Spanish Reading Influencers in Goodreads: Participation, Experience and Canon Proposed

Abstract

Nobody doubts the importance of digital influencers when it comes to the selection and acquisition of new products and services. In the specific field of literary reading, literary blogs, booktubers and specialized websites that act as prescribers of reading stand out. This study presents a descriptive research model in which a multivariate analysis of the main sociodemographic characteristics, assessments, readings and activities developed by the 100 most important reading influencers in Spain was carried out. For this purpose, data were taken from the most widely used reading cataloguing platform, i.e. Goodreads. It was found to be mainly about women with a developed reading habit and with an effervescent and extensive experience in literary blogs, thematic social networks, etc. In addition, the results show that the more influencers evolve as readers the more demanding they become more in their assessments, which in turn translates into greater influence. Influencers’ recognition in the platform, therefore, is subject to their reading experience, critical capacity and personal criteria. Finally, it was learned that the canon of authors and works best valued by these relevant users is heterogeneous, although works and authors related to Young Adult Literature and bestsellers predominate to a certain extent.