Let’s face it, the years 2020 and 2021 haven’t been great for anyone, anywhere.
The saying ‘escape inside a good book’ has never been more apt, and even though many bookstores and libraries all over the world had to close their doors in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, that didn’t stop people from investing in a new paperback or hardback or two.
And it’s not just the hobby of reading that people rediscovered during lockdown.
Many put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard, which resulted in 600 books being published on the same day in the UK last year.
That’s 24% more books published than the previous year.
Ever ready to respond to a trend, Google hopped on the book-loving bandwagon with some search data and tips that marketers can take advantage of to better their strategies and shoppers can use to find hidden treasure in the form of local book shops.
Google Reveals Book-Related Searches
Google does reveal search trends on occasion. In February of this year, the tech giant revealed popular and bizarre pandemic-related search terms making the rounds.
And yesterday, Google listed popular book-related searches from users in the U.S. for their ‘fellow bibliophiles’ and we’ve got the Trends data to back it up.
Google and Maps searches around books peaked on 11th July with an increase of 111% compared to the same day the previous year.
But what were those searches?
- Best fantasy books.
- Best sci-fi books.
- Best mystery books.
- Best historical fiction books.
- Best fiction books.
As you can see, general fiction took the lead for most searches followed by searches for fantasy and mystery novels.
Google also revealed popular ‘books about…’ searches:
- Books about love.
- Books about life.
- Books about mental health.
These search trends showcase that people are both carrying out super-specific searches (books about mental health) and more generalized searches that lie outside of the normal categorizations.
Searches For ‘Bookcase’ Hits An All-Time High
Not only did Google showcase the types of terms marketers within the publishing or independent book shop sectors can target as part of their digital advertising efforts, but they also touched upon other online shopping trends related to reading.
Google searches for ‘bookcase’ rose to an all-time high, largely surpassing ‘book shelf’.
This not only helps marketers with allocating their advertising budgets but also when deciding what products to stock in the short and long term.
Google Gives A Shout-Out To How Searchers Can Use Google Maps To Find Local Booksellers
In addition to revealing search trend data that can be harnessed by marketers, they also highlighted some Maps features that shoppers can take advantage of, including:
Adding Local Bookstores To Saved Lists
Google advises searchers make use of the explore tab in the Maps app to find local book shops.
Shoppers can then review information from the bookstores Business Profile such as:
- Operating hours.
- Location.
- Reviews.
- LGBTQ-friendly status.
- Black-owned book shops.
When shoppers find a new bookstore they want to visit, they can add it to their lists to refer back to later.
Getting Recommendations From Other People
Shoppers can also use Local Guides or follow other people’s Maps accounts to see reviews, photos, and recommendations.
When shoppers follow other people, they will receive updates when posts and reviews are published.
Taking Part To Support Local Book Shops
As well as discovering new bookstores and knowing which businesses are worth visiting, Google also recommends shoppers who have visited local stores leave reviews and photos to show their support.
Shoppers can also update Business information where there is conflict, such as opening hours to ensure other users have the best experience when they go out shopping.
Optimizing for Google can often be a serious topic, so it’s extremely refreshing when Google delivers information in quirky and fun ways.
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