How Book Reviews Power Discovery in the Age of AI Search

From SEO to generative engines, real reader reviews help books surface where modern audiences look for recommendations.

In a world of marketing acronyms, SEO has reigned supreme for many, many years. Search Engine Optimization remains important to help improve appearance in results from traditional search engines like Google and Bing. But now in the age of artificial intelligence, GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) and AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) are taking the reins. GEO helps with AI-generated responses like ChatGPT or Google’s AI Overviews, and AEO helps your content appear in direct-answer formats like featured snippets, AI summaries, and voice search.

Having trouble keeping all the acronyms straight? Us too, but here’s an easy overview.

The main thing to know is that the goals we’ve always had for increasing book discoverability have not changed. The work you do as a marketer continues to be in service of connecting the people who will most love your books with your books… no matter where or how they’re searching for them on the web. Now, however, we have to think beyond keywords because the discoverability infrastructure has changed. Your marketing copy and metadata needs to be easy for AI search assistants to understand, summarize, and recommend, ensuring that your content shows up in AI answer engines. While traditional SEO helps your book or website appear (ideally) at the top of a search index, GEO & AEO help ensure that there’s enough information about your book out in the world to be able to answer a more complexly-worded question.

The work you do as a marketer continues to be in service of connecting the people who will most love your books with your books… no matter where or how they’re searching for them.

Natural Language

AI feels scary to a lot of us. But a reassuring truth remains: Humans are still at the center of this conversation. We humans have been typing complex questions into search bars since the beginning of search bars. In marketing, we love to say “meet your readers where they are” and the reality is that people have already been using natural language to search for a long time. Now, AI is helping to return more nuanced results.

The training ground for AI is created by humans: the marketer who’s writing the book description, keywords, and other metadata; real readers describing that book on social platforms; and book reviews in media and on retail sites.  If hundreds of readers describe a book as a “slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance with sharp banter” this language will become part of how search results are returned.

We know that book reviews have always been highly valued in search algorithms. The number of reviews, how recently the reviews were posted, the star ratings, and more have all gone into helping platforms surface books that they believe are relevant to a particular reader’s search. Book reviews containing natural language and sincere reactions from real readers continue to play a foundational role in strengthening a book’s discoverability. 

Book reviews containing natural language and sincere reactions from real readers continue to play a foundational role in strengthening a book’s discoverability. 

The Growing Importance of Reviews

Now, the very quality of reviews’ natural-language content helps AI understand a book at an even deeper level. Every review adds descriptive keywords, genre signals, comparable titles, and thematic language around a book—often phrased the same way readers search or ask for recommendations. This creates a dense layer of searchable context across the web, helping titles appear more frequently in traditional search results and recommendation queries.

Reviews also expand a book’s digital footprint across multiple platforms. When reviews from sources like NetGalley are shared to retailer pages, reader communities, independent blogs, or even transcripts of podcasts, they create a network of references that search engines like Google interpret as signals of relevance and authority. This widely distributed presence increases the likelihood that readers encounter the book across different discovery pathways—from retail searches to recommendation lists and genre-based browsing.

Plus, reviews help establish early consensus and descriptive clarity around a book. When hundreds of readers consistently identify themes, tone, and audience (“slow-burn romance,” “twisty thriller,” “perfect for fans of…”), those repeated signals help both search algorithms and AI-driven recommendation systems categorize the book more accurately. The result is stronger placement in search results, recommendation engines, and AI-generated reading suggestions—making reviews one of the most effective ways to ensure a book can be found by the right readers, even (and especially) in this age of GEO and AEO.

The Good News for Book Marketers

If GEO and AEO sound intimidating, the good news is that authors, publishers and marketers are already doing much of the work required to support them. Writing clear book descriptions, developing thoughtful metadata, and encouraging reader reviews have long been core parts of book marketing. In many ways, AI-driven discovery simply rewards the same best practices the industry has always valued: rich descriptions, authentic reader responses, and widespread conversation about books online.

AI-driven discovery simply rewards the same best practices the industry has always valued: rich descriptions, authentic reader responses, and widespread conversation about books online.

