Social Media

Flowh is a more social version of the traditional event calendar. The online platform can turn an independent bookstore’s calendar into a marketing tool that connects with customers in new ways.

NYT article on indie bookstores shared with millions of Twitter followers; SFWA announces 2014 Nebula Award nominees; Poets & Writers introduces mobile app; PEN releases 2015 Literary Awards calendar; Young people prefer print books to digital, Washington Post reports; May 2 announced as first Canadian Authors for Indies Day; Lerner Publishing Group acquires Egmont USA’s list

“How to Create an Effective Social Media Marketing Strategy and Track the Results,” presented by JB Media Group's Sarah Benoit at Winter Institute 10, provided booksellers with tips and tricks to make the most of social media.

2014 Carla Furstenberg Cohen Literary Prize goes to Lish, Stevenson; Poet Amy King to receive 2015 WNBA Award; Fujii sales rep Ted Heinecken to retire; Chronicle Books launches Third Great Tumblr Book Search; Council Oak Books signs distribution deal with IPG 

The Bookworm of Edwards has launched the Wiggle Worms story time channel on YouTube, featuring Children’s Director Franny Gustafson reading aloud new and classic picture books.

The Asheville Internet marketing firm JB Media Group will present a session on the ABCs of social media strategy and analytics on Tuesday, February 9, at the Winter Institute.

For the second year in a row, Indies First on Small Business Saturday was a strong day for independent bookstores, which saw unit sales of books rise 4.6 percent over 2013 for the week.

Booksellers are invited to take a look at the many conversations happening in BookWeb’s Bookseller Forums, where members go to discuss topics ranging from social media best practices to IndieCommerce to plans for the upcoming Winter Institute.

Here are tips to help booksellers spread the word via social media about their upcoming Indies First plans and Upstream partnerships.

The recently unveiled Google My Business portal allows small businesses to manage their Google services through one central location.

With nearly 300 followers each and a recent write-up in the Christian Science Monitor, two Pinterest boards created by Gary Robson of Red Lodge Books & Tea are an ideal place to share bookstore display ideas. Just this week, a third board was added for displays on banned books and censorship.

Booksellers are encouraged to check out two new Pinterest boards, Creative Bookstore Windows and Effective Bookstore Displays, now available as a community resource for sharing and discovering bookstore display ideas. 

Bookseller Gary Robson of Red Lodge Books & Tea, working in collaboration with ABA, has created two boards on Pinterest where booksellers can share ideas about displays and discover innovative ways to showcase books and sidelines in their stores.

Author Jamie Ford asks readers to support bricks-and-mortar bookstores; National Book Awards longlist to be announced September 12; Facebook algorithm change increases engagement; BISG releases study on teacher preferences for course materials

Two booksellers have been named the winners of a set of IndieBound “Eat Sleep Read” and “Snack Nap Read” posters. They were chosen at random from ABA members who “liked” the Facebook pages of both ABA and the ABC Group at ABA by July 4.