Trends: How to Meet the Moment

A guest article written by Ashleigh Heaton of Enchantress Marketing

As book marketers, we’re used to making the moment around a publication date, but jumping on a trend is about meeting the moment. Unlike launch campaigns, trend promotions require more flexibility and fast action. When you see something happening, be ready to jump in: these moments are fleeting.

Stop Chasing Trends: Alright, I know this sounds counterintuitive, but hear me out. Just as every book isn’t right for every reader, not every trend is right for every book. When you see a trend happening, first ask yourself: “Does this connect to my book or audience in an authentic, meaningful way?” If the answer is no, don’t add to the noise. Focus your energy on what actually works, not on chasing trends.

Sentiment Signals: This is a fancy industry term for “checking the vibe”. Signals come in many forms, be it social listening tools, reader reviews, or search aggregate tools. When it comes to trends, the key is to look for patterns: what keeps popping up?

Social listening: One of the most reliable ways to receive live, of-the-moment feedback from readers, especially on Bookstagram and BookTok. While there are plenty of paid options to gather social listening data, you can often do a deep dive yourself by looking through comments, hashtags, and trending formats. Be specific with your query, and always ask a question that you plan to take action on.

Plan Ahead: Some trends can be predicted–or, at least, anticipated. Make a habit of looking at upcoming events, media releases, or cultural beats that are likely to generate conversation. For example, romance publishers should always know when the next season of Bridgerton is set to drop, because it always sparks conversation about the genre (and a viral VSQ meme.) Notice when trends are cyclical or seasonal. For social, have templates on hand for rapid response posting.

Ashleigh Heaton is an accomplished book marketing expert based in New York City and the founder of Enchantress Marketing, a full-service book marketing agency for authors and publishers. With over a decade of experience in Big 5 publishing and 113+ career bestsellers, Ashleigh launched Enchantress in 2026 to bring her bespoke approach to clients both in and beyond the traditional publishing landscape. Fluent in fandom, her expertise and passion range across all things genre, including books with magic, spaceships, vampires, and/or kissing.

An Ode to Micro-Influencers, Part 2

The People Behind the Posts Share Their Best Advice

In Part 1 of our Ode to Micro-Influencers, we made the case for looking beyond follower counts and building relationships with micro-influencers. But what does that actually look like in practice? We asked publishing professional, Jillian Hinz, Digital Media Coordinator from PR by the Book and book influencer Laraib at literarycatlady_ to share what they look for, what works, and what they wish authors and publishers knew.

Publicist’s View: Jillian Hinz, Digital Media Coordinator, PR by the Book

What do you look for when you work with a micro-influencer?

For us, the biggest thing is authenticity, not simply audience size. We look for micro-influencers who have built real trust with a clearly defined community and whose interests genuinely align with the book. We also look at how a creator actually talks about books. Are they thoughtful about their recommendations? Do their followers respond, ask questions, and share their own opinions? Are they consistently creating content rather than simply posting sponsored or gifted books? Those signals tell us much more than a follower count.

For authors, micro-influencers can be especially powerful because their recommendations often feel like they are coming from a fellow reader rather than a traditional advertisement. That personal connection is exactly what we want to tap into.

Any particular amazing success stories?

Some of our most successful influencer campaigns have come from finding creators who are incredibly specific about what they love. Rather than trying to put a book in front of the biggest possible audience, we focus on finding the right audience.

We have also seen success outside of traditional book influencers. For some of our nonfiction titles, the strongest partners can be creators in adjacent communities: architecture and urban design creators for a book about neighborhood development or legal creators and law students for a book centered on real cases. Those audiences may be smaller, but the alignment can make the resulting conversation much more meaningful.

The takeaway for us is that the “success story” isn’t always the post with the biggest reach. Sometimes it is the creator whose audience immediately understands why the book belongs in their world.

Some examples of influencer posts:

Anything to avoid?

We try to avoid treating micro-influencers like a numbers game. A large follower count does not automatically translate into influence, and chasing vanity metrics can lead to partnerships that don’t feel authentic. We also avoid overly scripted partnerships. If a creator has built a relationship with their audience around a particular voice, we want to give them room to use that voice. The goal is to give them the right book and the right information and not dictate exactly what they should say.

Finally, we look for genuine engagement rather than inflated or superficial metrics. An account can have thousands of followers but very little meaningful conversation. On the other hand, a smaller creator may have a highly engaged community that trusts their recommendations. For books, that trust is incredibly valuable. Our biggest piece of advice is simple: don’t underestimate the “micro.” The right small creator can have a much bigger impact than a large creator who is simply a demographic match.

