In the lead up to 38^th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), Publishers Conference was organised by Sharjah Book Authority (SBA). CEOs and other representatives of different global publishing companies participated in the event. In the opening comments, SBA Chairman Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri welcomed the publishers from all over the world. More than 560 national and international publishers are said to be attending the SIBF.

Jade Robertson, International Publishing Director of Austin Macauley Publishers was also present as a panellist. Jade enlightened the audience with her experience and ideas regarding book publishing and the importance of online marketing tools within the industry.

While sharing her thoughts, she said, “The power of social media and other digital platforms to advertise and promote books was undeniable and publishers could ignore them only at their peril.” She further added, “We look at how we can garner social media to sell books. 90% of people trust online recommendations for books.”

Jade shared some really impressive facts and figures for the UAE across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social channels, highlighting the importance of online marketing techniques in today’s world. She expressed her views, saying “We look at global trends and not just regional trends. Publishers should do their research globally.”  While speaking on the tough competition between attention on video and long-form reading, she was of the opinion that reading stays viable but image-based marketing, particularly on social media, gets much more engagement from the people.

Overall, it was an interesting interactive session amidst presence from some of the world’s leading book-publishing entities. This year, the conference features a three-day schedule with a focus on the latest publishing trends, digital strategies, emerging markets, threats and challenges.