October 16, 2017—Bookish.com, an editorial content site connecting readers with books and authors, owned by NetGalley LLC, today announces the launch of BookishFirst, an early preview and review platform for avid readers.
With BookishFirst, readers discover new books and authors, read pre-publication excerpts, win free books, provide valuable blurbs and reviews, and share their love of books with the world.
Readers enter raffles to win free books by writing blurbs (“First Impressions”) based on excerpts (“First Looks”). The raffle winners receive the full book approximately one month pre-pub, and then post full reviews to major book retail sites on publication day. Readers earn points for each action, which can later be redeemed for more free books.
Publishers use the BookishFirst platform to announce their books prior to publication to an active, dedicated community. By participating in BookishFirst raffles, publishers and authors expand discoverability, develop direct relationships with their audience, and generate reviews on retail channels on publication date. The launch raffle includes books from Berkley Publishing Group, Del Rey, Disney-Hyperion, Gallery Books, Harlequin, Sourcebooks Fire, and St. Martin’s Press.
“We are thrilled to launch this new part of Bookish, as it offers a new level of engagement for the passionate book-loving community that has already connected with the strong, curated editorial voice on Bookish.com,” says Lindsey Lochner, VP, Marketing Engagement, NetGalley. “We’re also excited to offer publishers a new platform to capture early reviews and create buzz around their books directly with avid readers. We foresee BookishFirst becoming an important tool for publishers to gain consumer insights, analyze trends, and better understand how to connect directly with readers.”
The technology behind the BookishFirst platform is already a proven concept in Germany with a 97% review rate. NetGalley has licensed the North American rights to the platform under the Bookish brand.
About Bookish
Bookish.com is an editorial content site connecting readers with books and authors. The Bookish Mission: Help readers discover their next favorite book. Features on Bookish.com include seasonal previews, author interviews & exclusives, book club recommendations, giveaways, gift guides, and more. Bookish was acquired by NetGalley LLC in 2016, and functions as an editorially independent, standalone site with a commitment to connecting visitors with interesting and relevant content. Please visit www.bookish.com.
Contact: Lindsey Lochner, VP, Marketing Engagement: lindsey.lochner@bookish.com
