Slide 1

Digital Content Today &
It’s Consumer
Tim Cooper
Director, Direct & Digital
Harlequin Mills & Boon


Slide 2

Harlequin: Who are we?
Over 120 titles published each month

26 languages
109 international markets
1,300 authors

50 million women readers worldwide
131 million books sold
1st publisher with 100% frontlist in eBook


Slide 3

Series


Slide 4

New York Times Bestsellers 2009
85 titles
232 weeks

4


Slide 5

Harlequin Differentiator
Brand
Direct consumer relationship


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Digital & Editorial
Explore content with digital eyes, potential for:
Extra; Prequel, bridge, companion; Shorts;
Widgets; Apps; Games?

How to move content into digital age
Ask authors to think “extras” as you write
Support print sales
Establish your brand

Digital content needs to be able to stand alone


Slide 7

Prequels


Slide 8

Companion Stories

Book 5


Slide 9

Bridge

February 2010

June 2010
FREE

August 2010


Slide 10

Global (NA – Japan – Manga – Digital Comic
– iTunes)


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Slide 12

Nonfiction “chunking”

Thanksgiving
Christmas
Tea with Debbie …


Slide 13

UK Digital Strategy
Equal pricing to paperbacks

100% availability of frontlist
Enable content sampling - “try before you buy”

Addition of exclusive eBook content


Slide 14

Using Content to Sell Content
Try a Book before you buy it

Widget to share the experience


Slide 15

eBook Survey: UK
80% responders use our ‘Browse the Book’
functionality

Over 25% read 5+ eBooks / month
60% read on Laptop / PC
33% on eReaders
7% on mobile
Three Key Digital Consumer Expectations


Slide 16

HMB UK eBook Sales growth
2010 = +100% 2009


Slide 17

Distribution & Retail Partners


Slide 18

Building a Community


Slide 19

Thank you
Tim Cooper
Director, Direct & Digital
Harlequin Mills & Boon
[email protected]