Kogan Page is the leading independent global publisher of specialist business books and content with hundreds of books in print. When they needed to replace and enhance their global digital marketing, ecommerce and web publishing operations the Byte9 team and the Blaze publisher tools were selected as the best fit for the complex job.
Award Winning
Kogan Page's award winning publishing has continued to gain accolades and industry recognition since working with Byte9 as development partner. Including being awarded the the WebAward for 'Outstanding Achievement in Web Development' in 2020.
The Brief
- Replace the existing system within a three-month timeline
- Ensure the site was responsive and mobile optimised
- Implement sophisticated multi-currency ecommerce and merchandising features
- Provide enhanced web marketing and CRM automation
- Improve Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
- Integrate the web content publishing process with Virtusales Biblio bibliographic data management system
- Integrate order shipping and handling with multiple global distribution partners
- Provide a seamless email order and marketing solution
- Manage the complex print and ebook bundling and international discounting rules
- Create localised sites for different markets
- Provide an e-reader solution tightly integrated with the customer's website account
- Create a subscription solution for e-reader book sales
- Manage branded micro-sites for institutional e-subscription customers
- Facilitate group e-subscription handling
- Provide a robust support infrastructure with guaranteed response times
- Introduce an agile development methodology to facilitate iterative system development
- Optimise site performance ongoing
The Byte9 Solution
Working closely with the Kogan Page ecommerce, marketing and operations teams Byte9 firstly developed a set of user stories to map the existing and future user scenarios.
Collaboratively we mapped and prioritised the critical cut-over functionality that was required for the initial deadline. Together the Byte9 and client team delivered a seamless, integrated solution within the three-month deadline and the allocated budget.
By following an upwardly responsive design process we enhanced the existing site design to work elegantly on mobile, tablet and larger screens. This enabled the burgeoning number of mobile users to access the site in an enhanced way, prior to a planned re-design.
Utilising product information feeds from Virtusales Biblio we used the Blaze file import and processing tools to populate the products and content relationships. URLs were mapped, content relations created, meta tags and title descriptions were updated and the go-live process feathered a seamless redirection and archive optimisation, to maintain and enhance SEO. Working with localised order payment and stock management and distribution partners we created a series of integrations to facilitate improved customer experience and web sales fulfilment.
Futher developments have facilitated the seamless roll out of new product format options Kogan Page have introduced for the website. Now handling the complexity of different attributes, feed management, sales and reporting of paperback, hardback, toolkits, ebook, and 'pack' bundles.
New features have also been implemented for the Kogan Page Academics audience with a moderated registration process for academic accounts and the handling of 'inspection copy' requests (print and ebook format) limited to only certain eligible titles and approved users for controlled access to a cap of titles each academic year.
The fulfilment of purchased ebooks and inspection copies is delivered through integration with the VitalSource 'Bookshelf' platform.
Email and marketing automation platform integrations have been updated and replaced over time. Most recently Byte9 have implemented a microservice plugin for Mapp that utilises the very latest progressive technology stack for serverless deployment as an AWS Lambda service. Broadcast email capability and the tight integration with the API allows the passing of customer newsletter preferences, as well as web order and academic account and inspection copy request triggers to facilitate email interaction and marketing automation.
Perhaps the most complex part of the project to date has involved the development of an e-reader solution that provides access to subscription-controlled e-book content in EPUB format, directly in the web browser. The e-reader solution was developed to allow browser-based control of e-reader tools that are integrated with the user’s website account.
This gives library functionality within the online subscription and useful tools like bookmarking and commenting on pages, searching within the website and across e-books, as well as an enhanced mobile reading experience.
Additional marketing and analytics tools have also been implemented over time using Google Tag Manager and services including HotJar and Sleeknote.
The Result
Kogan Page's online sales have increased significantly since working with the team at Byte9, with search engine and digital marketing strategies helping to increase the number of relevant, converting website visitors.
New digital subscription and institutional subscription revenue streams have been added, and Byte9 continue to work with the Kogan Page team to innovate quickly, iteratively and with minimal operational risk.