What’s changing isn’t the goal—it’s the ecosystem in which discovery happens. Search engines and AI tools are becoming better at understanding natural language and identifying patterns in how people talk about books. When marketers provide clear metadata and readers contribute thoughtful reviews, they collectively create the descriptive landscape that helps these systems understand what a book is about and who will love it. GEO and AEO aren’t entirely new challenges to solve. They’re the next evolution of discoverability—and one that builds directly on the power of reader voices. 

Additional Resources from the Firebrand Group

Learn more about marketing in the age of AI with
the Firebrand Group at London Book Fair 2026!

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2026 NetGalley.com Community Update

Unless otherwise noted, all information is based on the Annual NetGalley.com Member Survey, conducted January 2026.

Every year, we ask NetGalley members to share insights about how they read, discover, and engage with books — and the response from our community keeps growing. In the most recent annual survey, more than 11,000 dedicated reviewers, booksellers, librarians, educators, media/journalists, and book trade professionals told us about their reading habits and preferences. We’re excited to bring you this latest snapshot of activity and trends across the community, and encourage you to explore the full report for deeper breakdowns and practical tips on connecting with different segments of the NetGalley community.

VIEW THE FULL REPORT | UK Report here

When we say NetGalley’s 700,000+ active members are highly engaged, we really mean it. In January 2026 alone, NetGalley.com logged a record-breaking 13.3 million pageviews — a 19% increase over January 2025 — and key engagement metrics from Requests to Feedback submitted continue to grow by the thousands (or even hundreds of thousands!).


Activity on NetGalley functions as a funnel — and understanding that funnel can help publishers make smarter promotional decisions. At the top are Impressions: the more visibility a title receives across the site and in promotions, the more likely members are to click through and submit a Request. Increased exposure directly fuels downstream activity.

Once Requests begin coming in, the next step is in the publisher’s hands. Strategic Approvals determine how many members move from indicating interest to active reading. A higher approval volume typically results in more overall Feedback — but thoughtful targeting (approving the right readers for your goals) can improve both the quantity and the quality of responses.

Finally, a percentage of approved readers will submit Feedback. While conversion rates vary by genre, format, and promotional timeline, on average we see a 38% Average Monthly Feedback Rate for DRCs, and a whopping 57% Average Monthly Feedback Rate for Audiobooks.

On average we see a 38% Avg Monthly Feedback Rate for DRCs, and a whopping 57% Avg Monthly Feedback Rate for Audiobooks

Speaking of Audiobooks, over 304,000 NetGalley members are interested in audiobooks, a 25% increase over last year!


Behind the scenes, NetGalley’s Community Growth & Engagement team is continually developing tools and programming designed to help books succeed — at every level. Whether it’s a debut from a small independent press or a lead title from a Big Five publisher, our goal is the same: empower members to become informed, enthusiastic book advocates.


Free resources like the NetGalley Reading Journal and the Book Advocate Toolkit are intentionally designed to drive meaningful engagement. They help members track their reading, craft stronger, more thoughtful Feedback, and confidently share titles with their audiences. Additional tools, including Book Club Kits, give members ready-made ways to amplify the books they love.

VIEW THE FULL REPORT | UK Report here

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Six Things We Learned From the IPG Spring Conference


The Spring IPG conference was held in London on 11 February. It’s a vibrant and eclectic program of lectures, seminars and panel discussions, and always provokes much food for thought. Here are our half-dozen takeaways from the days’ sessions!

1. It’s important to ask yourself the right questions

    In his keynote speech, Ajay Chowdhury – tech entrepreneur with Shazam and acclaimed crime writer – talked of a series of questions one should ask oneself when undertaking any big project. These were:

    Does it matter? 
    Does it work?
    Can you win?

    It was a great starting point to the conference, and I think this interrogative approach to new and existing work processes and functions is really important. Asking yourself why you’re doing something can sometimes be as valuable as doing it in the first place.

