Is this an end around or precursor of in ebook active ads?

[snipenekkid]

I was just reading the thread in the Kindle section about the new social media integration feature where you can tweet and/or post to your facebook page after finishing your book. Well I suppose you can use it at anytime and often while reading the book but the link is there at the end.

Link to Kindle specific thread:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=124402

Here was my observation:

I actually agree that it's likely a fun thing for the twatters and facebook users out there. I don't use either because, well I just don't get the attraction. A comedian the other night described twitter as something along the lines of twitter being a way to gossip about people and facebook as a way to stalk and spy on people. hehehehe....

But I just have the activation turned off and actually have never noticed, I'll certainly look at a few books. But it's nothing to me if it's there. But consider this, obviously this might be the first step toward ads in our ebooks. I imagine both twitter and facebook are PAYING to have this level of access. Publishers might also be ponying up some cash for the feature as well

Does it make sense this would be a really interesting way for both publishers or at the very least for device makers to both profit and subsidize the cost of the devices, 3g and other such features?

I am the first to admit I absolutely do not understand how to use either feature in a positive fashion to promote a business. However it obviously works or both would not have gown as they have. so what do others think? Is the maybe a way to get those people who use either or both of these services to advertise books for them via the time tested viral marketing of word of mouth. I see it as a very unobtrusive compromise to active in-book ads.

And before forming an opinion consider the recent thread here on MR speculating on free Kindles by year's end:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=124173

Maybe this is part of that plan that will enable Amazon to offer the free Kindle devices to Prime account holders who also have Twitter and/or Facebook accounts?

[Giggleton]

I routinely post my highlights to my facebook page from within the Kindle. It sparks discussion occasionally.

What is a book but an advertisement of the writers idea?

I was bit disappointed that I wasn't able to post a review of the book from within the book to the book's page on Amazon, but I suppose it is for the best, we don't want a bunch of

OMG this books the best eva!!

Or do we??

[Kali Yuga]

The idea of in-book ads has been batted around for a few years. It still hasn't materialized though.

Why? Because it is highly unlikely anyone could earn enough revenue off of the ads to subsidize purchases, especially without destroying the reading experience.

For example: With web ads, the CPM (cost per 1000 impressions) can vary anywhere from $20 to $2, and are falling. If you manage a $12 CPM, a book that sells 10,000 copies earns $120 in ad revenue. If the ebook only costs $5, then the ad revenues only managed to replace the revenues of 24 out of those 10,000 copies; 100 ads replaces the revenue of 2,400 copies.

Or: Each ad in a book might save you $0.012. Place 100 ads in a 250-page ebook, and under optimal circumstances you can reduce the cover price by $1.00. Would you want a banner ad every 2 1/2 pages in a book you read?

It's entirely plausible that they will put a few discreet ads at the end of ebooks, akin to paperbacks. But the economics are predominantly against ad-supported ebooks.