English language Visionary Marketing Podcasts

The ebook self-publishing landscape has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past decade. What was once viewed with scepticism by the publishing industry has become a legitimate and often preferred path for authors worldwide. To understand the current state of this evolving market, we spoke with Kris Austin, whose platform Draft2Digital serves over 300,000 authors publishing more than a million titles across global markets. From Oklahoma City, he shared his insights on how independent authors are reshaping the publishing world. Inside the Ebook Self-Publishing Industry With market shares amounting to 40% of sales in the US, ebooks present new opportunities for writers who are able to benefit from self-publishing platforms like Self2digital. Can you introduce Draft2Digital and its mission? Draft2Digital currently serves over 300,000 authors who are independently publishing more than a million titles. We have been operating since 2012, and the industry has changed considerably during that period. Our goal is to help authors achieve their dreams by removing technical barriers and making the publishing process as streamlined and straightforward as possible. What languages and markets do you cover? We have published books in over a hundred languages. While English remains predominant, approximately 15 to 20 percent of sales come from non-English titles, with Spanish and German ranking as the second and third most popular languages. Our distribution reaches 180 countries, and about 40 percent of all sales occur outside the United States. ebook self publishing industry entrepreneur Kris Austin talked to us from Oklahoma City, OK. How has self-publishing evolved since 2012? When we started in 2012, self-publishing was still in its early stages. The real catalyst came in 2007 when Amazon released the Kindle, which sparked the explosion of digital books. Back then, there was significant stigma attached to being an independent author; many felt they were not as credible as traditionally published writers. Today, that perception has completely shifted. Many authors now choose self-publishing as their first option. We also see numerous hybrid authors who move between traditional and independent publishing, depending on their goals. The focus has shifted to the quality of the book and reader demand rather than the publishing model itself. What types of books dominate the ebook market? The majority of our ebooks are genre fiction: romance, fantasy, mysteries, and thrillers. These narrative fiction categories account for approximately 80 percent of ebook sales. Our print-on-demand service shows a different pattern, with roughly 40 percent fiction and 60 percent non-fiction. All these books are intended for consumer readers purchasing for personal enjoyment. Genre fiction (romance, fantasy, mysteries, and thrillers) amounts to approximately 80 percent of ebook sales Wit ebook self-publishing, authors can find readers anywhere in the world without leaving their homes. Image created with Midjourney Is ebook self-publishing viable for image-heavy books like photography? It is possible, though more demanding. Image-heavy books typically require a professional formatter to achieve the desired layout, particularly in digital formats where presentation can be challenging. For print editions, colour printing and layout involve additional complexity compared to text-only publications. What determines success in ebook self-publishing? The most successful authors treat publishing as a business. After creating a book they are proud of, they focus on marketing, discoverability, sales, and distribution. They approach it with an entrepreneurial mindset. However, it can also work as a part-time endeavour, particularly for authors writing series with multiple titles. One advantage of independent publishing is that you do not need a massive readership to succeed. Indie authors typically retain 60 to 80 percent of their sales revenue, allowing them to price competitively and target niche markets effectively. Even with just 2,000 potential readers, if you capture that audience and build loyalty, you can build a sustainable career. Indie authors typically retain 60 to 80 percent of their sales revenue If writing is your dream, ebook self-publishing could make it real draft2digital claims. How does Draft2Digital help authors reach global audiences? First, availability is essential. Authors upload their manuscript in Word format to our website, along with a cover image. I recommend not spending more than 100 dollars on a cover when starting out. Our system converts everything to digital formats and distributes to thousands of stores, including major online retailers, smaller platforms, and libraries across the US, UK, and Australia, typically within a few days. Accurate