Influencer’s View: Laraib H., @literarycatlady_

What does all of this look like from the other side? We also spoke with literary content creator Laraib H. (@literarycatlady_) about what she looks for when deciding whether to work with an author or publisher, and what can turn a one-time interaction into a lasting relationship.

What do you look for when deciding to work with an author or publisher?

The first thing I look at is credibility. Who is this person/company and what do they publish? I think about how much time I can invest in our partnership. I want to make sure it aligns with the kinds of books I read or am interested in. Because if I do decide to work with them I want us both to help one another.

Any particular success stories about creating a relationship with authors or publishers?

I reached out to Harper360 and told them about my interest. I included my follower count and a little bit about what I post. They were really receptive and took the time to look through my information and added me to their creator circle. I recently met an author, M.S. Masood at BookCon and we really connected! Now I’m moderating an author talk with her in the fall and she asked me personally. I’m really happy I built that relationship with her enough for her to ask me.

Any tips for authors who want to reach out?

A good tip I would give is reach out to creators that you trust and see yourself working with in the future! I think reaching out to small creators is important. Don’t ignore them.

An Ode to Micro-Influencers

Why Trust Matters More Than Follower Count

Wade through any list of “top book influencers” and you’ll land on familiar names: reviewers with six-figure followings, brand deals, and a mountain of publisher gift boxes stacked in the background of posts. We love these reviewers and they’ve earned their reach! But today, we’re singing the praises of the micro-influencers whose impact often exceeds their follower count.

What Is a Micro-Influencer?

A micro-influencer is generally defined as someone with a following under 100,000 people. In the book reviewing community specifically, the number isn’t as significant as the influence. Trust is the foundation of a literary micro-influencer’s success rather than size.

Micro-influencers’ followers choose to stick around because they consistently deliver authentic, personal, and relevant recommendations. Think of the romance reviewer with 4,200 followers, whose readers pre-order everything she recommends. Or the horror BookToker with 18,000 followers whose stitch-duets move backlist titles years after publication. Post after post, these influencers prove they understand a specific genre, subgenre, microtrope, or reading mood better than almost anyone else.

Their Role in Helping Books Succeed

While scale has been, and always will be, a carrot that book publicists chase for book marketing, scale isn’t the same thing as conversion, and conversion is what actually sells books.

Micro-influencers tend to outperform on the metrics that matter most: click-through rates, saves, and comments that become actual conversations. They’re also great at one of our favorite metrics of interest: the word-of-mouth effect that gets people in a certain community talking, recommending, and buying.

Arcadia Publishing recommends following this formula to calculate an influencer’s level of engagement with their community: “Take the median number of engagements (likes, comments, etc.) across all the influencer’s posts on a particular profile, divide by the total number of followers, then multiply by 100. So if an influencer has 10,000 followers and averages 300 likes and comments per post, their engagement rate is 3%.”

How to Find Your Micro-Influencers

Modern book discovery isn’t a single funnel built on traditional media gatekeepers. It’s a network of overlapping, trust-based communities—but where do you start, and how do you reach these micro-influencers?

Look beyond follower counts.
Prioritize engagement and audience fit.
Search by genre or niche, not just “book influencer.”
Hunt through hashtags and social groups for influencers that specialize in your book’s area. Similarly, you may find your Non-Fiction influencers in podcast circles, rather than on Instagram. Get to know these communities and encourage your author to join in!
Look at who’s engaging (and how)
The comments can tell you almost as much as the account itself. Are readers asking for recommendations? Tagging friends? Discussing similar books? Or are they mostly posting emojis and generic comments?
Start early.
Build relationships well before launch. ARCs are key here!
Give them something worth talking about.
Exclusive material, author Q&As, behind-the-scenes content, comp titles you’ve seen on their platforms, etc. The goal isn’t simply to get them to post, it’s to give them a reason to want to talk about the book.

For marketers and publicists building a promotional strategy, micro-influencers are more than a nice-to-have. They’re a strategic way to build awareness within the communities most likely to care about your book. A launch strategy built entirely around scale can miss the readers who are only ever going to trust a familiar, specialized voice.

So here’s to the micro-influencers! We celebrate those who build engaging genre communities one post at a time. “Smaller” numbers are doing some of publishing’s biggest work!

Extend Your Reach with NetGalley Promotions

Options for every budget and any book!

Not sure which NetGalley Promotion is right for your book? We’ve put together a playlist of short videos to walk you through your options — no reading required! Watch the full playlist here, or jump straight to the video you need below.

