5.3 Billion Readers: the Invisible Global Digital Opportunity

Giacomo D'Angelo, TNPS publisher and StreetLib CEO

In 2024 there are 8.1 billion people on the planet and 5.3 billion of them are online, using a device that could be used to read/listen to digitally-published content, yet many publishers are still partying like its 1999. Or 2010. In 2010 then were just 53 million internet users across the whole of Africa. Today there are over 600 million, and the continent is still only at 44% internet penetration. By comparison, the USA has just 312 million people online. The European Union has only 398 million internet users. In Asia, Indonesia has 212 million people online, Bangladesh 130 million, Pakistan 101 million, and India 8333 million.

Transcript

1. 5.3 Billion Readers: the Invisible Global Digital Opportunity Bologna, 2024 thenewpublishingstandard.com
2. MARK WILLIAMS GIACOMO D'ANGELO The New Publishing Standard (TNPS) is a daily newsletter and website offering analysis of global publishing with focus on digital and new business models. TNPS is a StreetLib project. StreetLib provides an all-in-one publishing platform for digital-first data-driven publishing houses. Whether it's ebooks or audiobooks, StreetLib simplifies the publishing process and facilitates publishing, distribution, and promotion of books. StreetLib currently distributes a catalog of more that 600k books through an international network of 40+ distribution partners, with more that 500 publishers onboard. Editor-in-Chief at TheNewPublishingStandard.com CEO at StreetLib.com
3. AGENDA 1. The Big Picture 2. Global Internet Numbers 3. The Digital Advantage 4. Additional Facts & Numbers
4. There are 8.1 billion people in the world in 2024 🚀 This represents an unprecedented opportunity for Book Publishers: 1. Approximately 5.5 billion of them are online around the world 2. Almost each of them has a mobile phone in their hands 3. Almost each of them is able to download, read and listen to digital books 4. The demand for digital content has never been greater
5. We're on the brink of a new Digital Renaissance 🚀 The pace of innovation is accelerating: 1. AI will make digital books more accessible and affordable 2. AI will turn the audiobooks landscape upside down 3. AI will intermediate most reading and listening experience 4. Digital scarcity is now becoming a tangible reality 5. We are transitioning from a world dominated by digital information to one governed by digital property
6. So much potential. So much opportunity. 🚀 Publishers today have the opportunity to reach consumers on a global scale quite unparalleled in human history.
7. AGENDA 1. The Big Picture 2. Global Internet Numbers 3. The Digital Advantage 4. Additional Facts & Numbers
8. In 2011 there were 2 billion people online worldwide. Today it is 5.5 billion. By 2030 it will be 7.5 billion.
9. Why should we care? The USA is the world’s biggest book market. The US and the West European digital book markets are easy-access and lucrative. No question. But with that narrow focus, we risk missing out on a huge opportunity beyond the US and West European markets borders. Because those 313 million internet users in the US make up 5.7% of the world’s total online population. The World’s Internet Users 2030
10. Almost 90% of the world's readers are outside the US and the EU In fact, the USA and the four largest West European book markets together make up just 10.4% of the world’s internet users. Online population: US -> 313 M Germany -> 79 M UK -> 65 M France -> 60 M Italy -> 55 M 10.4% US. UK. DE. FR. IT. Rest of the World
11. How is this even possible? The entire African continent is at only 43% internet penetration. Hopeless, right? But hold on. In 2024 that equates to 590 million people online in Africa. Meaning Africa, at just 43% penetration, already has as many internet users as the USA, UK, Germany, France and Italy combined. Africa
12. How is this even possible? Pakistan is at only at 50.8% internet penetration. But in 2024 that equates to 116 million people online in Pakistan. Meaning Pakistan already has more internet users than France and Italy combined. Pakistan
13. How is this even possible? Egypt is at only be at 51.9% internet penetration. But in 2024 that equates to 55 million people online in Egypt. Meaning Egypt already has as many internet users as Italy. Egypt
14. How is this even possible? India is only at 59.5% internet penetration. But in 2024 that equates to 833 million people online in India. Meaning India, not even 60% of the way to saturation, already has 520 million more people online than the United States, which is at 97% penetration and has nowhere to grow. India
15. Of course, it doesn't matter how many people are online if nobody reads and listens and buys books in these countries. And if we rely on historic data based on a handful of sales outlets in a handful of countries, and let urban myths about who does and does not read inform our publishing strategies, little will change. But what if we take a step back and look at the clear evidence that, across the world, people love reading! Given the chance, people love reading!
16. All these countries have annual book fairs that regularly attract over 2 million visitors: We shouldn't be surprised Imagine how many more books would be bought and read if they had digital options.
17. AGENDA 1. The Big Picture 2. Global Internet Numbers 3. The Digital Advantage 4. Additional Facts & Numbers
18. How much better is a digital book compared to a physical one? Beyond the enhanced benefits and features that digital reading and listening provide, the digital format unlocks sales and revenue opportunities that were inconceivable just a decade ago. 1000x better
19. It's not either / or VS Book Digital Please don't do this:
20. The Digital Advantage The potential of digital is its ability to penetrate with ease where the traditional paper and ink, bricks & mortar stores, pay-per-book model struggle. And to do so globally, anywhere on the planet. Digital brings the reading opportunity to people around the world who currently don't read. It's not that people in some parts of the world don't want to read. But people would read more if given the opportunity. Digital provides such an opportunity.
