Less Netflix, More (Good)Reads
Stories. I inhale them, I internalize them. I add to them, I subtract from them. I transform them and create them anew until they almost feel as tangible as the texture of fabric against my skin, as easy as shifting silk between my fingers.
Point is. I love stories, y’all
As a child, I was reading one book a week. It wasn’t enough, so I graduated to 2 books a week as a young teen. That, finally, felt like the right fit.
Then, the golden age of television happened.
Words on a page were quickly abandoned for accessible, plentiful, visually stunning content on streaming platforms. Content which felt easy to follow, to discuss, to analyze, to recommend, to plan entire social activities around. Reading, a largely quiet and introverted activity, began to feel distant from the reality of the world around me.
That was then.
This, now, is the tale of my re-discovery of the ancient art of reading, falling back in love with books, and nerding out over the product that enabled this all: Goodreads.
(This post primarily focuses on the iOS experience. While major capabilities are similar on other channels — Android, web, etc. — there will most likely be differences and absent features, which are not addressed in this post.)
So what is GoodReads exactly?
Launched in 2007, Goodreads is an online community and tool which brings together readers from all over the world, serving as an engine for reviews, recommendations, and discovery, with a carefully crafted emphasis on sharing.
Too mission statement-y for ya?
Thought so. Let’s look at it closely.
Why it works so well
If you were ever a reader, are a reader, or have ever though about reading, these are likely the most common problems you face*:
*(Congratulations if you don’t meet any of the aforementioned criteria, you’re way cooler than the rest of us. Feel free to unpause and binge-watch that show that everyone is talking about lately) .
Problem 1: I’m extremely busy, what do I read?
Ah. Yes. The big one. Finding what to read can actually be the biggest hurdle to develop your reading habit or continue one if you have it. In between fun brunches, family brunches, and forced brunches, you, aspiring reader, are extremely busy.
GoodReads knows this and pays close attention to its activation strategy. As soon as the user enters the experience, it immediately begins working towards its goal of getting the user to their next book as quickly as possible. There are many simple features which reduce the pain of discovery, highlighting various types of books via different methods, ultimately empowering you to make your own decision.
1) Search: In addition to searching a title, author, or ISBN yourself, this section hooks you up with genre-specific search lists, ordering books by ratings.
— Editorial curations: In the cold, cold world of technology, who doesn’t love a human touch? Part of Search, curated lists such as “Books That Everyone Should Read At Least Once” provide an incentive for the reader to stay and keep exploring.
2) Trending Now: Cool little feature on the homepage/ newsfeed. Intelligently placed among updates from your friends and community, Goodreads surfaces trending genres and titles based on the community’s readership, further simplifying the discovery process.
3) “Best of”: Possibly my favorite method of discovery. Collections such as “Best of 2018” provide an in-depth look into the consensus around what resonated most with other readers during the year.
4) Reviews: Wondering whether to start His Dark Materials before you regret getting into something that may be way bigger than you? Same here. Read reviews first and decide if it’s your jam.
Problem 2: Netflix tells me what I would like to watch next, but my local library doesn’t. What kind of books do I even like?
There are times I’m convinced Spotify’s “Discovery Weekly” is my closest confidant. It just gets me, ya know? That feeling of having a concierge personalizing suggestions for you and only you will never get old (shoutout to that human touch!). From Zagat to Shopify, companies are investing more and more in catering to the specific tastes of their user base and enriching their online and offline experience.
Goodreads’ GR Engine is not different. Search, newsfeed placements, and lists provide a form a passive discovery, but Recommendations is active, constantly learning, correcting course, and re-learning. This, essentially, is the life and blood of Goodreads. When new to the community, this sections allows you to rate several books in each genre, calculating the next suitable choice for you. Once the user has been active on the platform for a certain amount of time, recommendations’s robust algorithm continues refining itself and studying user patters on the site to deliver optimum results.
Problem 3: How do I keep up with my new year’s resolution and keep myself on track?
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve loudly declared things I’m going to do that I immediately regret, especially after that 3rd glass of champagne on December 31st. Accountability is extremely important in turning a habit into behavior, whether it’s ordering less Seamless or declining fireplace cocktail invitations to stick to dry January. (All very real examples, in case you were wondering).
With Goodreads, the user is given many options to return and keep returning to a habit that can sometimes be difficult to continue.
1) Update Progress — The feeling of flipping the leftover pages of a book is perfectly captured by the “update progress” section. This is an effective and reliable way of creating a feeling of reward for the user, working as a gentle reminder to reach that milestone of 100%.