    2. AI – it’s complicated…

      Ajay Chowdhury was the first, but by no means the last, speaker to talk about the power, pitfalls and possibilities of AI. It is just three short years since the launch of Chat GPT, and when George Walkley (publishing technology expert and provider of the IPG’s training in Artificial Intelligence) later asked the audience how many people had used AI in the last week, almost everyone raised their hand. The publishing industry’s legitimate fear of the effects of AI is also balanced by the fact many, possibly most, use it on a day-to-day basis. As do their readers!

      George’s very practical presentation echoed what Ajay had said earlier: that AI is brilliant at some things, but isn’t the answer to every question. Use cases, like specific research that could significantly reduce time spent, contract checks, and data analysis remains perfect for AI – though George did warn that AI hallucinations, according to OpenAI, are mathematically inevitable. Which leads us to…

      3. Authenticity and trust matters…

        BBC’s culture and media editor Katie Razzall gave her keynote address regarding how we trust our sources and said that “information is important, but so is who you get it from.” – and increasing this is moving away from institutions to individuals. Where we source our information is now a key battleground. Social media is no longer social: it is just media. The algorithms make sure that we are seeing content it believes we wish to see, and curates our view of world accordingly

        4. And books are trusted and authentic

          Books remain the gold standard of trustworthiness. But with that comes a responsibility for publishers to ensure their books are rigorously checked and meticulously researched. Katie Razzall expressed surprise that “there didn’t seem to be as much fact-checking of that work and due diligence around it as we would do in news journalism.” With individuals becoming bigger than brands, the onus is on both to ensure that what is produced meets the standards expected by readers.

          5. Reading enjoyment is at its lowest level in 20 years…

            In his keynote speech regarding the National Year of Reading, Jonathan Douglas, CEO of the National Literacy Trust, showed a graph showing the consistent year-on-year reduction in reading enjoyment. Jonathan argued that this leads to a number of negative social outcomes, including reduced educational attainment and a lack of social mobility. The theme of the National Year of Reading is GO ALL IN – meaning if you like something, you can improve your knowledge, and love of it, by reading about it. 

            6. But it’s not all doom and gloom!

              In a panel devoted to working with booksellers, Bea Carvalho from Waterstones and Sarah Walden of online retailer World of Books both mentioned that non-fiction was up year-on-year, despite many media reports suggesting that non-fiction publishing was struggling to find readers as people migrated to audio and podcasts. Viviane Basset also ran an excellent masterclass in marketing and publicity, which showed that grassroots appeals, as well as events and thoughtful interaction with influencers can make a huge difference to sales and engagement.

              As Bruce Daisley, formerly of big tech businesses including Twitter and YouTube, said in the final session of the day: “Books remain one of the things we celebrate spending money on… From an outsider’s perspective on publishing, there are plenty of reasons to fill up the positive column.”

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              NetGalley Promotion or Booktrovert Campaign – Why Not Both?


              When publishers are planning their marketing strategy, a common question that we hear is: Should we invest in a NetGalley promotion or a Booktrovert campaign? The short answer is: both, but for different goals. By combining the strengths of each platform, Harper360 created a powerful promotional moment for The Violin Maker’s Secret that reached both industry professionals and general consumers.

              Not Familiar With the Difference? Here’s a Quick Rundown

              • NetGalley Promotions reach book trade professionals: librarians, booksellers, reviewers, media, and educators who help build early buzz, reviews, and word-of-mouth.
              • Booktrovert Campaigns reach consumers: readers who are discovering books and deciding what to buy, with flexible calls to action like pre-orders, buy links, sweepstakes and giveaways.

              Used together, NetGalley builds influence and advocacy, while Booktrovert captures interest and excitement.


              How the Two Platforms Worked Together

              On January 27, 2026,  Harper360 arranged aNetGalley eBlast to be sent to nearly 21,400 U.S.-based NetGalley members, spotlighting The Violin Maker’s Secret ahead of its February 24 on-sale date.

              In addition to giving NetGalley members the option to request the book, the publisher also drove readers to the Booktrovert landing page from the eBlast’s “Available for Pre-Order” CTA. There, readers could:

              • Learn more about The Violin Maker’s Secret
              • Explore additional Evie Woods titles
              • Choose their preferred retailer via pre-order and buy-now links
              • Share the Booktrovert campaign with their own audiences/general readers

              By positioning Booktrovert as the landing page for retail sales, the eBlast extended beyond NetGalley awareness and requests — giving readers a destination that supported multiple actions, all in one place.

