 until 1 July 2012
on LovelyBooks.de. Participating in
the survey did not require
registration on LovelyBooks.
The report summarizes the answers
of a total of 2,296 readers.

Who are these heavy readers and

influencers on the Internet and how
can one differentiate them from an
“average” reader?
2. Sociodemography
2.1 Age

Age distribution of surveyed heavy readers (blue) and average readers (grey, AWA2012)

Compared to the 2012 data of the
Allensbach Media Market Analysis
(AWA), heavy readers and
influencers on the Internet are
slightly younger than the average
reader. 83% of the surveyed heavy
readers are above 20 years of age
or older and 43% are 30 years of
age or older.

2.2 Gender

Gender distribution of surveyed heavy readers (orange) and average readers (grey, AWA2012)

With 90%, the share of surveyed for book recommendations and

female readers is well above book purchases (this applies to the
average. Women play an entire family).
3. Reading Habits
3.1 Number of Books Read in a
Year
The results clearly show that the
surveyed readers were definitely
heavy readers.
3.2 Which Genres are preferred
by Heavy Readers?
94% of the surveyees read 10 or
more books in a year. 79%
(n = 1,837) read 20 or more books
and definitely have to be
categorised as heavy readers
according to the definition of the
Börsenverein des Deutschen
Buchhandels (> 18 books per
year).
On average, surveyees read 36
books in a year.
Heavy readers in the net prefer
germane fiction genres. The most
popular genres are fantasy,
crime/thriller, young adult books
and light novels, contemporary
novels, romance and historical.
Genres preferred by heavy readers
in the net match the main best-
selling fiction genres.
3.3 Where do Heavy Readers and
Influencers Discover New Books?
Online affine heavy readers get
their inspirations for new books at
the local bookstore or are inspired
by friends. On the Internet, special
interest platforms such as book
communities, blogs or
online booksellers with a personal
recommendation system (e.g.
reader reviews) play an important
role. Traditional media such as
print media or TV and radio only
marginally contribute to
discovering new books.
Personal reading
recommendations play an
important role in discovering new
books both online and offline.
Review and recommendation
platforms with the possibility of
readers exchanging ideas and
networking are therefore an
important element in the book
marketing of publishers.
 4. Reading Recommendations
4.1 Heavy Readers as Influencers

This classifies a much larger

portion of surveyees as
influencers when compared with
the average AWA 2012 reader
(only 28% state that they
recommend books).
97% of surveyees like to
recommend books they have read Word of mouth is an important
to friends and acquaintances. element in the marketing mix of
publishers and identifying the
right influencers is an important
factor of success.
4.2. Influencer Effects and C2C
Reach of Heavy Readers

On average, surveyed heavy

readers recommend about 2.8
books per month (n=2187). 47%
of the readers recommend 3 or
more books per month.
Number of recommended books per month

On average, surveyed heavy

readers recommend books to 3.5
persons per month (n=2216). 69%
recommend books to 3 or more
persons per month.
Number of people that books are recommended to per month
4.3 Online Recommendations by
Influencers

87% of the readers use rating

systems to rate books they have
read.

69% of surveyed readers write

reviews and therefore create
Readers that use rating systems (e.g. 5-star ratings) book-relevant content that
positively support book sales. One
third of the surveyed readers
publish reading recommendations
on their personal blog.

The willingness of heavy readers

to post recommendations online is
Readers that write reviews
principally very high and helps
other readers in their search for
and selection of their next books.

Readers that blog about books

5. Purchase Habits
5.1 Number of Purchased Books

Number of purchased books by heavy readers (purple) and by book buyers (grey, source: AWA2012)

When compared to the average On average, surveyees purchase

AWA 2012 book buyer, the 30 books per year and are
surveyed heavy readers are also therefore a target group with a
above-average big buyers. strong purchasing power.

85% of the surveyed readers buy

10 or more books per year.
5.2 Decision Criteria when
Purchasing Books

Similarly important is the

availability of excerpts and the
presentation at the local
bookshop.

Traditional marketing measures

such as newsletters, ads, etc. and
professional book reviews in the
media and on feature pages are
increasingly becoming insignificant
to this target. The importance of
book trailers is also rather small.

The most important purchasing

decision criteria are reviews,
ratings and recommendations by
Heavy readers are mostly friends. It demonstrates once
influenced in their decision to more the importance of providing
purchase a book by honest and the reader with viral opportunities
credible recommendations from to express his or her opinion.
friends and other readers. These
recommendations may also be
pinpointed on the Internet in the
form of reviews or ratings at the
point of interest.
5.3 The Importance of Reviews
and Ratings in the Purchasing
Decision Process
Relevance of ratings in purchasing a book
Relevance of reviews in purchasing a book
To 69% of surveyees, both ratings
and reviews by other readers are
important decision criteria when
purchasing a book.
To 42% of surveyees, reader
reviews are “very important”
when purchasing a book and to
38% the same is true for reader
ratings.
This result emphasises how
important the opinion of readers
is to potential book buyers.
Therefore, information should be
distributed where readers look for
information about books.
6. Recommendations

Heavy readers not only are a target group with a strong purchasing
power but can become effective ambassadors for books they have
read. Use this opportunity and make word-of-mouth marketing an
integral element of your marketing mix!

Personal opinions and recommendations from other readers

significantly influence purchasing decisions. Distribute content
where readers look for information about books.

Heavy readers and influencers are essentially different from the

“average” reader. Get to know this target group better and develop
a personal relationship. Find out who often likes to talk particularly
about your books.

Influencers cannot be reached via traditional communication lines

and marketing channels. Be present where they are and
communicate with the readers on equal footing.

Promote recommending your books and authors. Show that reader

opinions are a matter that is near to your heart. Start a word-of-
mouth avalanche in collaboration with your book ambassadors!

The aboutbooks GmbH and LovelyBooks.de provide a central meeting point for readers and
authors on the Internet. LovelyBooks.de is leading in the development of Social Reading solutions
for E-books and websites in Germany. Authors and publishers successfully get their books talked
about by readers via virtual reading circles and other activities dealing with literature.

Aboutbooks GmbH Contact: Marcel Koch

Schleißheimer Straße 26 marcel.koch@aboutbooks.de
D-80333 München +49 (0)89 - 520129-52