It is with a pinch of humor that some may recall a survey whose results were revealed at the 2008 Frankfurt Book Fair. A thousand publishers from 30 countries concluded that, by 2018, digital books would have killed the physical book business. Although this prediction was not fulfilled, COVID-19 pandemic proved that e-books became, to say the least, essential allies to the publishing industry.

In this sense, e-books had been steadily working their way to the top, but confinement catalyzed an unprecedented growth in catalogue digitization, audiobook creation, e-book conversion, and e-commerce in general. This boom is supported not only by the noteworthy increase in signed contracts and distribution channels, but also by the completion of strategic alliances such as the one forged between Ink it and Metabooks Mexico with the purpose of standardizing metadata and helping our publishers to enlarge their sales volume.

We are aware of the complex panorama that the publishing industry faces, but we are also convinced that entering the digital market is the key answer to make the best out of the present global confinement. Moreover, adapting was not much of a problem for editors acquainted with the digital market, as opposed to editors who, all of a sudden, had to enter the digital world because of the current global crisis.

Today, we encounter the need to comply with the new demands the industry requires and to diversify the actual income sources. Aware of this situation, Ink it offers a series of tools that can help to increase your profit and to improve your position within the digital market. We provide services such as conversion and distribution of e-books and audiobooks, print on demand, and the possibility to create your own e-commerce or digital library. Our goal is to help publishers to cope with the current world crisis by reinventing and innovating. Or, in sum, embracing change.

Twelve years after the so-called “death of print”, digital and physical formats coexist harmoniously, and, in consequence, users have a greater supply of both options depending on their individual needs, just like it happened with the music industry (CD, vinyl, streaming, etc.), or with movies and TV series. Currently, the publishing industry demands product diversification, and must offer consumers an online option. Now more than ever, the publishers need to take a big step towards digitization, looking forward to growing and innovation.