We See Books in Your Future

Bringing the Magic of Discovery to BookCon 2026 

After a six-year hiatus, BookCon came roaring back to the Javits Center this year, and the collective energy of thousands of people who live and breathe stories was electric! As marketers, you know that there’s power in building momentum beyond a single touchpoint. We’re proud that our Booktrovert booth brought this concept to life, combining both at-show and online promotions, spanning multiple weeks before, during, and after the event. We saw firsthand how a strategic hybrid approach can drive massive engagement while keeping the focus on what matters most: guiding more books into the hearts and minds of more readers. 

The Magic in the Cards: Our In-Booth Experience

We gamified discovery by inviting Booktroverts to choose from eight identity-driven bookish personalities to reveal which book the cards had in store for them. Our team handed out over 3,000 custom tarot cards, each serving as a gateway to start reading a free ebook. The results were immediate: 2,264 ebooks were claimed by attendees using the QR code on the card. This digital-first approach, paired with a simple yet beautiful keepsake, generated buzz both at the event and in social spaces online.

Beyond the Show Floor: Online Communities

We amplified on-site energy and activated audiences who could not attend with a massive multi-channel campaign across Booktrovert and NetGalley channels. Our strategic series of eBlasts, newsletters, and social activations resulted in serious engagement:

  • Booktrovert Newsletters: We targeted engaged consumers with a BookCon Sneak Peek (47% open rate), a Sweepstakes Sneak Peek (48% open rate), and an especially high-performing edition of the Digest Newsletter (57% open rate).
  • NetGalley Newsletters: To reach our professional tastemakers, we deployed two massive sends. Reaching over 430k members each, our BookCon Sneak Peek eBlast (36% open rate) followed by the Sweepstakes Announcement newsletter (35% open rate) drove strong participation—especially from those who weren’t at BookCon.
  • Social Integration: Our Instagram strategy was equally robust, featuring a mix of group promotions and spotlight posts for individual titles across both the NetGalley and Booktrovert channels. Tagged and collab posts with publishers and authors ensured wide-ranging engagement across communities.

By connecting these digital touchpoints with our physical presence, we ensured that the discovery process extended far beyond the event, creating sustained visibility for every featured book.

Expanding the Impact: More Chances to Win

In addition to the giveaways during the BookCon event, publisher sponsors also offered any reader a chance to win a limited number of the same ebooks in a post-show Booktrovert sweepstakes. 680 ebook copies were available across all 8 featured titles, and to say that our Booktroverts were excited is an understatement! The sweepstakes for these books saw more than 21,596 total entries in the week following BookCon.

Perhaps most impressively, the engagement rates for the sweepstakes campaigns were through the roof. Across all 8 books, the average campaign Conversion Rate was 50%. In a digital landscape where attention is the most valuable currency, it’s validating to see such strong participation! 

Until Next Year!

At BookCon 2026, we proved that digital discovery doesn’t have to feel like the runner up to a physical ARC drop. By facilitating thousands of connections between publishers and their fans, we demonstrated how a sustainable, reader-first approach can scale word-of-mouth marketing without losing the human touch. We can’t wait to see what’s in the cards for next year! No matter what, our mission will remain: To guide more content into the minds of more readers, in partnership with publishers and authors. 

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Case Study: Leveraging Two Communities for Audience Building, Engagement, and Sales

What happens when you combine the targeted reach of NetGalley with the broad appeal of a consumer giveaway?

In March, NetGalley explored this question by sending a special newsletter featuring 11 Booktrovert giveaway and sweepstakes campaigns. The newsletter encouraged 53,000+ highly engaged NetGalley members to claim an eBook from any of the giveaways, or enter to win the sweepstakes.

By pairing the direct-to-consumer Booktrovert campaigns with the trade reach of a NetGalley newsletter, publishers were able to create new opportunities for both professional reader discovery and consumer engagement. 

NetGalley and Booktrovert work together to extend marketing reach to any audience. 

NetGalley helps publishers generate reviews and nominations, reach trade professionals and influencers, and drive buzz. Booktrovert creates excitement among consumers via urgency-driven giveaways, increases sales and pre-orders, and grows the author’s mailing list.

Together, they create a full-funnel approach to book promotion. NetGalley plants the seeds of interest and advocacy pre-publication, and Booktrovert nurtures the growth at and beyond launch by expanding awareness and engagement. Then, both platforms can be used to keep the momentum flourishing as a book moves into the backlist. 

The results of the newsletter reinforce just how effective this combined approach can be:

The special NetGalley newsletter resulted in more than 8,700 unique clicks to the featured Booktrovert campaigns. In fact, in all 11 cases, engagement with the Booktrovert campaigns experienced noticeable lifts in activity immediately following the newsletter, with some seeing the number of entries increase by more than double after the newsletter was sent out. 

