Advertising in eBooks

[Elfwreck]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

Inserting a coupon, recipe, or amusing story at the end of a chapter with a brought to you by xxx message would not unduly interrupt the reading process except to the most controlling (it shouldn't be this way because I say so) kind of person.

That would work--but the ad has to be custom-designed and carefully placed in each ebook. A recipe with a note about subscribing to CookSupreme Magazine (or whatever) after a chapter about a romantic dinner is great. The same recipe after a chapter about finding a serial killer's victims in a restaurant kitchen is not so great.

Also--how does the ad inspire sales? If I'm not going to stop my reading and go visit their website RIGHT NOW, I'll have forgotten about it by the time I'm done. My reader has no web access, and even when I read on a computer, it's often with internet turned off.

And, since ebooks are touted as non-transferable, how much is it worth to the advertiser to be seen by a single person? It's not like adverts in magazines, where they can count on a number of issues being shared among friends, left in the waiting rooms at doctors' offices, carried by libraries, glanced at by a dozen people in line at the supermarket before they're bought. 1 ebook purchase = 1 legit reader... how much will they be willing to pay for maybe-one customer?

The problem isn't figuring out "how do we include ads in ebooks;" it's "how do we *reduce the price* of ebooks with ads"--and that means convincing advertisers that their ads will be effective.

[Doogman]

Why would you embed an ad in a specific ebook? I don't think that would be very effective at all. As long as the user is encapsulated in a closed ecosystem like Kindle or Nook, you simply have the software display the ad when you wish to whom you wish. Since the hardware or software regularly dials home, you can pickup new ads at that time. The ads aren't directed at a specific book, but entire genre like sci-fi or romance. One fresh ad targeted for many readers.

Amazon is already the master at this as you receive targeted emails when you buy or even search on the website.

[ardeegee]

Originally Posted by Doogman

Why would you embed an ad in a specific ebook? I don't think that would be very effective at all. As long as the user is encapsulated in a closed ecosystem like Kindle or Nook, you simply have the software display the ad when you wish to whom you wish. Since the hardware or software regularly dials home, you can pickup new ads at that time. The ads aren't directed at a specific book, but entire genre like sci-fi or romance. One fresh ad targeted for many readers.

Sounds like a job for Orewelpple.

[speakingtohe]

@at elfwreck

A recipe with a note about subscribing to CookSupreme Magazine (or whatever) after a chapter about a romantic dinner is great. The same recipe after a chapter about finding a serial killer's victims in a restaurant kitchen is not so great.

Obviously, goes without saying.
custom designed for each book would be a benefit, but do they always custom design newspaper ads to fit the news in each addition? Does every Harlequin have it's own unique insert?

And, since ebooks are touted as non-transferable, how much is it worth to the advertiser to be seen by a single person? It's not like adverts in magazines, where they can count on a number of issues being shared among friends, left in the waiting rooms at doctors' offices, carried by libraries, glanced at by a dozen people in line at the supermarket before they're bought. 1 ebook purchase = 1 legit reader... how much will they be willing to pay for maybe-one customer?

Newspapers are not always shared outside the family, ebooks can be borrowed from the library or shared between family members, I have yet to see Playboy in a doctor's office and the odd person advertises in the newspaper or a not that likely to be passed on magazine. Some guys don't even want their wives to see the Penthouse.

Consider the trend of free papers being handed out at major transit centers. Generally not passed on, saved, often not read, someone just wants to do the movie crossword to pass the time on the commute. They are printed, hand delivered in many cases, 50 % advertising and seem to thrive. Advertisers must be getting a little bang for their buck.
Community newspapers are generally free and most go unread into the recycle bin. Still they are chock full of adds and flyers.

Cookbooks and cooking magazines, hobbyist books/magazines, and even the computer shopper contain ads. Generally they are not resold and mostly only read by the originalpuschaser.

And human nature being what it is, people pay more for ebooks and probably have a good feeling towards the author so the ads carry more weight than than some other mediums.

Also--how does the ad inspire sales? If I'm not going to stop my reading and go visit their website RIGHT NOW, I'll have forgotten about it by the time I'm done. My reader has no web access, and even when I read on a computer, it's often with internet turned off.

It is all about saturationand increasing product awareness. Do you drop your newspaper or magazine and go instantly rushing off to the store when you see an advertisment?

Advertising is not a whole new game that has to be invented for ebooks. They just haven't gotten around to doing it. Their loss our gain

[Elfwreck]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

@at elfwreck
Obviously, goes without saying.
custom designed for each book would be a benefit, but do they always custom design newspaper ads to fit the news in each addition? Does every Harlequin have it's own unique insert?

Newspapers are comprised of many small sections--several individual news stories, business reports, editorial articles; the ads aren't expected to be read mixed in with the content. They're meant to be read after finishing one piece, before moving on to the next. That's very different from an ad during a chapter break.

