#dbw15 1

Reader AnalyticsKnow Your Readers!

Tracking reader behaviour

across 3rd party reading apps

@jellybooks

@arhomberg

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

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 toolsStephen King (author)

#dbw15 3

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.

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

3

=

HTML 5 + CSS 3 + JS

Note: epubtest.org publishes current support levels for ePub 3

#dbw15 6

7

ePub 3

=

HTML 5 + CSS 3 + JSthe critical enabler of the new ePub 3 file format is

the ability to use Javascript for tracking reader engagement

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

Value of Reader Analytics Data

Observational data = objective data

Data gathered before publication = actionable

– Editorial changes

– Positioning

– Allocation of Marketing Spend

– Audience targeting

#dbw15 9

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

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

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

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).

#dbw15 13

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

#dbw15 14

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

#dbw15 15

Question I

Where do readers drop off?

• Can we improve the book

editorially?

• Is it too long

• Should some sections be

condensed?

#dbw15 16

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

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)

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

“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

@arhomberg #dbw14 Book Discoverability 21

VIP Invites

analytics.jellybooks.com

@jellybooks

The End

for slides email vip@jellybooks.com