Budget-Based Recommendations

Not sure where to start? This 1-minute video breaks down our top picks by budget, so you can find the right mix of promotions no matter what you’re working with. Watch: Budget-Friendly NetGalley Promotions

On-Site Promotions Overview

Meet readers where they’re already browsing. This 30-second video offers a quick overview of our on-site placements — Featured Titles, Category Spotlights, Dashboard Spotlights, and more — all designed to boost discoverability for your book. Watch: NetGalley On-Site Marketing: Maximum Visibility

Email Promotions Overview

Our email promotions put your title directly in front of highly engaged NetGalley members and trade professionals. This 30-second video breaks down the options, from Newsletter placements to Dedicated eBlasts. Watch: NetGalley Email Marketing: Reach Readers Directly

Dedicated E-Blast Overview

Get unmatched campaign customization and reach a highly engaged audience — U.S. eBlasts average a 53% open rate. In just 2 minutes, learn all the ways you can customize your eBlast to include multiple books and/or audiobooks, various CTAs, and a custom target list. Watch: Dedicated eBlasts: Take Control of Your Title Marketing

Real Results from Real Campaigns

When Blackstone Publishing ran a Read Now Spotlight Newsletter promotion for The Piano Teacher of Montparnasse by Heather Morris, the results spoke for themselves. On the first day the newsletter went out, the campaign generated over 3,500 impressions and nearly 850 requests. By the end of the week, downloads topped 1,000.

“We were incredibly happy with the fantastic results of our Read Now Spotlight promotion for *The Piano Teacher of Montparnasse* by Heather Morris. In just one week, the campaign generated over 1,000 downloads!”
– **Rachel Sanders**, Director of Marketing, Blackstone Publishing

Ready to Get Started? Explore the full lineup in our 2026 Promotions & Media Kit.

Looking for a 30-second Breakdown of All Promotions? Look no further!

Start here for the big picture. In 30 seconds, this video walks through the full lineup of NetGalley Promotions — on-site, email, and beyond — so you can see at a glance where your title could get extra visibility. Watch: NetGalley Promos: Powerful Marketing for Your Books

“We’re Sorry We Declined Your Request”

Turning Disappointment into Reader Buzz

Pictured are Theresa DeLucci, Saga’s director of marketing and publicity; *A Forsaken Prophecy author* Stacey McEwan; publicity manager Christine Calella; and publicist Karintha Parker.

Every author and publisher (and bookstore!) dreams of having a book that’s in such high demand that people have a moment to yearn for their very own copy.

Recently, the team at Saga Press embraced that reality with a sense of humor. At San Diego Comic-Con, they wore t-shirts reading “We’re sorry we declined your NetGalley Request for A Forsaken Prophecy“—a playful nod to the thousands that were eager to get their hands on the book.

One of the most common questions the NetGalley team gets is, “Won’t my readers be upset if I decline their request?” And the answer is, well… sometimes. But, for many publishers, declining requests is a necessary part of the ARC process depending on how many free/review copies they are able to offer. We know that readers’ enthusiasm is something to celebrate, and something you can continue to nurture with these strategies:

Declining Doesn’t Have to End the Conversation

NetGalley is designed to help publishers put advanced copies into the hands of the readers who are a strong fit to advocate for that particular book, which often means making difficult approval decisions based on the audience that reader can reach, or their reviewing history.

While most members understand that not every request will be approved, they also appreciate transparency, kindness, and opportunities to stay engaged with the book.

To continue the conversation, publishers can craft a thoughtful decline message, which directs readers what to do next. For highly anticipated books, a custom decline message may point readers to where they can pre-order the book, follow the author on social media, or even contain a registration link to an event or signing for the author. A thoughtful decline today can still become tomorrow’s sale, review, or recommendation.

Give Readers Another Way to Engage

If you’re declining someone’s request for a DRC, offer another opportunity to engage with the book or author. All NetGalley titles come with a Detailed Activity Report containing the contact information of every person who was declined (when opted-in), making it easy to connect with engaged readers, even if you aren’t able to provide them with an early copy.

For example, you might invite them to:

Download “extras”, like bookmarks, teaching guides, or book club kits
Read an excerpt or access an interview by the author
Follow the author on social and/or attend an upcoming author/bookstore event
Watch a video filmed by the author made especially for NetGalley members

These tactics continue to build anticipation for the book while readers wait for it to go on sale, and hopefully create a fan from your efforts to engage along the way.

Send Them to Booktrovert

One of the easiest ways to keep disappointed readers engaged is by pairing your NetGalley listing with a Booktrovert campaign.

When the book is approaching its pub date, run a Booktrovert Sweepstakes to give readers a chance to win a digital copy. Then email the NetGalley members who were declined to encourage them to enter for another chance to get their hands on the book! (When setting up your Booktrovert campaign in just 5 easy steps, you decide how many copies to offer, and fulfillment is all digital and automatic.)

