Today, Scribd announced Snapshots, a new original content offering that provide readers key insights of nonfiction books in about fifteen minutes to spark their interest in reading the book in its entirety. You can think of this system as the literary equivalent of a movie trailer – so readers can feel confident about the next full-length book they commit to.
With Snapshots, Scribd aims to encourage readers to explore new genres and authors via a simple and frictionless experience. As the only subscription service to offer Snapshots alongside the full book at no additional cost, Scribd will have a unique offering in the market, which will ultimately attract more readers.
“We’re always looking for ways to improve content discovery on Scribd; with Snapshots, we’re going beyond recommendations and providing key insights that get readers excited about books they may not have considered reading otherwise,” said Trip Adler, CEO, Scribd. “By providing quick, snackable previews of top nonfiction books, Snapshots can help publishers and authors to get their titles in front of large audiences who are likely to enjoy them.”
In addition to providing a new avenue of discovery for publishers, Snapshots also benefit busy readers who are indecisive when it comes to committing to their next read. In a new nationwide survey conducted online by The Harris Poll on behalf of Scribd, 85 percent of Americans said that they believe time spent reading is an investment in themselves and their overall well-being. However, 81 percent of Americans reported that they do not read as much as they would like to, with the number one reason cited as “not having enough time” (39 percent), followed by “it’s easier to do other things” (22 percent). Designed to be digested in less than 15 minutes, Snapshots help readers feel confident in committing their time to read the full book.
SAMPLE SNAPSHOTS:
- The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck
- Girl Wash Your Face
- Outer Order, Inner Calm: Declutter and Organize to Make More Room for Happiness
- Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person
- What I Know For Sure
- Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Though Conversations. Whole Hearts
- The Power of Positive Thinking
- Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience and Finding Joy
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
