- Physical books still lead, while ebooks and audiobooks continue to expand how people read.
- TikTok says there are nearly 53 million BookTok posts and around 59 million print book sales in 2024 could be tied to BookTok related creators or content.
- In 2024, 14.7% of EU residents bought printed reading material online, compared with 6.8% who downloaded ebooks or audiobooks.
World Book Day, Retargeting and the New Book Buyer
World Book Day is not only a celebration of reading. It is also a reminder that attention is harder to win than ever. In the UK, 40% of Britons said they had not read or listened to a single book in the past year. Among children and young people, only 32.7% said they enjoyed reading in their free time in 2025, the lowest level recorded in two decades. (Source: National Literacy Trust, Children and young people’s reading in 2025, June 2025.)
Discovery changed. Demand did not disappear
Digital formats have expanded the market rather than replaced print. Among UK readers, 40% used ebooks, 30% listened to audiobooks and physical books still remained the main format for 61%. For ebook readers, specialised devices such as Kindle were the main way of reading for 59%, showing that convenience matters, but print still holds strong emotional and commercial value. (Source: YouGov, 40% of Britons haven’t read a single book in the last 12 months, March 2025.)
That shift is visible in revenue too. UK audiobook revenue reached £268 million in 2024, digital revenue rose 17%, and fiction revenue passed £1 billion for the first time. The market is growing through format choice, which creates more paths to purchase for book brands and online bookshops. (Source: Publishers Association, Audiobooks and fiction drove growth in 2024, June 2025.)
Social media made reading visible again
Social platforms have turned reading from a private habit into a shared signal. TikTok reports nearly 53 million BookTok posts on the platform, and says around 59 million print book sales in 2024 could be linked to BookTok related creators or content. Discovery is now faster, more social and more emotional than traditional browsing alone. (Source: TikTok Newsroom, #BookTok, April 2025.)
Why retargeting matters for book brands
Discovery now happens across more touchpoints. TikTok says BookTok is tied to nearly 53 million posts and around 59 million print book sales in 2024. At the same time, Eurostat found that 14.7% of EU residents bought printed reading material online in 2024, compared with 6.8% who downloaded ebooks or audiobooks. That means a reader may discover a title on social media, browse an online bookshop, compare formats, check a Kindle edition and leave without buying. (Source: Eurostat, Online shopping: more people buying print than e books, April 2025.)
For Blue Marketing, that is exactly where retargeting becomes useful. A user who viewed a hardback can be re engaged with creative focused on gifting or collectability. Someone who checked the Kindle version can be shown messaging around instant access, portability or price. Someone who abandoned a basket on an online bookshop can be brought back with a timely reminder. With the right pixel setup and audience segmentation, book brands can speak differently to print buyers, digital readers and high intent visitors instead of serving the same ad to everyone. (Source: DemandSage, 70+ Retargeting Statistics and Trends of 2026, May 2025.)
Innovation without losing the analogue appeal
That is the real opportunity behind World Book Day. Innovation in books is not only about new formats. It is also about smarter marketing that respects how people discover, compare and buy. For Blue Marketing, retargeting helps book brands stay visible across that journey while keeping the message relevant to the format each reader is most likely to buy.