metadata, including title, description, and category, is crucial for helping readers find your book. What marketing strategies work for unknown authors? Discoverability is always a challenge. Successful authors connect with readers through social media, choosing platforms based on their target audience. Facebook may suit an older demographic, while TikTok reaches younger readers. Authors must identify where their audience congregates and invest effort in building those connections. Nothing comes free when selling a product; it requires consistent work. What are the main differences in reading habits across countries? Reading preferences vary significantly by region. Some countries, like the US, have high ebook adoption, while others, such as Germany, still favour print by a considerable margin. Certain markets, like Canada, show preferences for book bundles. Interestingly, German readers consume many English-language books, so we sell substantial quantities of English print titles there. What is the current balance between ebooks and print? When ebooks began growing around 2007, there were widespread concerns about the death of print. That never materialised. Ebook growth peaked around 2013, but print remained dominant. Currently, approximately 60 percent of books sold are print and 40 percent are ebooks, though this varies by genre. Romance readers predominantly purchase ebooks due to lower cost and convenience, while non-fiction readers prefer print for its tactile qualities and ease of reference. This ratio has remained relatively stable for years. Approximately 60 percent of books sold are print and 40 percent are ebooks Are people reading less than before? Readership fluctuates in cycles. We saw a significant peak during the COVID lockdowns, and we have been coming down from that high. However, engagement appears to be recovering. Books now compete with digital streaming and social media for attention, but dedicated readers will always find their books. We are optimistic that younger generations will discover books that resonate with them and develop reading habits. How is artificial intelligence affecting the ebook market? AI-written books exist throughout the market. We support AI as a tool for outlining, brainstorming, and various other assistance, much like word processors and spell checkers became standard aids. What we do not support is fully AI-generated content. AI-written books have become a significant challenge This has become a significant challenge, with platforms like Amazon being flooded with such material. It harms the industry and makes it harder for readers to find quality books. While AI may eventually produce excellent literature, we are not there yet, and this remains an ongoing challenge for the market. How do you help authors stand out in a crowded marketplace? We maintain merchandising relationships with all major retailers. Our mission is to identify promising books and propose them for spotlight placement and promotional features. We submit thousands of titles annually and achieve a 60 percent success rate. Authors can apply through our website to participate in these programmes. We also invest heavily in author education through our Self Publishing Insiders podcast, where we interview industry leaders, successful indie authors, and service providers to help authors improve their marketing and sales strategies. What do you predict for the future of digital publishing? Independent authors have proven their agility and ability to respond quickly to reader demands in an industry historically slow to adapt. Traditional publishers are increasingly looking to indie authors for insights on how to operate differently. They are actively recruiting successful independent authors into the traditional world. I expect traditional publishing to adopt more characteristics of indie publishing: greater agility, flexibility, and responsiveness. This convergence will continue accelerating over the coming years. Final thoughts about ebook self-publishing The ebook self-publishing revolution has fundamentally altered the publishing landscape. What Kris Austin describes is not merely a shift in distribution channels but a democratisation of authorship itself. With platforms like Draft2Digital removing technical barriers and providing global reach, the determining factors for success have shifted from gatekeepers to readers. For aspiring authors, the message is clear: quality content, business acumen, and direct reader engagement now matter more than ever. The stigma of self-publishing has given way to recognition that, ultimately, a book’s value lies in its ability to find and satisfy its intended audience, regardless of how it reaches them. Learn more at Draft2Digital The post Inside the Ebook Self-Publishing Industry appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