              But That’s Not All: Booktrovert as a Standalone Discovery Channel


              Booktrovert works seamlessly for any special promotions you’re doing for your book (or books) without needing any in-house help to design or create a landing page. Plus, it also functions independently as a discovery destination for readers actively looking for their next great read.

              For this campaign run by Harper360, Evie Wood’s books reached almost 15,000 additional readers who clicked in from the daily Booktrovert Digest Newsletter, and resulted in over 2,600 unique campaign clicks from readers looking to learn more. 

              A Booktrovert campaign on its own drives visibility and engagement. When added to a corresponding NetGalley promotion, you expand the book’s reach beyond industry audiences and into consumer-first spaces.

              When used on its own, Booktrovert supports:

              • Consumer discovery beyond publisher-owned channels
              • Flexible CTAs that meet readers at different points in their buying journey
              • Ongoing visibility throughout the campaign window

              When used alongside NetGalley, it becomes a powerful bridge — transforming professional interest into consumer excitement and action.

              Create Your Own Booktrovert Campaign

              Click the “Booktrovert” tab within your NetGalley account to start using the simple campaign builder! Not yet a NetGalley client? Reach out here to get started!

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              Driving Early Reader Excitement with Exclusive Sweepstakes to Author-Owned Community

              Campaign Type: Private Booktrovert Sweepstakes
              Audience: Abby Jimenez’s Private Facebook Reader Group
              Title: The Night We Met
              Copies Available: 250
              Campaign Duration: 7 days

              Campaign Overview

              To generate early buzz and reward a highly engaged fan base, a private Booktrovert Sweepstakes campaign was launched exclusively for Abby Jimenez’s private Facebook reader group. This audience—comprised of deeply loyal, voracious readers—has a demonstrated history of enthusiasm for Jimenez’s work and a strong appetite for early access.

              The campaign offered members the opportunity to enter for a chance to win one of 250 digital advance copies of The Night We Met. By limiting access to a private, author-owned community, the campaign capitalized on trust, exclusivity, and built-in excitement.

              Strategy

              The core objective was to activate an already passionate reader community while maintaining a frictionless, equitable entry experience. Key strategic elements included:

              • Private Access: The campaign was available only to members of Abby Jimenez’s private Facebook group, reinforcing a sense of exclusivity and insider access.
              • Sweepstakes Format: Rather than first-come, first-served, the sweepstakes model allowed all interested readers to participate over a seven-day entry window, reducing urgency fatigue while maximizing participation.
              • Automated Fulfillment: Winners were randomly selected at the conclusion of the campaign and notified via email, where they could seamlessly download a protected ebook file.

              Execution – Ease & Challenge

              Readers were invited to enter the sweepstakes through a private Booktrovert campaign page promoted within the Facebook group, ensuring that only members of the exclusive group had access to enter. Once the seven-day entry period closed, winners were automatically selected and notified, selected readers could immediately start reading their protected ebook file.

              Ease: This approach minimizes the publisher’s administrative lift while ensuring a fair and transparent experience for participants.

              Challenge: Abby’s Facebook group includes readers from across the globe and, for now, Booktrovert only offers eBook access to U.S. readers. In part due to feedback from this campaign, the NetGalley-Booktrovert team is considering plans to expand service to readers in Canada as a first step toward wider distribution.

              Audience Engagement

              The private Facebook group proved to be an ideal environment for the campaign. Members are highly vocal, quick to share excitement, and eager to engage with anything related to Abby Jimenez’s work. The sweepstakes format amplified anticipation throughout the entry period, with readers actively encouraging one another to participate and expressing enthusiasm about the upcoming release.

              Because the campaign lived within an established community space, the promotion felt organic rather than transactional—more like a reward than a marketing initiative.

