When it comes to getting new books noticed in the digital age, advance copies sent out to trusted influencers are essential.
NetGalley has been in the business of connecting over 300 publishers’ new titles with “professional readers” since 2008 and today operates in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, France, Germany and Japan.
Part of Firebrand Technologies, NetGalley describes itself as,
an industry-standard service to help readers of influence discover and recommend new books to their audiences.
Here’s how it works:
Publishers receive requests from NetGalley members to read their books in exchange for feedback. Publishers can also invite their own contacts to read their books by using a pre-approved link. In addition to providing a platform for publishers to access a vibrant community of readers and influencers, NetGalley also provides actionable data about how early reading ignites interest and promotes sales.
Anyone hoping to just sign up and get some free books to while away a quiet evening will be disappointed. Readers are vetted and are expected to have a track record of constructively reviewing titles or be an influencer in some professional field (librarian, book blogger, etc).
Publishers? Needless to say that’s how NetGalley pays its way.
While there is no charge for our member community to use NetGalley, publishers do pay a set-up fee and a monthly subscription rate depending on the number of books listed on the site. We also offer a package for independent authors, and work with marketing and PR firms, as well as other groups who manage book promotions. NetGalley clients can also participate in successful marketing programs to help boost engagement with our community.
That’s NetGalley’s regular service, but since January this year NetGalley has been offering NetGalley Advanced in the US, and as of October 1 NetGalley Advanced is also available in the UK and under the brand NetGalley Premier in France and Germany.
The press release explains,
NetGalley Advanced gives marketers and publicists access to tools that will help them spend less time executing strategies and more time refining them. Plus, new charts and customizable reports help publishers understand how their strategies are working, and if they’re reaching their engagement goals. New insights about audience, correlations between promotions and activity, and simplified title management ensure that employees at various levels of a publisher’s organization have what they need to make the most of pre-publication efforts.
Reporting on the nine months operational in the US, Kristina Radke, VP, Business Growth and Engagement said,
NetGalley Advanced has been well-received by publishers in the U.S. We’ve continued to introduce new and expanded features every month since the launch in January, and now feel that this powerful tool is ready for European publishers. I’m excited to see how publishers in these markets will use the early insights about their strategies, title activity, and audiences.
Hopefully Kristina Radke will share that with us as the results come in.
