The rise of Discord

It’s no secret nor surprise that social media has completely altered the publishing industry, specifically when it comes to how we market books to consumers. Digital advertising allows for a trackable return on investment, as well as tapping into close-knit communities of potential buyers. 

In recent years, and particularly during the height of the pandemic when traditional above the line marketing wasn’t a possibility, social media platforms have become the ultimate influencer to marketing teams. As a marketing and publishing specialist, I’m consistently in conversation with publishers regarding the latest TikTok audio trend, how to beat the Instagram algorithm and estimating what’s next for META. I’m of the opinion that it’s predominantly Gen Z who are leading the changes in social media – and they’re waiting for the rest of the world to catch up. 

My latest social curiosity has been Discord. Having been at the forefront of Booktok watching its phenomenal growth among the wider industry, I’ve had my eyes peeled for what Gen Z will do next – as where they lead, marketers should follow. 

Discord is a text and voice based chatting app, not unlike Slack or Teams, though much more informal. Like Reddit in that there’s a thread for every interest, there’s a Discord server too. Servers offer conversational content in an evergreen offering, allowing for conversations to be divided into different subjects, themes or sub-groups. Discord’s unique selling point is that it’s more of a hub, providing its users with community in a safe and user-friendly way. Servers can be made private, are able to be moderated and are often invite only.

The platform started as a way for video gamers to communicate more seamlessly while playing in groups as the platform functions both in-app and on desktop. Just like TikTok, it flourished and grew during the lockdowns of 2020 as individuals were desperately seeking new ways of communicating and staying in touch with various communities. 

I’m patiently waiting for a publisher with a generational ambition to create their own server, guiding discussions for their list and encouraging organic engagement across readers to gain loyal circles of fans

Though Discord is not uniquely aimed at young people, the younger generation do make up the majority of the audience, with most users being between 16 and 20 years old (Forbes). As with most social media platforms, users must be 13 to sign up. Of the 150 million active monthly users, around 30% appear to have no connection to gaming, proving that Discord is broadening its reach into both more mainstream and niche interest groups. 

Marketers in our industry should therefore be thinking, what can Discord offer publishing? Is this an innovative way to engage a new audience of readers? Though at the moment Discord does not offer any native advertising tools, it is possible to work with the organic offering to create awareness and build sentiment for your brand by engaging the community. 

Discord has its own book communities, like this one, which are dedicated to book discussions, recommendations and motivation to read! I’m patiently waiting for a publisher with a generational ambition to create their own server, guiding discussions for their list and encouraging organic engagement across readers to gain loyal circles of fans, especially when it comes to breaking out new authors. For a softer and less commercial launch into a new area, publishers should use Discord to offer out proofs to gain leverage on the platform. You might be talking to an audience who are already familiar with your brand, but this time, you’ll be speaking their language, in their territory. 

To supplement wider influencer marketing strategy, publishers should collaborate with influential voices on Discord to guide discussions among pre-existing communities while they are actively seeking book-related, topical conversation. It can be both nerve-wracking as well as tricky to convince stakeholders when trialling a totally new method of advertising, especially when working with an investment that requires carefully considered placement with no space for risk. In cases like this, it would be wise to think about a cross-platform approach to Discord. This might look like working with an influencer on Instagram or TikTok, who also uses Discord to keep up to date with their audience and delve deeper into certain topics. This type of strategy will allow you to assess the appetite for branded content across Discord without investing highly with the risk of no return. 

As Discord develops and brands continue to test the waters, I’d predict that publishers can also begin to engage with communities outside of book clubs and avid readers. There isn’t anything stopping a publisher creating a revision server to position revision tips and resources in front of students cramming for their exams. We know there’s large circles of gamers over there, so if a book leans into themes that would engage gamers, why not get in front of those conversations to incentivise a new audience of readers. 

Discord is one of many social platforms to be consistently on the rise at a time where digital communication is developing by the day. While the publishing industry is still reacting to the pivotal success of marketing within the "booktok" space, I’m urging them to consider the opportunities for inventive marketing content across fresh, less conventional social platforms.