New York Comic Con is the most wonderful time of the year for me! I loved exploring books, meeting authors, and geeking out at the panels. This year’s event, which ran from October 17th to 20th, was the biggest I’ve seen in my ten years of attending NYCC. Here are my five key takeaways from the event and how AdBiblio is addressing these trends.
The Rising Popularity of Horror
Over the last decade at NYCC, I’ve noticed a steady rise in horror books. If 2023 was big for the genre, it looks like 2024 will be even bigger! From tech-driven scares like Black Mirror to diverse voices like Jordan Peele, the genre truly feels fresh and relevant. It’s also gaining traction with kids—spooky middle-grade books strike the perfect balance of fear and fun, keeping them hooked!
Thanks to Google Trends, you can see the steady rise in Google searches for “horror books” over the last 20 years.
AdBiblio has several unique ways to reach horror book buyers — from targeting people who have visit haunted houses across the country with our Foot Traffic ads to connecting with fans of authors like R.L. Stine and Grady Hendrix. You can explore our strategies for Halloween and Horror targeting here!
Romantasy: A Growing Phenomenon
I had an amazing time at the Coffee, Croissants, and Catching Feelings panel of four talented romantasy authors: Carissa Broadbent, Danielle L. Jensen, Elise Kova, and Brigid Kemmerer. Hearing about their writing processes and inspirations was so cool, and it was even more fun to chat with others at our table and learn how they discovered romantasy—spoiler alert: most of them started with Sarah J. Maas! It was no surprise to see so many romantasy titles featured at the booths, especially since we’ve been ramping up our advertising in this genre. We have unique ad targeting strategies to effectively reach romantasy readers — you can find out more about them here!
Manga: A Growing Force in Children’s Literature
Believe it or not, graphic novels for kids and Japanese-style manga are the two biggest drivers of the $2.2 billion comics market in the U.S. Manga has long been a staple at NYCC, but it has particularly gained popularity among young readers, teachers and librarians. Scholastic’s Graphix imprint has even launched a new line of kid-oriented manga centered on Osamu Tezuka, one of the most influential figures in Japanese and global comics.
To learn more about effective ad strategies for manga and comic books, check out our recent blog post here!
From Page to Screen
As popular book series and franchises have gained traction, studios have increasingly turned to books for inspiration.
Here are a few ways AdBiblio can help connect with audiences interested in book-to-media adaptations:
- Foot traffic ads targeting niche readers visiting libraries, bookstores, and schools who subscribe to services like Netflix, Apple TV+, and Hulu.
- Custom campaigns designed to reach readers interested in graphic novel adaptations, fans of film and TV adaptations of books, and rom-com enthusiasts.
- Keyword targeting that includes phrases such as “read before you watch,” “page to screen adaptations,” and “books turned into movies.”
Click here to check out our blog post on My Life with the Walter Boys – the YA series adapted for Netflix!
“As Seen on #BookTok“
Social media influencers are transforming how books are discovered, discussed, and marketed. We’ve developed a unique targeting feature within our platform to connect with niche influencers and their followers, helping us reach BookTok fans beyond social media. Here are a few of our top groups of influencers and followers :
- YA Books
- Parenting / Children’s Books
- Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
- Horror
- Celebrity Book Clubs
- LGBTQ+
- Fantasy / Romantasy
- Manga / Anime
- Food / Cooking
- Romance
- Self-Help / Personal Development
and more!
As we adapt to these trends, we’re eager to help you engage with your audience through our campaigns! To chat about your upcoming books, reach out to Mary Beth at marybeth@adbiblio.com to get started!