Whereas artificial intelligence is reinventing Web writing, the written word has never been more valuable. Selim Niederhoffer, a copywriting trainer and bestselling author, has recently been exploring how marketing professionals can still succeed amidst “enshitification“, online influence, and automation. Meet an expert who remains confident in the power of words. Copywriting in the age of … The post Web writing : words retain all their magic appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

Commentary on the environmental impact of AI often swings wildly between doom-and-gloom catastrophism and blind techno-optimism. But where's the truth in all this? On July 24, 2025—the symbolic date of Earth Overshoot Day—we sat down with Yves Grandmontagne, founder and editor-in-chief of DCMAG (Data Centre Magazine*), to get his take on AI and its real … The post The Truth About the Environmental Impact of AI appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

Will the AI bubble burst or is GenAI here to stay? The artificial intelligence industry is experiencing unprecedented financial euphoria. Yet, the current situation is very confusing. AI investments are reaching dizzying heights. Let's mention OpenAI's $40 billion funding round at $300 billion valuation and Mistral AI's €1.7 billion funding round. Yet, some commentators are … The post Is the AI Bubble About to Burst? appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

The world of artificial intelligence is evolving at breakneck speed, and nowhere is this more conspicuous than in the emergence of AI agents. As organizations grapple with separating genuine innovation from marketing hype, we sat down with Ed Keisling, Chief AI Officer at Progress Software, to cut through the noise and understand what AI agents … The post AI Agents, Beyond the Hype appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

In an era of overtourism, where mass travel increasingly strains destinations worldwide, Christopher Hill offers a compelling alternative with his voluntourism/volunteer travel business, Hands-Up Holidays. As a founder and managing director of this company, Hill has built a business model that demonstrates how travel companies can be forces for good rather than exploitation. His approach … The post Voluntourism: Changing the World from Your Hotel appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

AI is radically transforming the B2B sales landscape and accelerating the shift towards intelligent sales enablement. At a major B2B event which took place in Paris in July 2025, I met with Stephane Renger, co-founder and managing director of Salesapps. The leading European sales enablement vendor has placed AI at the heart of its innovation … The post AI Sales Enablement: 20% Time Savings for Sales and 50% for Marketing appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

Are AI and developers the world's best friends or is artificial intelligence a threat to the future of programmers? As artificial intelligence models are becoming increasingly sophisticated, many questions are raised about the future of developers across the industry. Will AI replace programmers entirely, as Eric Schmidt and Dario Amodei are predicting? Will junior developers … The post The Future of Developers in the Age of AI appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

How do luxury brands maximize experiences in sports events? I attended the 2025 Monte-Carlo Masters, which showed a strong presence of elite brands fighting for high-end customer engagement. Brands such as Rolex, Sergio Tacchini, and Replay can be found advertised almost everywhere at the famous tennis tournament. These brands use the values of this tennis … The post Luxury Brands Maximize Experiences in Sports Events appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

If you are dying to understand the various GenAI prompting methods, how AI interacts with your prompt, and why this is key to optimising your results, this free prompting guide was made for you. The post GenAI Prompting Guide for Aspiring Experts appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

How is AI Search changing the Internet and what role are we playing in this transformation? In this article, I discuss the current state of adoption of AI-powered search engines. By reflecting on the perspectives of Kevin Roose, Matteo Wong and Joanna Stern, this piece explores what we gain—faster, more organized access to information—and what … The post AI Search : Breaking Up With Your Traditional Search Engine appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

Let AI handle the chores, and humans do the thinking: such should be the future of content marketing. In this piece, I try and debunk a few myths. Firstly, generative AI  can be creative — and often is. Secondly, AI doesn't necessarily make us stupid; we don't need it for that. And thirdly, becoming a … The post Chores to AI, Thinking to Humans appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

Isn't the notion of “disruption “, aka disruptive innovation, used and abused by analysts and technology experts? And by dint of abuse, aren't we in the process of deluding ourselves? At a time when some are fretting about the volatility of the business generated by ‘unicorns' or even centaurs, it is perhaps worth asking whether … The post Is disruptive innovation overhyped? appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

Growth hacking can often be perceived as toxic, but you can sit back and relax, it is possible to practise ethical growth hacking but it requires time and energy, growth hacking expert Frederic Canevet explained to Visionary Marketing. In a nutshell, it may be a little harder than you think, but it is well worth … The post Ethical growth hacking is not an oxymoron appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

AI is redefining retail for good, bringing in the kind of automation and professionalism once implemented in the manufacturing industry. In this case, it's mostly revolving around data-driven marketing decisions and in-store retail media capabilities. As shown by Axians, a VINCI group company, AI isn't a mere toy for undergraduate students who are failing their … The post AI in retail: shrinking queuing times today, headcount tomorrow appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

