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. 

Divider

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!

Divider