American Libraries Live: 12 Keys to Successful Digital Content Promotion (April 2018)

April 18, 2018
1 p.m. ET
Copyright © 2018 Recorded Books. All
Rights Reserved
1

Who we are
• Largest independent producer of audiobooks in the world
• Exclusive catalog of more than 30,000 premium titles, as well as
tens of thousands of premium audiobooks from other major
publishers
• Provides 10+ content types via the RBdigital app
― Audiobooks and eBooks
― Magazines and Comics
― Games and Music
― Streaming Video
― Education
Copyright © 2018 Recorded Books. All Rights Reserved 2

Notes on this webcast
• Thank you for joining us today. If you stay for the entire
presentation, your name will be entered in a drawing for a free
tablet with a one-year personal subscription to Acorn TV.
• Complete a demo of our new streaming video services with one
of our team members and receive a one-year personal
subscription to Acorn TV. Watch your email for details.

Today’s Goals
Share common practices in promoting digital content
•Take away 1 idea you can use immediately
•Take away 2-3 ideas for consideration in the next year

Today’s Goals
Share common practices in promoting digital content
•Take away 1 idea you can immediately use today
•Take away 2-3 ideas for consideration in the next year
•Sources of promotional practices:
–Nationwide survey
–Two library case studies
–Working with thousands of libraries in many countries

Nationwide Survey of Public Libraries
• Survey posted in April, 2018
• 230 responses from across North America
• Designed to determine -
– Resources used in promoting digital resources
– Most common promotional practices

Broad selection of digital content
• More than 50% of libraries offer 5
different digital services
• Audiobooks, eBooks, Magazines the
most common
• Libraries over 1 million annual
circulation – 60% have 8 or more
digital services

Few resources to promote services
• 55% have no staff dedicated
to promoting digital services

Lack of promotional funding
• 18% = $0
• 43% = $5k or less
• Libraries over 1 million annual
circulation – similar profile

How to overcome these challenges?
• Significant number of digital services, but…
– Little to no resources focus on digital promotion
– Very small/no funding for digital promotions
– Patrons do not always visit the library
– Not all patrons are digital natives

Karilyn Steward, Librarian,
Calabasas Library
RBdigital Streaming Video
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Poll
Are you aware that IndieFlix streaming video service has
public performance rights?
– Yes
– No
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IndieFlix Ideas
• Film Fanatics – a movie group for adults at the Library.
– Show them IndieFlix and how to access it.
– Screen a movie from IndieFlix.
• Make sure you have a public performance license for the
title.
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Additional IndieFlix Ideas
• Make a list of appropriate documentaries and movies
for high school students.
– Put it on your website as a downloadable pdf file.
– The students can use the documentaries and movies for
school assignments.
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• Make sure you tell patrons that they can use it to
mirror or stream on their TVs using the computer,
tablet, smartphone, Xbox, Roku, Apple TV and
Chromecast.
– Ask your staff for help. For instance, Xbox instructions
by staff.
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• Cheat sheets
– Though RBdigital has
great resources, I have
made cheat sheets for
all our digital products.
• The sheets are on the
website. So, if a patron
calls, I can direct them to
the links.
• http://www.cityofcalabasas.com/library/streaming-video.html
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Christina Kruger,
Head of Acquisitions,
Army MWR Library
RBdigital Streaming Video

• 70 physical locations over 7 countries
• Any active duty, reservist, national guard, or Army retiree
worldwide
• Selected Embassies and consulates
We Are

In Development
Wallpaper Image shown is from SAPL Shelf Ticket Image from Demco

From 1 to 10, rate how successful
your library has been in
promoting digital content, with
1 being not very successful and
10 being extremely successful.
Poll

12 Promotional Tactics
Top ranked by your peers

1 – Staff training on digital services
• “When I started as a branch manager, I had staff research and report on a
digital service to the rest of the staff. Each week we got a 5 minute
introduction to one of the library's digital services. That allowed staff to take
ownership of a certain digital option and train others. Staff often
commented "I didn't know we had that" and "I feel more comfortable
sharing resources with patrons now"
• “The most effective way we have to reach patrons about our digital services
to have librarians hand-sell them.”
• Incent librarians to complete training with small gifts, like Starbucks gift
certificates.
• Create badges or other ways to recognize those completing trainingCopyright © 2018 Recorded Books. All Rights Reserved 26

2 – Patron training on digital services
• “Yearly In-library events with hands-on training to patrons on using the e-
resources with their personal devices. This week long event served more than
100 patrons.”
• “Provide user guides for patrons on the website for each new services, so
patrons can find quick help if they need it.”
• “RBdigital provides patrons direct access to support when they need it.”

3 – Dedicated emails to patrons
• “We have been sending out eBlasts… we send them once a month and
feature a different resource each time. Use for that particular resource
typically doubles during that month.”
• “Monthly eBlasts to patrons have increased our digital service usages
tremendously some have even had 200-400% increase since starting the
eblasts.”
• “Our PR department sends out targeted emails to users when a new feature
is added to that platform.”