Day one has organic discovery via the Booktrovert Feed and Digest Newsletter, and then a second spike with the added NetGalley Newsletter.

What makes this especially impactful is the context in which these readers are discovering the campaigns. NetGalley members are already primed for book discovery as tastemakers; they’re actively seeking new titles, exploring upcoming releases, and making decisions about what to read or buy next. By introducing giveaways with a lower barrier to entry via newsletter (especially for those who weren’t approved or may have missed the original request window) they now have a second, immediate way to engage. Plus, the reach has also expanded to consumers via the Booktrovert feed and daily digest email. These are readers who may be hearing about your book for the first time.

You might also be familiar with the “I keep hearing about this book!” metric that we collect on NetGalley, and we are firm believers in this principle. The more often an audience hears about a book or sees a creative marketing effort by the publisher, the more likely they are to engage with it. Seeing your book in more than one bookish space increases the likelihood that you’ll convert that person into a buyer!

Ultimately, the multi-pronged approach works because it reflects how readers actually discover books. 

It’s rarely a single moment—it’s a series of reinforcing actions  that create sales velocity and success.

Having your book on NetGalley organically introduces a book to industry professionals and early advocates. A newsletter brings that same title back into focus. Adding a Booktrovert campaign demonstrates ongoing marketing effort to these trade audiences, and offers them an easy way to both act on their own interest and share the opportunity with their own audiences. Each step builds on the last!

By connecting these touchpoints, publishers and authors can create a better path from discovery to engagement to sales.

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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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How Indie Author M. Kevin Hayden used Booktrovert to Generate Visibility

When it comes to early adoption of new tools for audience engagement, independent authors are often the first to experiment, and the first to see what works! For author M. Kevin Hayden, Booktrovert.com has become a key part of that journey. As one of Booktrovert’s earliest adopters, Kevin has used nearly every campaign type the platform offers—Giveaways, Sweepstakes, and Buy Now CTAs—to reach new readers and drive ongoing visibility for his work.

In this Q&A, Kevin shares how he approaches each campaign type with a different goal in mind, what he’s learned about building momentum, and why Booktrovert has become an important part of his marketing strategy as an author.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your books!

Certainly. I’m originally from the South Side of Chicago. An Old Soul is my debut novel and my first published work of fiction. It follows a young man who feels quietly displaced in his own life and in the world around him. The story is set in my old neighborhood of Gresham in 1996… or is it? It blends grounded realism with elements of synchronicity and speculative fiction.

Willow Rose is my sophomore novel and is also now available. It leans into literary cosmic horror and follows a doctor who flees his past for rural northern Minnesota. A strange knock at his door one night sets off a chain of events that pulls him and others into a fight for survival against a malevolent monster, all in the wake of a comet that appears from nowhere.

You’ve been part of Booktrovert since it launched! What helped you decide to take the leap with a brand-new platform?

I’ve always been an early adopter. I’m naturally drawn to the new thing. I get excited about previously unknown possibilities and love being among the first to explore what something can become. Since NetGalley already has such a wide reach in the bookish community, I was genuinely excited to see how Booktrovert might build on that and help me connect with new readers in a different way.

And honestly, I’ll probably be among the first in line for whatever you all come up with next—because why not?

“Since NetGalley already has such a wide reach in the bookish community, I was genuinely excited to see how Booktrovert might build on that and help me connect with new readers in a different way.”

– M. Kevin Hayden

Your recent Sweepstakes for Willow Rose had a mysterious, cinematic hook. How did you approach writing the campaign title and description to capture readers’ attention?

Honestly, I wasn’t sure how it would land. I just put myself in the reader’s shoes and asked, “What would make me click?”

Willow Rose is intentionally a mysterious story, and some of the early reviews were very critical of the unanswered questions. In a way, the campaign was also my way of signaling what kind of experience the book offers — so the right reader would be more likely to lean in. I’ve learned the hard way how important that match really is.

Our goal is to reach as many of those right readers as possible. To do that, you have to hang the appropriate sign.

You’ve also used Booktrovert for a Buy Now campaign, promoting a punchy limited time sale. How are your goals different when considering these various CTAs? When and why would you run a Sweepstakes versus a campaign that drives to retailers?

My goal early on was to reach more readers. I needed to gather early reviews — get the story in front of more eyes — and the giveaways helped with this. Booktrovert has proven an invaluable tool for overall visibility. I found that interest had a slight bump during those campaigns in the way of follows and Goodreads shelvings. I found that the new sweepstakes seemed to pull more interest than the earlier first-come giveaways from Booktrovert. 

As far as the “Buy Now” CTA campaigns, I plan to utilize those also to help buoy dips in sales.