2) Reading Challenge — Like a little bit of competition in your life? This is the perfect option for you.
3) Groups and book clubs — Excited about making snacks for a book club meeting or going to that book signing? Goodreads knows you’re not alone. Refuel your extrovert side and connect with like-minded readers through various events in your area.
Problem 4: Uh oh, I overdid and am now virtually buried under an avalanche of books. How can I be more organized?
Cognitive overload is real. Most of us will suffer mild anxiety when our to-do list exceeds 3 items. Managing books being thrown at you left and right (virtually) can leave you feeling exhausted and scattered. Goodreads, however, offers bookshelves for DAYYYS!
In addition to “Read,” “Reading,” and “Want To Read” bookshelves, it allows you to create custom ones to better categorize your reading needs. These shelves are easily accessible whenever the user searches a title, rendering the path between the reader and their selection shorter, quicker, and easier. So go ahead and create that “Five Timers Club” shelf for all your Harry Potter needs.
This has been such an enticing and incredible process that the physical bookshelf in my apartment — bulging, towering, conspicuously ancient — makes me wince every time I see it.
Problem 5: I deeply value my thoughts and opinions. How do I make sure my detailed notes on 50 Shades Darker remain with me wherever I go?
One of the first tools to make reading more accessible was the Amazon Kindle. Next came Barnes and Noble’s Nook. While their peaks were dizzying, they plateaued soon after and largely remained the same, due, in part to the lack of integrations. Next came Libby, Overdrive, Audible, all helping the user achieve the goal of discovery and completion of a book.
As a new reader, I’ve been confused about which app to trust, download, and continue using, as there are so many serving similar but different functions, making me feel increasingly confused and disconnected.
Goodreads, while currently lacking its own reading platform, is making huge strides in integrating and transforming itself into a one-stop-shop for a reader. The Kindle Notes and Highlights, preview, and buy features ensure the user is able to access their past notes from a beloved book or buy an eBook they have just previewed. This removes the extra barriers the user must go through in order to access notes or read a new book — usually achieved by exiting Goodreads and opening up another platform — and, hence, reduces click fatigue.
Problem 6: I’d like my friends to know I read more than 50 Shades Darker. Can I show off with War and Peace?
This, perhaps, is my favorite feature on the entire platform. For better or worse, we are a generation programmed to recognize simple prompts popularized by Snapchat or Facebook. The social media aspect of the website encourages a feeling of community, reducing isolation when you’re in deep with a juicy book. Liking a friends’ progress, recommending a new book to a family member, or reviewing one for new readers all provide incentives for the user to stay engaged with their book, and ultimately, behavior.
I’ve been known to log on every morning to check if my friend’s read more pages of The Goldfinch than me the night before.
As of this moment, I’m winning.
What can be improved?
As a fairly new user of Goodreads, I chose to focus the post largely on what Goodreads is doing well. If Goodreads’ aim is to become and remain an essential part of users’ lives, however, there are tweaks to be made throughout the user journey. Some suggestions:
1) Notifications/ “Encouragements”: I’ve found that this is a huge area of growth for Goodreads. Goodreads has an invaluable store of its users’ reading behavior. A simple use case to utilize this information may be to provide a notification with helpful, actionable data from the tool’s readership when a reader has no activity on a “currently reading” title. Alternatively, this could be used to encourage them to pick up another book from their shelves or recommendations list instead.
2) Private Lists: A friend of mine mentioned this recently as a major gap in her experience and I couldn’t agree more. As users demand more control over their online presence, companies are prioritizing sophisticated privacy features over more immediate and revenue-generating opportunities. While the social aspect of Goodreads is enticing and serves as a form of an “accountability buddy”, it is essential to give the user control over what content is shared, where it’s shared, and with whom it is shared. An option for a private bookshelf or dismissing a friend’s updates from newsfeed are some simple ways Goodreads can maintain trust, loyalty, and a close partnership with their users.
3) While Goodreads serves mainly as a tool for discovery, a future scenario (or , more likely, wishful thinking) would have Goodreads serve as a true one-stop-shop, becoming the user’s first and only choice for all reading needs. Integrations with Kindle and Overdrive or bookstores’ and Amazon would enable BOTH purchase and access all within the app experience. A very interesting and tempting scenario to consider.
Alright, your turn. Are you a Goodreads user? Have you been thinking about giving Goodreads a try? Why or why not? Looking forward to hearing your thoughts. Don’t forget to comment, share, and spread the good word (ha!). And, in the meantime, read on.