And Harlequin inserts are for nearly-identical content--if you enjoyed reading this book, you might like these others by similar authors. That kind of book advertising has always been accepted, and nobody's complaining about continuing it. (It's doubtful a publisher would run a competitor's books adverts, though.)

Newspapers are not always shared outside the family,

But they often are. They're left on public transit for the next reader, or in the break room at the office. Not always, no--but the ads are often pulled out and shared around even if the original buyer doesn't want them. Newspaper ads can't count on being shared around, but the possibility is high.

ebooks can be borrowed from the library or shared between family members,

Depends on who you ask. DRM'd ebooks can be shared among people who share an account; a husband & wife who have different accounts can't share books. (Legitimately. Easily.) And some of the non-DRM ebook sites imply you can't even share them with family members.

And "shared between members of one buying pool" is not the same as "handed to a next door neighbor with a different budget." Advertisers want to reach more people. If only 1/4 of the magazines are shared in any way, that's a *substantial* number; ebooks are advertised as "ONE READER ONLY." How much do you think an advertiser will pay to reach that one person, maybe one time (if s/he doesn't have a program that strips the ads out)--as opposed to a magazine that might be thumbed by half a dozen customers at the store before someone buys it, and might be re-read (or re-flipped-through) a dozen times during the month, as the person skips around looking for articles they like?

This is a *serious* part of the issue. Will an advertiser pay more than $.50 to reach that person? More than $1? If not, how is the ad going to substantially lower the price of the book? If seven advertisers pay $.50 each, will the reader still enjoy the book?

I have yet to see Playboy in a doctor's office

You go to the wrong doctors.

Well, no... but Playboy is also not nearly as ad-laden as Woman's Day or Rolling Stone. Advertisers know they're reaching a more targeted demographic *and* a more limited number per purchase.

Consider the trend of free papers being handed out at major transit centers. Generally not passed on, saved, often not read, someone just wants to do the movie crossword to pass the time on the commute. They are printed, hand delivered in many cases, 50 % advertising and seem to thrive. Advertisers must be getting a little bang for their buck.

They're not thriving; they're dying. Advertisers are getting something, but they're reconsidering because they're not getting enough to keep the practice going. We're heading for a paper-publishing crash to rival the dot-com crash, as advertisers figure out that subsidizing freebies doesn't directly result in more sales of their products.

Cookbooks and cooking magazines, hobbyist books/magazines, and even the computer shopper contain ads. Generally they are not resold and mostly only read by the original purchaser.

And the ads are *incredibly* targeted toward the subscription demographic.

Book readers are harder to peg down, even for a limited & simple genre. What should they advertise in Carina Press ebooks, the new Harlequin imprint? I buy romance ebooks; if they offered them cheaper with ads, I'd consider buying some. Makeup? I don't wear makeup. Perfume? If it's not based on essential oils, don't bother. Clothes? Hah. Sex toys? Well, maybe... but I suspect those aren't going to fly in Texas. Since they're illegal there.

For, oh, mainstream thrillers, or Stephen King books--what can they advertise that doesn't just annoy 1/3 of the readers who will later decide not to bother with ebooks?

And human nature being what it is, people pay more for ebooks and probably have a good feeling towards the author so the ads carry more weight than than some other mediums.

Paying more for them means *less* tolerance for ads. The idea is that ads will lower the price without ruining the experience of reading.

It is all about saturationand increasing product awareness. Do you drop your newspaper or magazine and go instantly rushing off to the store when you see an advertisment?

No, but if I like the ad, I'll carefully tear it out of the newspaper & put it in my pocket. Can't do that with an ebook page. If I like an ad on a website, I bookmark it to read later. I'm not bookmarking & returning to a page in the middle of a book I'm done with.

Advertising is not a whole new game that has to be invented for ebooks. They just haven't gotten around to doing it. Their loss our gain

They haven't quite figured out how to do it for paper books, and with those, they control the viewing method. They can know if it'll be seen in color or not, and what size the ad will show at.

What kind of ad will be equally effective on a desktop screen, an iPad, a 6" e-ink screen, and a Blackberry?

[speakingtohe]

hmmmm... so you figure there is no way it will happen?
Time will tell. The only thing stopping it is shortsightedness IMO

[Ben Thornton]

I think that it is certain to happen. My hope is that it is as unobtrusive as it is in print media, where ads can largely be ignored.

As people shift to digital media, advertising must change to - somehow - advertise to them. The only way that ebooks will escape is if the market remains so small that it isn't worth targetting.

[sunnysmiles]

I dont mind adds about new books at the end of a book . I seriously object to having ads anywhere else , I would find it off putting and would be very unhappy .