Smart speakers are becoming a staple in the average household and changing the way we interact with technology. Publishing companies are taking note and looking at their use of the digital space in order to attract a more tech-savvy crowd. The industry is no stranger to surviving a digital upset, but the question is how they will respond to it. Looking closer, we can already see what challenges publishers face and the innovative ideas they have brought to the table in response.
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Realizing You’re Part of the Problem: E-Waste
By Maegan O'Brion
The books I read for work and pleasure are almost always downloaded onto my phone either as EPUB files or as audiobooks. I carry almost no paper with me and feel righteous frustration when handed a paper syllabus. I feel virtuous for saving paper, but this issue might not actually be as cut and dry as we think.
Rise in the Ranks with SEO Techniques
By Vivian Nguyen
One of the best ways you can build your brand and put your book out there is through developing your website. This serves as a place where your readers can learn more about you and your book, locate you on social media, find promotional events, and more. But with over 3.5 billion Google searches made every day, how do you ensure your website stands out? Ooligan Press encourages authors to utilize search engine optimization (SEO) techniques to bump your site higher in the ranks. Continue reading for simple tips to help your book reach the peak of its potential!
Escaping the Need to Know Everything
By Kaitlin Barnes
It’s no secret that the publishing world has a fear of digital technology. Ebooks especially are still often treated as the red-headed stepchild of the publishing world—a wild, untamed format that only those with high-level, specialized skills can attempt to conquer. The fact of the matter is, however, this simply isn’t true. Anyone who sets their mind to it can master the art of creating ebooks, yet most remain afraid to try. Specifically, people seem to be afraid they don’t know enough to even make an attempt.
Listening In: Is Voice Command Technology Changing the Way We Read?
By Monique Vieu
Publishers, just like any other business, must keep up with changing tides in order to stay relevant, and as the demand for easy technology grows, the industry is increasingly turning towards audio and digital in order to survive.
Loans from Big Brother: There’s Hope for Small Publishers
By Esa Grigsby
Will Self asserts that the great literary fiction novel is falling from popular demand and will only continue in society as a source of entertainment for a select few. History preserved in the present, like “easel painting or classical music . . . a subject for historical scholarship rather than public discourse.” In a world where big publishers absorb smaller publishers at an alarming rate, I’ve started thinking perhaps he’s right, but what is an aspiring publisher to do?