              Key Takeaways

              • Leverage Superfans: Highly engaged, author-owned communities are powerful launchpads for early-access campaigns.
              • Sweepstakes Reduce Friction: Allowing a multi-day entry window increases participation and goodwill, particularly in large or enthusiastic reader groups.
              • Exclusivity Drives Excitement: Private campaigns reinforce loyalty and make readers feel valued.
              • Automation Scales Trust: Random selection and automated delivery ensure fairness while streamlining execution.

              Why It Worked

              This private Booktrovert campaign succeeded by meeting readers where they already gather, offering meaningful access without complexity, and pairing exclusivity with ease of use. For authors with passionate fan bases, private sweepstakes campaigns are an effective way to generate early momentum while strengthening reader relationships ahead of publication.

              Create Your Own Booktrovert Campaign

              Click the “Booktrovert” tab within your NetGalley account to start using the simple campaign builder! Not yet a NetGalley client? Reach out here to get started!

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              From Shirtless Rivals to Cartoon Cuties: What Heated Rivalry Tells Us About Romance Cover Trends

              Romance covers have always worn their hearts on their sleeves — and sometimes very little else. But over the past decade, the visual language of romance books has gone through some major changes. One buzzy book in particular offers a perfect case study in how (and why) those trends have shifted: Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid.

              Originally published by Carina Press with a photo‑based cover featuring two shirtless hockey players, Heated Rivalry now sports a bright, illustrated, decidedly PG redesign. Same story. Very different vibes.

              So what changed, and what does it tell us about the romance market today? Let’s lace up and take a look.

              A Tale of Two Covers

              The original cover, first published in 2019,  leaned hard into heat: a photographic image of two muscular men, bare chests on display, locked in a pose that clearly signaled this book is sexy. For years, this approach was a mainstay of romance publishing, especially in subgenres like historical or paranormal romance. The at-a-glance information gleaned from a cover like this was effective and instantly legible on shelves, especially for dedicated fans of the genre. In fact, it was designed for dedicated fans of the genre — heaving bosoms and glistening abs signaled to romance readers exactly what they were going to get between those pages. 

              The new cover from 2024, by contrast, swaps realism for illustration. The characters are still hockey rivals. There’s still tension. But now…they’ve got clothes on! The style is more playful, closer to rom-com vibes than straight spice. Compared to the photo-realistic cover, this illustrated cover can appeal even to readers who might not consider themselves romance readers (or hockey fans).

              Across NetGalley in particular, you’ll see illustrated romance covers consistently in our “Most Requested” carousels, both on the front page of the catalog and within the Romance category itself. They’re clearly here to stay, as our community continues to read, review, and share their love for this genre. 

              A cover change isn’t just cosmetic. It’s strategic.

              But Why?

              Illustration allows publishers to communicate romance without explicit sexual imagery, which has proven especially effective as romance readership has expanded and diversified, as reported by Shelf Awareness and BookNet Canada. Readers still want heat (arguably more than ever!), but these redesigned covers offer the chance to show off other elements readers enjoy such as humor, heart, and emotional payoff. 

              This kind of repositioning matters, even to the algorithms. Titles with refreshed metadata and packaging often see renewed attention from:

              • Librarians reassessing collections
              • Booksellers taking advantage of merchandising themes
              • Readers discovering (or rediscovering) backlist gems
              • Cross-over audiences, like TV-show watchers discovering source material

              In other words: a cover change isn’t just cosmetic. It’s strategic. And, as our friends at Firebrand believe: this is the perfect time to update outdated descriptions with search-optimized copy, too! Good backlist metadata can protect future sales and can unlock major gains in visibility and revenue.

              What This Means for Publishers

              Yes, we’ll acknowledge that the cutesier covers have made romance more algorithm‑friendly. Covers that feel “safe to share” tend to travel farther on social media and retailer recommendation feeds. That doesn’t necessarily mean the spicier covers are a thing of the past though – on NetGalley, we see these more often tagged  in the “Erotica” and/or “New Adult” categories, rather than just straight Romance.

              But a thoughtful redesign is more than just gaming algorithms, it’s about staying relevant as reader tastes evolve. Reaching a new audience the second time around is good for everyone (but especially the readers!).

              Curious how NetGalley can help you refresh your backlist? See our guide here! 

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