4 – Feature on library’s website
• “New website has made digital services easier to find and circulation has
improved.”
• “Promoting digital services front and center on our website – what could be a
better fit than promoting digital services digitally?”
• “Our website is consistently the most effective tool for promoting digital
services. When we add a new service, we typically run an advertisement on
the homepage to spread awareness. Then, we will periodically re-post the
ad.”

5 – Showcase on social media
• “Flyers and social media blast about the new
additions to Recorded Books.”
• “Using social media posts to promote our
digital services has been successful in getting
the word out.”
• “Facebook posts have been effective for us,
and we have seen evidence that some posts
are widely shared.”

6 – Display materials in-library
• “We had a "party"/open house event at the library, called D@SH (databases
at South Holland). We highlighted all of our databases with a brochure and a
few specific ones by dressing up (i.e. German traditional dress for person
highlighting language database, historical dress for person highlighting
history database, etc.) and talking about them.”
• “We created an in-house pamphlet with all of our digital services listed, and
we give a copy to anyone who is interested in digital services.”
• “Having a sign at the circulation desk and staff telling users about digital
content available.”
• “One of the most effective efforts was at the roll out of our digital magazine
collection we put signs next to magazines on the shelf that indicated they
were also available digitally and contained QR codes that linked directly to
the magazine entry in our library system's RBdigital collection.”

7 – Newsletter to patrons
• “Newsletter featuring a particular digital resource we own. I
know it increased usage because the stats for that resource
increased the following month.”
• “Newsletter to patrons explaining change from one service to a
new service. 50 sign ups in first week.”
• “e-newsletter seems to generate the biggest spike in traffic.”

8 – Giveaways or contests
• “Increased eBook and audiobook checkouts by having a weekly
drawing for a Kindle Fire.”
• “In order to increase our ebook circulation, we gave away a
Kindle every week during the month of December.”
• “At the end of summer, patrons who complete the Summer
Reading Program goals may enter to win a tablet. Each branch
gives away 3 tablets (Adult, Teen and Child) and offers training
on e-services. The campaign is one patrons look forward to
every year.”

9 – Local press outreach
• “The most effective was when we started RBdigital and had
launch events and we were covered in the newspaper and
television stations.”
• “Press coverage of new streaming movie service.”
• Make your outreach to press about something “newsworthy” –
launching a new service, outreach to people who are
homebound, awards to winners of a “young reader” contest,
etc. And include patron quotes when you can.

10 – Reading club
• “We do an ebook reading challenge every year
and get more participants each year. This year
we got very close to meeting our ambitious goal
number. We used in-house posters, social media
posts and announcements on our website and in
our e-newsletter.”
• Summer reading club for elementary age kids to
avoid the summer slump. Give awards to the
kids that read the most eBooks or audiobooks to
celebrate their success.

11 – Target key segments
• “Including using one of our digital services as one thing needed
to complete a summer reading program for adults. A lot of
people tried things they didn't even know we offered.”
• Offer language learning to ELL adults

12 – Easy to discover new services
• Having all of the services
available on one app makes it
easy for patrons to discover
new services.
• Limit the number of patron
apps to a manageable number –
most app users focus on 3 apps
according to a June, 2017 study
by Statistica.
10+ content services on
the new RBdigital app

13 – Tell a compelling story
• “Promote new blockbuster titles is a great way to engage patrons.”
• Introduce new services that are relevant to our patrons – “new” is a powerful
word.
• Build a campaign around the introduction – combine some of the ideas we
have talked about today.
– June 4 – Staff training
– June 11 – Launch new service
• Email blast
• Website listing
• Press release
• Signage in library
– June 18 – In-library “party” promoting the new service
– July – Contest with all users in July part of a tablet drawing
– Aug – Measure results and celebrate high usage!

Thank you for spending time with us today
• Logistics
– The drawing winner for the tablet will be notified within the next 2 days
– Everyone will receive an email invitation to see a demo of our exclusive
new streaming video services – great way to serve a diverse patron
base for pennies per episode or view. Launch a new service every
quarter for the next year +
• 4 exclusive streaming services live with 3 more coming soon, including
Acorn TV and The Great Courses Library Collection
• 7 day pass - patron can view unlimited amount of content
• Once you complete the demo you will receive one year free personal
access to Acorn TV

Bonus offer
• Help up to 3 library systems with their launch of Recorded Books
services
– Send me a note with what you are launching and your current launch
plans, along with any thoughts on how we can help
– Our team will review and see if we can add to your launch
• Email to: Bruce Lovett
• blovett@recordedbooks.com
• Subject: Launch RB services

I hope you have 1 thing to do now,
and 2-3 that you can consider in the future!
Questions?

American Libraries Live: 12 Keys to Successful Digital Content Promotion (April 2018)

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