Publishing firm Parea is helping new authors find their target audience by connecting them to the most relevant influencers and communities on social media. With online algorithms increasingly guiding media discovery, it's banking on the power of digital word-of-mouth marketing.

The publishing industry and book community continue to promote more intentional ways to support publishers and bookshops. Readerly, a book-discovery platform offering personalized reviews and community groups, is a reader-supported alternative to Amazon-owned Goodreads.

Social media is transforming the way we read and buy books, with trending topics and viral posts guiding discovery and disrupting the traditional sales cycles. So, how can publishers harness these channels in their commissioning strategies? And how exactly are people talking about books online?

Gen Zers are propelling BookTok, a trend that sees TikTokkers share their love of books. Charming millions of viewers, they're effectively conducting grassroots marketing campaigns, helping to build awareness of young adult fiction and connect their audiences through storytelling.