Communication between publishers and the public: the magnetic effect of social media

Abstract

In the contemporary dynamic and turbulent economic environment being present and up to the minute becomes a necessity for almost any business. Social media is a communication infrastructure that allows and concomitantly sets the rules for information and message dissemination. Just as most organizations nowadays, publishing houses need to establish a strong online presence through posts on social media platforms. As they are both economic and cultural agents, the messages shared by publishers on social networks imply a higher degree of social responsibility and their content is particularly important. The present paper aims to explore how Romanian publishing houses are communicating with their current and potential customers on social platforms. The posts on various social media such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, etc. from the last two months of 2022 and the first two months of 2023 are investigated through the content analysis research technique. As the book industry is strongly linked to the concept of knowledge, the analysis is performed from the perspective of the Theory of Knowledge Fields. The findings of this study could prove useful to various actors involved in the book industry and other cultural organizations, as it provides insights into cultural promotion via social platforms practices. The subject is topical since book consumption is an essential part of a healthy cultural and social life of a country.