Christian publishers are making their way into the vast world of apps, looking to get content to consumers through this ever-changing gateway. Some publishers are moving forward quickly, while others are taking things more slowly.
Rolf Zettersten, Hachette Book Group senior v-p and publisher of FaithWords, told RBL about two apps they have done linked to bestselling author Joyce Meyer, but said, “We’re not doing a tremendous amount in this area. We’re approaching apps cautiously to see what kind of response we get from the marketplace.”
Other publishers, such as Zondervan and David C. Cook, are moving more decisively into the app world. Cook launched its first app a year and a half ago, one about the company that recounted its history and offered free books. It now has apps for its Tru and Rio curriculums, as well as a new app related to its popular Action Bible. That app is free to download, but users must purchase The Action Bible in chunks.
“We chose The Action Bible because it’s our number-one selling kids product,” said Mike Ruman, senior director of Internet marketing. “We want to be where people are, and that’s where this generation is.”
Thomas Nelson is “in the process of entering that space,” according to Molly Hodgin, editorial director for children’s, gift books, and family entertainment. They scrapped the first app they produced for the runaway bestseller Jesus Calling in favor of a more interactive, user-friendly version. “There are so many ways for people to experience the material. We wanted the app to be very organic and personalized as much as possible.”
Zondervan, which recently released its first in-app purchase app for the DVD series NOOMA, is quickly entering the field. Zonderkidz offers apps for its Berenstain Bears series, and The Story product line will include an app. “The magic thing about apps is that the consumer buys it and it stays forever on the device,” said John Raymond, v-p and publisher of curriculum.
Publishers face the challenge of getting content to consumers via their chosen device—iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Kindle, Nook, etc. “The dilemma for publishers is that while they know the app thing is very cool, they now have to create an app for all the different devices,” said Raymond.
But with apps costing between $5,000 and $100,000 to create, according to Cook’s Ruman, publishers are careful about how they proceed. “We’re watching what others are doing; we’re taking some chances knowing we’ll fail at some and succeed at others, but knowing we want to be in the game,” he said.
“We’re trying to be experimental in this space,” said Nelson’s Hodgin. “We know everything is not going to be a success on the first try. Our approach is to assess our books’ content to see what makes sense, get feedback from consumers, and make changes and updates.”
Raymond offers this analogy: “Zondervan, along with almost all publishers, realizes we are living in what we call the Wild, Wild West because the digital world is recreating itself almost weekly. We’re discovering all the time new ways content can be experienced.”
