Consumer Reviews: The Future of Publishing Rests in Your Hands

**UPDATE** 2/18/11 - Just wanted to mention that this post is being featured on the # publishing Daily Twitter site/feed.  You can find it under the #books section on the bottom righthand side of the site.  I'm a little biased now :0), but they feature some cool stuff going on in the world of publishing.  Polish up those comments folks, the Twitterverse is watching!  Way to go gang!

Good evening, Blog Friends! I see a lot of new faces in the crowd, so I'll say a quick welcome and encourage you to find a comfy chair, pour yourself some tea/wine and settle in for a little chat. This is a long post, but please stay with me as I'll make a valid point. (PROMISE!) Also, be sure to hit me back with your thoughts when we're done. It's your opinion (not my own) that I really want to hear.

Have you ever purchased a product from online retail giant Amazon? Chances are you have, or are at least familiar enough with the site to know how it works. You can purchase anything--from beer bongs to books, they have it all--and it gets shipped directly to your door or mailbox. Naturally, I'm more concerned with the books. (Now if you had asked me 10 years ago, you might have gotten a different answer ... )

Once you've ordered that new set of steak knives, you can clip right over and post a review to give other consumers the scoop on your Turbo Ginsu. (Can you really use it to chop wood? REALLY??)



In moments, thousands of Amazon browsers will see your opinion. Did you love it? Hate it? Perhaps the larger question is will it matter? Does anyone really care if you tried to cut a can in half, but ended up starting a modest kitchen fire instead? Surely no one is going to base their decision to invest in something based upon the thoughts of a complete stranger. You might be surprised ...

Before we get too far into the discussion, I'd like to point out that the importance of a strong reception isn't strictly an anomaly of the electronic age. Authors have known for ages that perhaps the single most powerful publicity tool is good old word of mouth praise.

Be it in living rooms or chat rooms, if folks are talking about your book, it's a good thing.  (Especially if they're talking sweet. ;-)    

Granted, consumer reviews have really gained in significance since the dawn of the internet. It has become a global world, where shoppers are no longer limited to the stock on hand at the local Target, but can truly purchase just about anything from anywhere. As our choices have expanded, so has the need for a discerning opinion.

There is a fairly large amount of anecdotal evidence to support the power of receiving positive reviews on shopping sites, particularly in the realm of books. I did a little (highly unscientific) research myself, and discovered the following: The top 5 selling books in the Amazon top 100 averaged 470 reviews and an average review rating of 4.5/5. Similarly, I looked at 4 of the top selling genres (Romance, Literature & Fiction, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, and Teen) and they averaged reviews/ratings (respectively) of 58/4.5, 328/4, 213/4, and 804/4. (NOTE: 2 of the top 5 Sci-Fi/Fantasy are pre-orders, so the numbers were divided by 3 instead of 5.)

What conclusions can we make based upon those numbers? That the most popular books are being reviewed en masse, and the consumer feedback is largely positive. You can chicken/egg this thing to death, but I think it's safe to say that the number and tone of the reviews is having an impact on sales.

Clearly, numerous positive reviews mean more to Joe Starting-Out-Author than Stephen King, Jo Rowling or James Patterson. However, don't believe that it doesn't make a difference to the big dogs as well. Just last year mega-popular author, Michael Lewis felt the sting of bad pub in the form of slamming Amazon reviews. Sadly, it wasn't even the writing that was fueling his detractors, but the fact that his book wasn't made available in eBook form by his publishers. (Something the author had ZERO control over.)

In fact, perhaps the most compelling evidence that your thoughts make a difference is shown in the great (and sometimes bizarre) lengths that people have gone/will go to in an effort to skew consumer feedback. In May of last year, the Cincinnati Beacon ran this story about the efforts to 'pad' book reviews by hired publicists. Then there's this story about an author who noticed she'd been receiving some oddly consistent negative reviews. After some investigation, it appeared that she actually had been the target of a smear campaign instigated by--wait for it--COMPETING PUBLISHERS! (Allegedly...) Oh, and authors aren't immune to the shenanigans. Here's a story of an author's spouse posting dodgy reviews of competitor's books, and another story of an author going all ePostal on someone who posted a bad review of her book.     

This brings me to the point.  (Told you I'd make one ...) 

After reading the unfortunate news that popular bookstore chain Borders is going belly-up, coupled with the soaring popularity of eBooks, I think we as book consumers (and producers) are facing a very real shift in how the business of literature is grown and sustained. Diminishing are the days of publishers and mass distributors ensuring that we take notice of great books and great authors by placing them in front of our noses. The supply is increasing and, with the loss of physical marketing, the ability to stand out (for books) is decreasing.

To a much greater extent, books will flourish from reader support, not marketing dollars. Increasingly, the success of your favorite author is going to ride on YOUR shoulders as a reader and reviewer. You're going to be the store manager and publishing professional who decides which books pop-up first in the store/search engines.

I challenge you, as people who love to read, get in the habit of reviewing every book you enjoy on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, SmashWords, etc. Most of the sites will allow you to review even if you purchase elsewhere. If you love an author, share your opinion online (particularly on the sites that allow you to purchase books). It makes a difference now, and it may mean everything tomorrow.

~EJW~