Of note, as I work through this Q&A, I feel it’s time to setup a CTA campaign on Booktrovert.com now as my sales and visibility are dipping slightly. 

The goal is to be seen. There are multiple shouting towers out there and it’s best to use as many as possible to avoid vanishing in a crowd. Millions of books are published a year and that crowd is dense.

Willow Rose sweepstakes campaign stats as of Dec. 2, 2025

As an independent author, what do you think is the most valuable outcome of running an ebook giveaway, whether that’s exposure, engagement, or something else entirely?

As an Indie author, it cannot be understated that you have to make yourself findable. At baseline, we are all invisible. There isn’t a cadre of marketers, promoters or word of mouth spreaders working on our behalf. Usually, it’s only the author themselves. Even with well placed ads, campaigns, and giveaways, we are still relatively unseen. Even when visible, we can be looked over for traditionally published titles. Giveaways are a way to get the book in front of more eyes, pique interest, and gather reviews. Sometimes, you run into gold just because someone influential just happens to win a title. 

For me, those are my main reasons for running the giveaways. To gather more potential reviews and increase visibility.

“Booktrovert has proven an invaluable tool for overall visibility.”

How does Booktrovert compare to other giveaway platforms you’ve tried? 

Booktrovert is a very user-friendly and efficient tool. I can set up a campaign with minimal friction and get it live quickly, similar to NetGalley. Some other giveaway platforms require more data entry and have longer approval timelines. That said, I use Booktrovert in conjunction with other platforms. Visibility across multiple services is important because different readers prefer different ecosystems. Also, seeing the same title appear across platforms seems to increase interest and engagement.

“Booktrovert is a very user-friendly and efficient tool. I can set up a campaign with minimal friction and get it live quickly, similar to NetGalley. Some other giveaway platforms require more data entry and have longer approval timelines.”

What’s next for you?

I recently completed a prequel short story for Willow Rose that will be available on my website and linked by QR code in future printings of the novel. I’m excited to gift more story to readers, and I hope it answers a few lingering questions while still preserving the intended mystery of Willow Rose.

For those knocking at the door — remember the password: stay together 

I’m also deep into a new project called Locked-In, a speculative dystopian novel set in the same universe as An Old Soul. There are several other stories brewing as well, and I’m hoping to finish Locked-In before they hijack my attention. Other storytellers know exactly what I mean. Ideas never wait their turn.

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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Backlist, Front and Center: Year-Round Strategies for Long-Term Success

A Guide to Re-Energizing Your Books and Reaching New Readers Using NetGalley & Booktrovert

At NetGalley, we love seeing how publishers and authors breathe new life into their backlist titles. While frontlist books often get the spotlight, backlist marketing can be one of the most rewarding—and strategic—ways to grow revenue, strengthen discoverability, and reach new audiences. 

As Núria Cabutí, CEO of Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial, recently said during the 2025 Frankfurt Book Fair CEO Talk: “A book that has not been read is a new book, so if it’s backlist or frontlist, it doesn’t matter. What we need is powerful promotions.”

That philosophy perfectly captures the opportunity that backlist marketing presents. Whether you’re looking to celebrate an anniversary, connect to a cultural moment, or simply reintroduce readers to a beloved story, NetGalley and Booktrovert can help you make it happen.

Choosing Which Backlist Titles to Promote

When planning your next backlist campaign, start by identifying which titles are most likely to resonate right now. Consider whether a book fits into a trending genre, has seasonal significance, or ties into an upcoming anniversary, reprint, or special edition. Is there a media adaptation or author milestone on the horizon? Or is the title about to be released in a new format, like an audiobook?

Each of these moments can offer a fresh reason to bring a backlist book back to readers’ attention through NetGalley and Booktrovert.

“A book that has not been read is a new book, so if it’s backlist or frontlist, it doesn’t matter. What we need is powerful promotions.”

– Núria Cabutí, CEO of Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial

Reframe and Refresh for Emerging Trends

Five years ago, “romantasy” wasn’t an established genre, even though romance and fantasy have long been natural companions. By staying attuned to trends like this, you can reposition older titles to meet new reader expectations.

Use NetGalley tools like the Word Cloud and Feedback Reports to uncover the language readers use most often, then refresh your book descriptions and marketing copy to better align with these trending keywords. Once your messaging feels current, you can reintroduce the book to readers in a big way through a Booktrovert Sweepstakes or Giveaway.

TIP: Unsure what Booktrovert CTA to pick? Check out our guide here! 

Browsing the NetGalley catalog is also a great way to spot cover design trends and genre shifts before they hit the retail shelves, helping you stay ahead of what readers are looking for. Use the “Most Requested” carousel, both on the catalog homepage and within your categories of interest, to really see what’s trending! 