This creates a positive experience instead of a dead end:

“Thanks for your interest in [Book Title]! While we were limited in how many NetGalley requests we could approve, we’d still love to give you another opportunity to read the book. Enter the sweepstakes on Booktrovert before [campaign end date] for your chance to win a free copy!”

It’s a great way to reward enthusiasm while keeping distribution selective.

Declined Today, Dedicated Fan Tomorrow

Many readers—and especially NetGalley members—care loudly! See also: BookTok crying. To help provide context when they aren’t able to get their hands on the hottest new book, we make sure to help members understand why requests aren’t always approved and remind them that a decline is never personal.

We encourage readers to keep supporting the books they’re excited about, whether that’s by pre-ordering, requesting the book from their library, or entering a Booktrovert Sweepstakes if available. When publishers communicate thoughtfully and readers understand the process, today’s disappointed requester can become tomorrow’s biggest advocate.

Turn Reader Feedback into Action

Utilizing Your NetGalley Word Cloud for GEO, Metadata, and More

When it comes to book marketing, publishers aim to predict and craft the perfect description. But readers may have a different impression of a book’s positioning. The specific, and sometimes unique, ways that readers describe a book give marketers an opportunity to align the messaging so future readers can discover it more easily.

Here are some ways that marketers can use the NetGalley Word Cloud* to ensure SEO and GEO, all while updating keywords and positioning to ensure maximum discoverability for both frontlist and backlist titles.

Support your GEO Strategy

As AI-powered search and discovery tools become more common, understanding reader language is more important than ever.

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) focuses on helping AI systems understand and surface relevant content. Unlike traditional keyword optimization, GEO relies heavily on context, sentiment, and natural, more conversational language – making real reader reviews the perfect way to inform your GEO strategy.

Instead of the selling points and key words we’d historically use to try to win a book over to an audience— “New York Times Bestseller,” “10,000 copies sold,” “Being made into a movie,” GEO looks for unique language from online sources to provide the best possible answer for readers’ desires. Reader reviews are those sources of authority and authenticity.

The image to the right is a real life example, showing GEO in action from one of our team members:
Prompt: “Can you recommend some books that are close to the City of Brass series? I like the scope, the world building and the fact that the romance is a secondary plot. Must be fantasy, bonus if it’s historical too!”

The Word Cloud tool provides at-a-glance insight into this type of authentic language readers use to describe a book, offering publishers a valuable source of audience-driven terminology. “High fantasy epic”, “multiple viewpoints”, and “Western and Eastern-inspired dragon lore” are all words and phrases that readers may supply. These recurring descriptors are already perfectly suited for AI comprehension, and can help inform book descriptions, marketing copy, and metadata that align more closely with how readers and AI discovery tools understand a title.

When you notice recurring terms in your Word Cloud, make sure they are included in your book description and metadata so AI engines understand this authority from your own website and product pages.

Spot Language Patterns

Publishers often develop metadata, keywords, and marketing copy before a book reaches readers. Once reviews begin coming in, however, readers may describe the book in unexpected ways.

Perhaps a title you’ve positioned as middle grade is actually being described by readers as “YA”. Maybe a mystery title is frequently called “atmospheric” or “twisty.” These “mood words” can reveal which aspects of a book are resonating most strongly with readers.

The Word Cloud makes these patterns easy to spot at a glance, helping you identify audience-generated language that can be updated in your own book metadata to strengthen discoverability efforts.

Give Backlist Titles New Life

Backlist marketing remains one of the biggest opportunities for publishers, but it can be challenging to find the time and resources to devote to a refresh.

The Word Cloud offers an easy way to revisit older titles with fresh eyes. By examining the language readers consistently use, publishers may discover new positioning opportunities, identify overlooked themes, or uncover new connections to current market trends.

For example, a novel published several years ago may contain themes or tropes that have become significantly more popular since its release. Updated keywords can highlight those connections, and help retailer algorithms surface your backlist title more frequently.

The NetGalley Word Cloud

NetGalley reviews provide more than social proof. They offer direct insight into reader perception, and the Word Cloud distills this insight into easy-to-use data.

Available for all NetGalley subscription clients, the Word Cloud appears on the Title Feedback page once a title has received sufficient review activity. Publishers can also download a Word Cloud Report to explore the complete list of reader-generated keywords and their frequency, which is easily sharable. Read more about where to find this tool in your account here.

* The NetGalley Word Cloud gives publishers a quick, easy-to-use snapshot of the words that appear most frequently in member reviews. Generated from real reader feedback, the Word Cloud highlights the language readers naturally use when discussing a book, helping publishers better understand audience perception and uncover new opportunities for discoverability.