Friday, July 17, 2015

Do You Market Your Book Around Google Search Patterns?


An article recently appeared in The New York Times about how, upon a review of Google search patterns for New York State, clear conclusions can be drawn about when we search for what.  Perhaps this data can clue the book publishing world into when to post about books.

Porn is searched most commonly from midnight to two in the morning.  Though men view porn three times as often as women, women search for “literotica,” most commonly from 3 am to 5 am.  Authors and publishers posting about erotic books should keep this in mind.

From 2 to 4 in the morning people search for answers to life’s big philosophical questions, such as “Does free will exist?”  The article suggested this could be a result of late-night pot smoking.  From 1 to 3 am the peak time for this search comes up: “How to role a joint.”  If you have books that address the grand questions of life – or dope – keep these patterns in your plans.

Interestingly, the writer couldn’t find a set pattern of activity during lunch time, as it appears lunchtime now gets spread out.  It’s not a set thing such as noon or 12:30 anymore.

People tend to search for news early in the morning.  44% of people use cellphones to check the news.

One interesting note: People searching for “suicide” peaks at 12:36 am and reaches its lowest point by 9am.

So many conclusions can be drawn from such data, but the data is temporary and incomplete.  It doesn’t reflect all searches nor was it done over a long period of time.  Further, people consult other sources that don’t involve Google searches, but there are patterns that one can’t simply dismiss.  As these patterns get shared publicly, are we bound to mimic them – or avoid them?

Many theories exist on when to post on your blog, Facebook, Twitter, etc.  The best time is now and often.  Regardless of when you post, sharing at peak user times is more important.  If I post at 4 am, I will see a spike in the 6 am hour.  If I posted at 2 am, I will see a spike in the 6 am hour.  Why?  Because that’s just when people tend to check in on their devices.  So when I’m scheduling tweets, I want to make sure, above all else, I hit that 6-7 am window.

When people search for things – and when they read blog posts – may be two different things.  Plus, most things online cross many time zones.  What I do at 6 am EST will not impact what’s happening at 2 am or 3 pm elsewhere.

Big Data has a lot to gather and share.  Start paying attention to when your followers connect and click and build your posting strategy around that.  And if you are bored at 4am, like most women who search for “vibrators.” you’ll have company.

I’ll be watching to see when people click on this blog.  Hopefully it’s around the clock.

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Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog © 2015

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