Promote Around Merchandising Themes

Seasonal and cultural moments are key opportunities to connect your books with active readers. Use NetGalley’s Title Timeline to plan around recurring themes, like spooky reads for Halloween, heartwarming romances for Valentine’s Day, or thought-provoking political nonfiction tied to election cycles.

When your title appears at just the right time, you’ll capture readers’ attention when their interest is at its peak. For inspiration, check out the NetGalley Media Kit, which highlights dozens of seasonal, holiday, and other themes you can use to plan ahead.

Celebrate Milestones

Every milestone is a marketing opportunity.

Anniversaries offer a natural moment to reintroduce your book to new readers. Celebrate 10,000 copies sold or 25 years in print by offering review copies on NetGalley alongside a Booktrovert Giveaway campaign to consumers. Or, promote a just-for-fans sale using a Private Buy Now campaign. These combined efforts help boost visibility, generate buzz, and spark renewed interest in your title.

If you’re releasing a new edition or anniversary reprint, consider using a NetGalley eBlast to make a splash and ensure readers take notice! Want the widest possible reach? Our NetGalley + Booktrovert Combos “menu” has even more ideas for how to choose the most impactful ways to promote every type of book (and for every type of goal!). 

Take Advantage of Media Tie-ins

If your book is being adapted to a film or television show, or even if it shares similar themes or subject matter, now’s the time to capture audience excitement. Use NetGalley and Booktrovert to reignite reviews and conversations that connect your title to what’s trending on screen.

To help booksellers and librarians recommend your book to their communities, consider developing a Book Club Kit for your backlist titles. These assets make it easier for professionals to champion your book when readers are hungry for similar stories.

Pitch Books in a Series

Your NetGalley history is a valuable resource for reaching proven audiences. If you have an upcoming installment in a series, list book one again on NetGalley to rekindle early enthusiasm and bring new readers into the fold.

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True Crime, Real Results: How a Booktrovert Sweepstakes Boosted Black Dahlia by William J. Mann

Campaign Snapshot

Campaign Title: The first definitive account of the Black Dahlia murder
Featured Giveaway: Black Dahlia: Murder, Monsters, and Madness in Midcentury Hollywood By William J. Mann
Genre: True Crime, Biographies & Memoirs

Overview

For nonfiction and true crime titles, building anticipation is all about visibility, intrigue, and credibility. With Black Dahlia, author William J. Mann delivers the definitive account of one of America’s most infamous unsolved murders—one that continues to fascinate readers nearly 80 years later.

To reach those readers, Simon & Schuster ran a Sweepstakes campaign on Booktrovert, offering 100 digital copies for readers to enter to win. The newly-introduced Sweepstakes CTA keeps entries open for 7 days, giving readers ample time to discover and enter to win, sustaining engagement over the course of the week-long campaign.

At the end of the campaign, winners were automatically, randomly selected, and all entrants automatically received a confirmation about whether they won (including retail links to prompt purchase if they did not win). Winners received automatic digital access to the book, leaving nothing for the publisher to do except peek at their results!

This structure makes Sweepstakes an excellent fit for discovery-driven genres like true crime, biographies, and memoirs—where intrigue builds over time and awareness translates directly into sales potential.

Why It Worked

Sustained visibility and steady engagement
With seven days of open entry, the campaign maintained strong visibility in the Booktrovert Feed, giving readers ample time to discover and share the promotion.

Built-in post-campaign conversion
When the campaign ended, every participant who didn’t win a copy received an email driving to the retail links for the campaign, turning curiosity into measurable clicks and ongoing sales activity. Plus, no one is left wondering about the result of their entry! 

Balanced exclusivity and accessibility
Offering 100 digital winners created excitement and urgency while still keeping the campaign open and accessible. The best part? Entrants don’t need to fill out any additional personal information (like mailing addresses) and publishers don’t need to do anything at all for fulfillment since it’s all automatic, instant, and completely digital. No shipping required!

Publishers don’t need to do anything at all for fulfillment since it’s all automatic, instant, and completely digital. No shipping required!

The Results

1,917 Total Entries | 100 Winners Selected

“The Sweepstakes campaign was a great addition to our pre-publication strategy! The detailed analytics provided helpful consumer behavior insights, which will inform where and how we connect with readers through publication day and beyond.”

– Elizabeth Venere, Associate Director of Marketing

Curious how your results stack up? Check out some benchmarks here: Understanding Your Booktrovert ROI

Takeaway for Publishers

Sweepstakes campaigns are a powerful way to extend your reach and engagement on Booktrovert—particularly for nonfiction titles that thrive on intrigue and discovery. By allowing readers to participate over several days and then guiding all entrants to retail at close, Sweepstakes keep attention high and drive meaningful follow-through. Whether paired with a Giveaway for instant buzz or used independently for steady awareness, Sweepstakes help turn reader interest into lasting momentum.

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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