Data-Driven AI is the future of customer experience, François Ajenstat told us at a recent interview. François is Chief Product Officer at Amplitude, the company behind a digital analytics platform aimed at helping B2B and B2C businesses build better products, websites and ecommerce experiences through behavioural data. François stressed the significance of data-driven AI within … The post Data-Driven AI Is the Future of Customer Experience appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

Ever heard of cookie pop-ups? It's true that it's hard to escape them. Following the 2011 Cookie Directive, sites have finally complied. But rather than deleting cookies, they have installed cookie pop-ups, which throw annoying messages at you and prevent you from surfing the web. They're useless, mostly because they don't really improve data confidentiality. … The post Protecting your privacy and avoiding cookie pop-ups appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

The state of influencer marketing in Europe 2024 is a survey conducted by Kolsquare, a leading European influencer marketing agency. It provides a particularly interesting perspective on influencer marketing budgets, how influencer marketing is handled and its future trends. Besides, its comparison of Europe's main markets for IM is clearly enlightening. It's one of the … The post Influencer Marketing: Average European Spend at €3.5m Annually appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

The Cyber threat landscape in Europe is quite worrying. A recent survey by Cloudflare was conducted amongst 4,261 IT executives responsible for cybersecurity in Europe. 24% of the sample is made from small enterprises (150–999 employees), 24% from medium-sized businesses (1,000–2,500 employees) and 52% from large organisations (above 2,500 employees). All major European countries were … The post Cyber threat Landscape Europe, 2024 appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

Content creation with artificial intelligence is already old hat as it's been going on for a few years and, unfortunately, slop is now populating the Internet at an increasing pace. Yet, when I received this message from a good friend of mine last week regarding Google's new app entitled NotebookLM, I was shellshocked. I tried … The post NotebookLM by Google: Artificial Voices, Real Concerns appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

Whereas Ed Zitron is castigating the major Tech players responsible for the peak of inflated expectations surrounding AI, many tech pundits are still touting that AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) is within reach. To find out if AGI is a myth or a reality, I interviewed J.G. Ganascia, a long-time AI researcher and philosopher. In the … The post AGI (General Artificial Intelligence), Myth or Reality? appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

Are GenAI and content marketing compatible? Adobe organised a round table discussion on that subject during their Experience Makers conference in Paris in early November 2023. The debate brought together a few digital experts. During this discussion, I mentioned that there were limitations to GenAI images and that they weren't technical. Others contended that it … The post GENAI and Content Marketing: Learning from experience appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

Our reporters attended the Paris Retail Week 2024 event, a trade show of which we are media partners, to take stock of fraud and the role of AI. We collected a lot of valuable feedback on threats (both in-store and e-commerce) and the countermeasures proposed by artificial intelligence. To do so, we interviewed Gilles Bijaoui, … The post Harnessing AI to Combat Fraud in Retail and E-Commerce appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

What is the likely impact of AI and GenAI in particular on jobs, especially in Europe? Two recent reports on the topic, one in the UK and another one in France shed light on this question. According to the French report, such impact could amount to 5%. Yet another case for precision vs accuracy. That … The post GenAI impact on jobs: doom or boon? appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

Whether it's music and AI, or innovation in the broad sense of the term, at Visionary Marketing we like to look back in time. A few days ago, while doing the housekeeping of some of our 3,000 articles, we rediscovered this post by Mia Tawile written in July 2016. Eight years is the equivalent of … The post Music and AI: Back to the Future appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

Thomas Deneux is the founder of Learning Robots whose aim is to help pupils, students and businesses to learn AI, with the help of home-made self-driving gizmos. These little machines on two wheels are more serious than you'd think. They are all about the teaching of advanced computing. Thomas described his philosophy to me during … The post Learning AI with the help of robots appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

What are the most outstanding new features of LinkedIn in 2024? Reid Hoffmann's professional network was created almost 21 years ago (in May 2003) and acquired by Microsoft in 2016. Visionary Marketing invited Bruno Fridlansky to talk about this platform, of which he is an expert. Together we were able to answer a few basic … The post LinkedIn's new features under the microscope appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

