Social Media for Book Marketing in a Digital Marketplace: A Study of Selected Publishers in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

With marketing messages flooding the social media landscape, small publishers and their products are finding it increasingly difficult to gain visibility and recognition. Given the importance of publishing as a fulcrum for socioeconomic and technological change in society, small publishers must find ways to leverage on the opportunities afforded by social media technology to reach a larger audience. While several studies have shown the adoption of novel information and communication technologies in the Nigerian book publishing industry, there is little research on the usage of social media for book marketing. The purpose of this study is to explore Nigerian book publishers' perception and awareness about social media and the challenges they face while using it for book marketing. The study used an in-depth interview to collect data from five (5) randomly selected book publishing companies in Lagos State, Nigeria, based on the argument that strategy -driven social media marketing can help small book publishers survive and prosper in the current digital world.

Social media was viewed positively by respondents as a marketing tool. They stated that using social media to engage with clients and raise awareness about their book items was rather easy. However, a major constraint was identified as a la ck of social media marketing skills that would allow them to maximise the benefits of social media. As a result, this study identifies social media competency as a resource in the strategic use of social media in the Nigerian book publishing industry.