21. Digital changes everything People would read more if: 1. they were offered free books to get them started and hook them on reading 2. they were offered a better choice of books 3. they were offered affordable books 4. they were offered books in the language they speak at home 5. they were offered comics and graphic novels 6. they were offered books they could listen to Under the existing traditional publishing models, these options are not viable on a global scale. However, new digital models offer solutions to these challenges.
22. Digital changes everything Some examples of international companies offering new digital models:
23. Digital changes everything In 2024, 65% of the world’s population has access to a device that could be used to read or listen to digital books. 65% Cannot read or listen to digital books Can read or listen to digital books
24. Across the globe, publishers are waking up to the digital publishing opportunity. At the 2024 Ekushey Boi Mela the Bangladeshi Prime Minister, Sheik Hasina, called on publishers to embrace digital: "If we want to spread our language, literature and culture massively, we should keep pace with time. So, I would like to request the publishers to publish not only printed books but also digital books.” Bangladesh With 129 million people online, Bangladesh is the 7th largest country in the word by internet users. Bangladesh hosts the largest public-facing book fair in the world with 6 million visitors in 2023.
25. It's 2024, not 2004 With the arrival of affordable and accessible AI, the digital opportunity is about to grow exponentially. Automated translation and narration is already a reality, and the quality is growing by the day. With 5.5 billion of readers online, publishers today have the opportunity to reach consumers on a global scale quite unparalleled in human history. Don’t be left behind. Move with the times. There’s never been a more exciting time to be a publisher.
26. AGENDA 1. The Big Picture 2. Global Internet Numbers 3. The Digital Advantage 4. Additional Facts & Numbers
27. As we’ve seen, the USA is only the third largest country by internet users. Both China and India are bigger. MUCH bigger. India 833 M USA 331 M China 1.1 Billion Both China and India are bigger than the US
28. Kenya has more internet users than Spain Africa still has plenty of surprises 47 M 43 M Algeria has more internet users than Canada 38 M 37 M South Africa has as many internet users as Poland 35 M 35 M
29. Morocco has more internet users than Australia Africa still has plenty of surprises 26 M 23 M Tanzania has as many internet users as Australia 23 M 23 M Ethiopia has more internet users than Romania 21 M 19 M
30. Uganda (18 M) has more internet users than Netherlands (16 M) The same pattern is repeating across the globe Democratic Republic Congo (16 M) has as many internet users as Netherlands (16 M) Zambia (10 M) has as many internet users as Sweden (10 M) Ghana (15 M), Sudan (13 M), Mali (12 M) and Cote d’Ivoire (12 M) all have more internet users than Sweden Saudi Arabia (35 M) is just behind Canada (37 M) in the internet stakes Iraq (31 M) has 8 million more internet users than Australia (23 M) Colombia (43 M) has as many internet users as Spain (43 M) Argentina (42 M) has almost as many internet users as Spain (43 M)
31. Of course, it doesn't matter how many people are online if nobody reads and listens and buys books in these countries. And if we rely on historic data based on a handful of sales outlets in a handful of countries, and let urban myths about who does and does not read inform our publishing strategies, little will change. But what if we take a step back and look at the clear evidence that, across the world, people love reading! People love reading!
32. In a 2018 study of global reading habits the USA came in at # 22. People love reading! The top 5? 1. India 2. Thailand 3. China 4. Philippines 5. Egypt
33. All these countries have annual book fairs that regularly attract over 2 million visitors: We shouldn't be surprised
34. When it comes to book fairs pulling in over a half million visitors, or over a 250.000, the list gets crazy: In countries as unlikely as Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Guatemala, Bangladesh, Morocco and too many more to count, the biggest cultural event each year is a book fair. All told TNPS tracked over 60 million visitors to book fairs and festivals outside the US and UK in 2022, buying millions and millions of books untracked by the industry stats counters. The true figure will be much higher. We shouldn't be surprised
35. People are devouring books the world over, not just in the countries where statistics are collected that count (some of) the sales. Imagine how many more books would be bought and read if they had digital options. Yet ebooks and digital audiobooks are widely unavailable. This is publishing's biggest opportunity. The Digital Opportunity
36. Publishers need to embrace the gateway digital, audio and translations opportunity in the emerging markets, and especially short-form audio and podcasts delivered via a subscription model. The Digital Opportunity Specifically, these are some ideas: 1. International content delivered to emerging market consumers. 2. Locally-originated content produced by international publishers. 3. Indigenous language content. 4. Locally produced content with diaspora appeal that can be delivered globally. 5. Locally produced content repackaged for the international markets.
37. Digital is an opportunity not just for publishers but for a raft of industries that revolve around publishing. The Digital Opportunity From content creators to librarians to educationalists to the creative industries like film and television. Just look at the way books are driving TV and film production globally. Digital publishing will not just benefit publishers, but will power the global economy.
38. MARK WILLIAMS GIACOMO D'ANGELO Editor-in-Chief at TheNewPublishingStandard.com CEO at StreetLib.com Thank you thenewpublishingstandard.com TNPS is a StreetLib project