What if hiring luxury venues during the 2024 Olympics were a good opportunity for brands, even small ones?  The Olympic Games are only six months away from now and I was wondering how much of an opportunity it was for brands and which ones. To find out I invited Tanya Bencheva, the CEO and founder … The post Luxury Venues during the 2024 Paris Olympics appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

Just like the Trojan war, the AI “revolution” will not take place*. Today's topic is the inevitable generative AI. This is the perfect opportunity for us to discuss what a technological revolution is or isn't. Here are our thoughts, and we might as well warn you that we are putting our trotters in the trough in … The post The AI ‘revolution' will not take place appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

How can a responsible marketer survive when the world around us is crumbling? Or at least when experts are telling you that it is. Three years to the day, the French association of marketers Adetem asked Visionary Marketing to join its CSR responsible marketing initiative, and naturally we welcomed the opportunity. That almost seemed natural to us. … The post CSR: a survival guide for the depressed responsible marketer appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

Will marketers survive the content shock in the age of AI? The Omnes Education Group launched a cross-organisational programme in English called “Content creation in the age of AI” to help its students better understand GenAI. Close to 1,000 students will be certified in this program by early February 2024. As part of the program, … The post Surviving the Content Shock In The Age of GenAI appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

According to a recent Forrester report (How Generative AI Will Transform CRM), GenAI may have significant and beneficial impacts on Customer Relationship Management systems and practices. The real question is, however, how effective GenAI could be when it comes to handling various customer-facing tasks? And how easily could it adapt to specific CX applications? Forrester's analysts … The post Can GenAI have an impact on CRM? appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

What are the applications of geographic information systems? Following our discussion with Catherine Crook, we asked Floyd Bull to answer that question for us. Geographic information systems and their applications How did you get started with GIS? During college, I saw geographic information systems as an opportunity that would lead to jobs after my studies. … The post What are the applications of GIS systems appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

Visionary Marketing spoke with Catherine Crook ­– senior GIS program manager for Hexvarium – to discuss the use of geographic information systems or GIS and its impact on communication networks and the world. We touch on her day-to-day obligations as a senior gas program manager. The software is used for tracking systems, the issue of … The post A day in the life of a GIS program manager appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

Product Information Management (PIM) systems are a driving force behind a good customer experience. A 2023 survey entitled “Elevating customer experiences with product experiences”, sheds light on how product information can greatly enhance CX. Virginie Blot, Product Experience Management evangelist at Akeneo, gave us her point of view and analysis on that survey. Place a … The post PIMs at the heart of Customer Experiences appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

A recent study on behavioral targeting demonstrates the evolution of consumer behavior and its impact on segmentation in consumer marketing. While criticisms of profile-based segmentations are nothing new, the study in question provides a quantified demonstration of the extent of change in this area. It also provides figures and details on the various so-called “Behavioral … The post Behavioral Targeting is the right way forward appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

The green market revolution (impacts, how to adapt and change retail business models and organisations) was the title of Forrester‘s Thomas Husson's Keynote at the Paris Retail Week 2023 Trade Show. A topic of vital interest to our readers and ourselves. We interviewed Thomas to better understand how urgent the situation is, and how consumers … The post Forrester's Green Market Revolution appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

The learning curve that governs qualitative marketing studies is pivotal if you want to avoid ending up with mountains of useless data. What's more, the kind of data produced by marketing studies is unstructured and complex. Gathering too much of it will also inevitably lead to soaring costs. Our simple methodology based on the experience … The post The learning curve of qualitative studies appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

AI may be fun to play with but its implementation within businesses is a tad more complex. Visionary Marketing attended a round table discussion on the impact of generative AI on businesses and the future of work at Big Data AI Paris in September 2023. AI and IT experts from different backgrounds were able to … The post Implementing AI within businesses appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

