Tracking reader behaviour across 3rd party reading apps with a "Google Analytics for ebooks" approach

1. #dbw15 1
Reader Analytics
Know Your Readers!
Tracking reader behaviour
across 3rd party reading apps
@jellybooks
@arhomberg

2. Reader Engagement?
Despite the digital
transformation of the
publishing industry,
authors & publisher
still can rarely
measure actual reader
engagement!
How are (e)books
actually read?
#dbw15 2

3. What we do
Reader Analytics enables
authors & publishers to see
how their users actually read
books: customer insight
Jellybooks also provides tools
to better promote and market
books: discoverability tools
Stephen King (author)
#dbw15 3

4. Analytics Across 3rd Party ebook apps
4
Reader Analytics by Jellybooks is a framework for
measuring reading engagement across 3rd party
ebook apps and reading platforms.

5. 3 Challenges
1. Collect the Data
• Log key reader interactions within ePub even
when reader uses 3rd party app or is offline
2. Extract the Data
• Upload the data from 3rd party app with the
reader’s cooperation
3. Privacy Issues
• We need to be extremely cautious in managing
reader expectations
#dbw15 5

6. 3
=
HTML 5 + CSS 3 + JS
Note: epubtest.org publishes current support levels for ePub 3
#dbw15 6

7. 7
ePub 3
=
HTML 5 + CSS 3 + JS
the critical enabler of the new ePub 3 file format is
the ability to use Javascript for tracking reader engagement

8. Who uses Javascript?
• Google Analytics
• Kissmetrics
• Mixpanel
• Optimizely
• Adobe SiteCatalyst
• Flurry Analytics
Javascript (JS) is the
default tool for web
analytics. Not useable
in ePub 2, but now for
first time deployable
in ePub 3
#dbw15 8

9. Value of Reader Analytics Data
Observational data = objective data
Data gathered before publication = actionable
– Editorial changes
– Positioning
– Allocation of Marketing Spend
– Audience targeting
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10. Reader Analytics – Part I
1. Collect the Data
Log & time-stamp key reader interactions within ePub 3:
• Speed of reading
• Length of reading sessions
• Time of day content is read
• Highlighting of sections
• Flipping back and forth
• Preferred reading font
• Device used
• Location
#dbw15 10

11. Data Points Collected
Element iBooks Readium
Scroll events ?
Pagination events ?
Chapter loading/unloading
Taps/clicks on links & images
App open/close
Heartbeat (user reading?)
Selecting text
Highlighting/sharing text ?
bookmarks ?
Font/typeface changes
Reader location
#dbw15 11

12. Supported Apps/Devices
Q1’15: iBooks reading app on
– iPhone
– iPad
– Macs
Q2’15: plus ADE, Mantano, Kobo, etc.
– iPhone, iPad, Macs
– Android smartphones & tablets, selected eReaders
– Windows & Linux PCs and laptops
#dbw15 12

13. Reader Analytics – Part II
2. Extract the Data
Incentivise the reader to click on links that have been added as
part of supplementary material at the end of the ebook:
• link for getting a loyalty reward or extra stuff
• link for providing feedback to the author
• link for entering a competition (prices)
• link for visualizing their own reading habits (monitored self)
• link for comparing their reading style to others (gamify)
• link for claiming a credit (book sucked, give me something better)
Once the reader clicks on a link (while online) we can open a data channel to
extract and upload the data to a central server, but in a D2C environment we
can open a “call home” channel ourselves (subject to T&Cs).
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14. At Jellybooks, we already have ample experience with formatting 30,000+
ePub files and adding a last page with links and monitoring click interactions
even in 3rd party app environments like Kindle
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15. Reader Analytics– Part III
3. Data Privacy
The Tracking software is embedded in ebooks that are
distributed free of charge to members of a focus group
prior to publication date.
Closed focused group: publisher list
Open focus group: Jellybooks community
+ social networks
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16. Question I
Where do readers drop off?
• Can we improve the book
editorially?
• Is it too long
• Should some sections be
condensed?
#dbw15 16

17. Question II
• Can we figure out if specific audiences
(age, gender location, etc.) engage with a book
more strongly than others?
so we can better position the book
identify the right marketing channels
find the right messages to promote the book?
#dbw15 17

18. Question III
Can we gather data
that helps build a
virtuous book
marketing/referral
cycle?
#dbw15 18
Discover
Sample
(search
reviews)
Buy
(download)
Read
(and finish!)
Share
(recommend)

19. Reader Analytics Team
19
Project Crowberry team members, from left to right:
• Andrew Rhomberg, Jellybooks CEO and project manager
• Andy Roberts, Jellybooks Technical Director and back-end developer
• Jeff Abrahamson, Jellybooks Chief Data Scientist and back-end developer
• Baldur Bjarnason, ePub specialist and front-end developer
• Bill McCoy, executive director IDPF & technical advisor to Project Crowberry

20. “Google Analytics for Ebooks”
20
• (Free) ebook emailed to focus group members
• Read on own device/app (ePub3 format)
• Embedded JS software tracks (offline) reading
• Readers click on embedded link to upload data

21. @arhomberg #dbw14 Book Discoverability 21
VIP Invites
analytics.jellybooks.com
@jellybooks

22. The End
for slides email vip@jellybooks.com