Are book fairs relevant in the age of social media and quick commerce?

Visitors at the Delhi Book Fair 2025. (Express Photo by Ishika Roy)

Dinariya and Sujal, both 21, are students of Kirori Mal College who bunked classes to be at the fair. For them, the digital book-buying experience feels narrow and one-dimensional. “When you search online and buy a book, you’re shown a very limited selection based on your search keywords. But coming to a book fair broadens your horizons—you get to explore countless options and discover new authors and releases you wouldn’t have found otherwise,” said Dinariya.

For Sujal, it’s all about the atmosphere: “The vibe of a book fair is unmatched.” She also said that no matter how many books she reads on an e-reader, “nothing can replace the feeling of touching and flipping through real pages.”

How publishers are evolving

That said, technology has impacted sales, pushing publishing houses to incorporate digital marketing strategies with traditional marketing to stay ahead. “Promoting books on social media, collaborating with influencers and organisations that hold heritage walks to market history and political literature have helped books gain visibility, especially Indian authored titles that are rapidly gaining steam,” said Geetu Martolia, marketing publicity manager at Rupa Publications India and Aleph Book Company.

A K Singh, Head of Sales at Rupa Publications and Aleph Book company, said, “Post-COVID-19, hardcover sales haven’t seen any significant decline.”

Ridhima Kumar, commissioning editor and manager – rights and licensing at HarperCollins Publishers India, described sales trends as a “mixed bag”. According to her, classics are always in demand, but since India is a price-sensitive market, paperbacks perform best. “Hardbacks are published based on a book’s content, marketability, and readership. For some books, hardbacks work better than paperbacks due to their audience, as readers are more inclined to buy hardcovers for these titles,” she said.

Visitors at the Delhi Book Fair 2025 (Express Photo by Ishika Roy)

Are viral books driving sales?

At the fair, the influence of social media on book trends was evident. “Events like these allow readers to meet influencer and celebrity authors, making them more inclined to buy trending books,” said Kumar. She also noted that book fairs offer a space for publishers to showcase “backlist” titles—books that might not have the same online visibility but still deserve attention.

However, Singh observed that this year’s book fair proved that readers weren’t just chasing viral titles. “They picked up books based on their interests, not just what’s trending on social media.”

For Kesang, 28, who sat outside Penguin’s book stall with packets of books, attending the book fair was a long-awaited plan. He had jotted down bestselling titles trending on Instagram Reels and was eager to buy them in person. But why not just order them online? “I wanted to come with my friends, buy books together, and then dine out. If I had ordered them at home, this plan wouldn’t have happened,” he smiled. For him, book shopping isn’t just a task—it’s a shared experience, a memory in the making.

Publishers are adapting to the changing social and cultural zeitgeist of the digital age, marrying traditional and modern marketing strategies to crack the algorithm and carve out a space in people’s hearts. As long as people nurture their love for reading, book fairs are here to stay. And for book lovers like Dinariya, Sujal, and Kesang, the magic of a book fair will always be worth the trip.