Bookstagram and the American and Portuguese publishing markets

Abstract

This study starts from the analysis of the evolution of the volume of book sales in the markets of the United States of America and Portugal, seeking to understand how publishers use the social network Instagram to promote their titles, as assessed by the literary community Bookstagram and what is the community's perception of its role and recognition by publishers in promoting books and reading. You have the following research question: How can the social network Instagram, and in particular the digital literary community Bookstagram, influence the book market? The study, of qualitative nature, is based on the case study method - the literary community Bookstagram -, and on the techniques of literature review, direct observation and interview inquiry. The book markets of both countries are difficult to compare, in terms of volume, but also geographic, population and even language. However, the authors conclude that the literary community Bookstagram has a great influence on readers, and in the promotion of reading habits, notably in the younger generations, and, consequently, in the publishing market. But the relationship between bookstagrammers and publishers is very different in both countries, while in the United States it is becoming increasingly important, in Portugal it is almost non-existent.