Last year, we saw a rise in foot-traffic ad performance, and we’re excited to keep building on that in 2026. Below are some of the most impactful location-based opportunities where book publishers can connect with their audiences beyond the screen.
Before we dive in, here’s a quick refresher on how foot-traffic ads work.
Foot-traffic advertising lets us reach people based on the places or events they visit in real life — like book festivals or retail stores. In some cases, we can even layer on additional targeting, like reaching romance readers while they’re shopping at Barnes & Noble. We can reach someone while they are visiting a specific destination in real-time, and we can reach visitors from the last 30 days. After someone visits one of those locations, we can continue reaching them with banner ads for the next several weeks.
Okay, that’s the quick overview — now let’s get into it!
1. Book Festivals & Reader Events
Book festivals and reader events draw the perfect mix of audiences actively seeking out new books and authors. Here are a few of the book-related events we can reach this year:
- BookCon (this is already in high demand!)
- The LA Times Festival of Books
- YallFest
- Texas Book Festival
- Tucson Festival of Books
- Imaginarium Book Festival, etc.
IRL example: A debut romantasy title serving ads to BookCon attendees during and after the event to build awareness and drive discovery among highly engaged readers.
2. Comic Cons & Fan Conventions
If you’re looking for sci-fi and fantasy superfans, you’ll find them exactly where their fandom is on full display. Here are a few of the cons and fan conventions we can reach:
- International Comic Con
- New York Comic Con
- MegaCon
- Romantasy Con
- WonderCon, etc.
IRL example: Ads for a new fantasy series reaching New York Comic Con attendees while they’re at the event — and continuing to reach them afterward — to stay top of mind with genre readers.
3. Libraries & Educator Events
Libraries and educator events bring together the people who shape what communities read next. And with fewer direct paths to librarians than there used to be, these events have become even more valuable for making those connections. Here are a few of the library and educator-focused opportunities we can reach:
- ALA Conference
- PLA Conference
- National Council of Teachers of English Annual Convention
- Regional Libraries
- SXSW EDU
IRL example: A new urban-themed picture book serving ads at major city libraries to reach librarians and parents focused on inclusive, community-centered stories.
4. Retail: Book-Related shopping
Retail locations capture readers at the exact moment they are thinking about buying books. These spaces offer high-intent environments where discovery and purchase naturally intersect.
- Barnes & Noble
- Niche bookstores (Black-owned, Children’s, Queer-friendly, etc.)
- Indie bookstores
- Target
- Books-a-Million
- Walmart
- Sur La Table
- Urban Outfitters, etc.
IRL example: Ads for a BIPOC YA series running in Black-owned bookstores to drive discovery among bookstore employees and readers seeking diverse voices.
5. Family & Kid-Focused Destinations
Book-loving parents and grandparents are the best ones to reach while they are already thinking about education and entertainment for their kids. Here are some kid-specific destinations that are perfect for reaching parents and grandparents:
- Disney World
- LEGO Land
- Children’s museums
- Zoos and Aquariums
- SeaWorld
- Tutoring centers (Kumon, Sylvan, etc.)
- Universal Studios Orlando
- Great Wolf Lodges
- Sesame Place
- Peppa Pig Theme Park, etc.
IRL example: Ads for a space-themed STEM children’s series running at science centers and museums like the Johnson Space Center and Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum to reach families and kids interested in science and exploration.
6. Cultural Institutions & Museums
Cultural institutions and museums are ideal places for publishers to connect with readers interested in history, art, and culture. Here are a few popular places we can reach:
- Smithsonian Institution (all DC museums)
- Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
- The National WWII Museum
- National Museum of the American Indian
- American Museum of Natural History
- Regional museums and cultural centers, etc.
IRL example: Ads for a WWII memoir reaching history buffs at places like The National WWII Museum in New Orleans and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC.
7. Performing Arts & Live Entertainment Venues
These locations offer opportunities for publishers to connect with readers who value the arts.
- Theater, Broadway and Opera venues like Broadway theaters, Chicago Theater, Metropolitan Opera, Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, New York Philharmonic, and the Lincoln Center
- Ballet & Dance studios like New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and San Francisco Ballet
- Comedy clubs like the Comedy Cellar in New York and the The Comedy Store in Los Angeles, etc.
IRL example: Ads for a popular comedian’s memoir running at comedy clubs in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles to reach fans of stand-up and storytelling.
8. Travel & Tourism
- Train stations and transit hubs (Amtrak stations, Union Station DC, Grand Central Terminal, etc.)
- Hudson Booksellers in major airports
- Popular beach / resort destinations like Myrtle Beach, Miami Beach and Aspen, CO
- National Parks like Yellowstone National Park and Great Smoky Mountains National Park
IRL example: Ads for a thriller audiobook reaching mystery, thriller and suspense lovers in Hudson Booksellers.
Foot-traffic campaigns give books a chance to be discovered beyond the screen, and 2026 is giving plenty of opportunities. If you’d like to explore one for your next release, I’d love to connect — marybeth@adbiblio.com
