Poll Results: Book Reviews Have More Influence Than You Might Think

By • Mar 30th, 2009 • Category: 26th Story, Book News and Publishing

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The results of our latest web pollshow that a friend’s recommendation is the biggest factor when people are buying new books to read, but a good book review is also a strong endorsement. What will happen if the book review sections completely disappear? Which websites and bloggers do you trust most for your reading recommendations?

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  • http://travelsofthebookworm.blogspot.com Marci

    Wow, some are close, but yet the personal recommendations are above… Interesting.

  • http://true-small-caps.blogspot.com Derek

    Which websites and bloggers do you trust most for your reading recommendations?

    Amazon.

  • http://www.firebrandtech.com Fran Toolan

    in the ever expanding world of twitter/blogs, will a friend’s recommendation and a good book review become one in the same?

  • http://terragarden.blogspot.com Terra

    I buy books more from reviews & online and print author interviews than from friends’ recommendations. I review books that I like on my own blog, and enjoy reading reviews on others’ blogs and on Amazon, Christianbook.com, etc.
    Even handwritten notes in my local independent bookstore, written by staff, have steered me to buy books.

  • mary

    There are some great review blogs out there for SFF titles, if nothing else. Fantasy Book Critic, Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist, and many, many more… they provide good general coverage of upcoming releases. Genre books are thick on the ground and I wouldn’t be able to find my way around without these folks!

  • Pingback: On the Validity of Reader Discussion « READNOVEL.ME

  • http://publishingcentral.com Wendy

    I think it’s going to become increasingly important to find a way to track which blogs are driving sales. I know a niche blogger (not a book blogger) that will sell over 350 copies in the first month of any book he favorably reviews on his blog. A book cover image linked to Amazon in his side bar can sell over 100 copies per month, with no text or review involved. But only he and Amazon.com know that. Until last week, he didn’t have any clue that he could request a book from a publisher for review. How can publishers find him and bloggers like him?