Visionary Marketing spoke with Katja Graisse – co-founder of Balistikart, an independent digital creative agency – to discuss the Incognito AI Influencer Project. We touch on the benefits and limitations of AI-generated influencers, the intertwining of art and business, and more. Katja provides an optimistic assessment of the current digital landscape, proclaiming that the usage … The post An AI Incognito Influencer in the digital world appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

‘Breaking down silos' is certainly digital transformation's most common phrase and myth. If you haven't heard this phrase repeated over and over again, chances are your government hasn't let you out of your house after the Covid-19 pandemic. It's probably the biggest fable about transformation projects, be they digital or not. Some time ago, I … The post Breaking down silos: digital transformation's greatest myth appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

Will marketing jobs be killed by AI? We met with Jamie Brighton, at Adobe Summit 2023*. Jamie is Product Marketing Director for the Adobe Digital Experience business. His answer to the above question is a blatant No! He sees AI as being a co-pilot of marketers in their daily tasks. A set of tools to bridge … The post Marketers should not be afraid of losing their jobs to AI appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

It's this time of year, Adobe summit 2023 is taking place on June, 8–9 in London and Visionary Marketing will be there as #adobepartner (disclosure*). After a few years where the event only took place online (check our coverage here). It's now a hybrid event, which is taking place both online and offline. As we … The post Making Preparations for Adobe Summit 2023 appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

Are digital experiences getting in the way of customers' experiences? We recently had the pleasure of speaking with Joseph Pine, author of the article titled ‘Are Your Digital Tools Wasting Your Customers' Time?” Having previously interviewed him, we knew he had an interesting perspective on the matter. He takes a close look at the way … The post Are Digital Experiences Hampering Customer Experiences? appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

Could one reduce the carbon footprint of digital advertising? When it comes to carbon emissions, digital is often criticised, and programmatic advertising in particular. How big is that footprint? And how could one minimise it? How are advertisers reacting? A recent Scope3 study sheds light on this subject. It shows that the digital marketing industry … The post Reducing the carbon footprint of digital advertising appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

Platform business models facilitate the exchange of goods and services between two or more interdependent groups, often producers and consumers. They are responsible for totally new ways of doing business. In our interview with Benoît Reillier from Launchworks.co, we discuss his book entitled Platform Strategy, from which he derived a cartoon version. In this book he … The post Understanding Platform Business Models Now and in the Future appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

Social media requires proper and effective visuals for your posts to be more impactful. Any first-grade student knows that. Seasoned marketers do too. That said, a recent study by Vistacreate and the Content Marketing Institute showed that there is room for improvement in that area. In this report, CMI's Robert Rose, founder and chief strategy … The post How to use social media visuals more effectively appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

How do consumers form their perceived value of a product or service? This is the question that Bain & Company has attempted to answer in a very noteworthy brief published by Harvard Business Review. It opens up a new perspective on perceived customer value, beyond the hackneyed Maslow pyramid. This is the subject of today's … The post Perceived value: how customers rate a product or service appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

This morning's newsflash was inspired by a tweet and refers to the recent Tech layoffs in Silicon Valley, no longer deemed the greatest place to work in Tech. Other posts tell stories of employees disappointed that they can no longer indulge in free pizza in the cafeteria before going to meetings in the “confetti room”. In short, it all sounds like … The post Tech layoffs and disillusionment in Silicon Valley appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

Digital marketing is going through a shift, and it's app-driven product-led marketing more than digital advertising and sales as a 2022 Amplitude report shows. In our interview with Adam Greco, who a product evangelist at Amplitude, we discussed this new groundbreaking trend and the reallocation of marketing dollars towards apps to generate more growth. App-driven product-led … The post App-driven product-led marketing is the new growth hack appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.

Customer communities aren't for every brand. Yet, facilitating communities with your customers could supercharge your marketing. This is, in essence, what Sanjay d'Humières explained to us in this interview. Sanjay is the founder of RTCX (Real-Time Community Experience), a consultancy supporting businesses with their community marketing. He reminded us, lest we forget, we should always … The post Supercharge your marketing with customer communities appeared first on Marketing and Innovation.