Tools used to reach readers have drastically changed with consolidation driven by the "four horsemen": Google, Facebook, Amazon and Apple

Metadata is the key to addressing the issue of book discoverability online it was revealed today during the fourth edition of the Knowledge Summit 2017, organised by The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF).

Speaking during a session entitled “Publishing and the Fourth Industrial Revolution”, publishing industry consultant, Jane Friedman, said that with the exponential growth of eBooks and online content publishers now need to deploy their resources more effectively by focusing their efforts at direct-to-consumer marketing.

“The traditional methods of finding readers haven’t changed, in that you need to understand your target and know where they live, either on or offline,” said Friedman. “However, the tools you use to reach them are drastically changing, and for better or worse, these tools are starting to be consolidated in what they call the four horsemen: Google, Facebook, Amazon and Apple, since these companies yield undue influence on how people discover their next book.”

The fact that publishers and authors alike now primarily target Amazon with marketing to ensure their book stands out, or achieves specific targeting through Google optimisation, or merchandising through Apple’s iBook store, continues to change the way content is disseminated to find its intended audience.

With 60% of people making their book choices online regardless of whether they go on to make the purchase digitally or offline, Friedman added that the way forward for publishers and self-publishing authors is to master the art of metadata – as in the digital categorising and essentially cataloguing of their content.

“If publishers and authors, who know their audience, can find the right keywords, or metadata that talks to their target readers, which entails moving away from the general categorisation traditionally adopted, then they will successfully hold their book up in an ocean of content,” she said.

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, and the directives of MBRF Chairman H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the fourth edition of the Summit bears the theme: “Knowledge and Fourth Industrial Revolution.”

The Summit attracts more than 105 speakers from 23 countries, who are set to present new ideas and perspectives on the Fourth Industrial Revolution, in addition to exchanging experiences and exploring best practices. The summit discusses the dimensions and key components of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, as well as its profound effects on all aspects of life, including society, the economy, academia and culture.

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© Press Release 2017