5 Takeaways from IBPA Publishing University 2026

Earlier this month, I attended the Independent Book Publishers Association's (IBPA) Publishing University conference in Portland, Oregon. It was my third time attending this conference. As in previous years, I left energized, inspired, and with more ideas than I could implement at once.

I find the sessions to be practical, the presenters to be generous, and the attendees to be pleasantly varied in terms of range of experience, publisher size, and backgrounds.

I filled 17 pages with notes. While I couldn't make it to every breakout session (there are simply too many happening simultaneously), I noticed that my notes mostly pointed back to five major themes. These are the ideas I came home thinking about and the ones I believe author-publishers and small presses should pay attention to.

Before diving in, I'd like to thank the presenters whose sessions contributed to these takeaways: Sarah Bean, Katie Parr, María Jesus Aguílo, Joe Biel, Keith Mosman, Kurtis Lowe, Michelle Halket, Ambika Sambasivan, and Suhani Parikh.

If you're an author-publisher or run a small press, I hope you find these insights valuable.

1. AI Discoverability and Authority Building is Increasingly Important

One of the most discussed topics at the conference was book discoverability in a time of rapid AI change. Increasingly, readers aren't finding books through search engines. They're asking AI tools for recommendations and resources.

The publishers who will benefit most are the ones creating enough smart public-facing content for AI systems to find and reference.

Some ideas repeatedly surfaced and are very actionable (and some of these are already search engine optimization best practices):

• Create a dedicated page for every book

• Build FAQ pages around common reader questions

• Publish blog posts, webinars, podcasts, and downloadable resources

Throughout the content you create, if you can become known for solving a specific problem or serving a specific audience, it’s more likely AI platforms will view you/your book as an authority on that topic and surface your content more frequently. Also, very importantly, get familiar with and try to be active on the platforms AI tools cite as sources regularly (Reddit and YouTube, among others).

2. To Get Stocked, Your Book Must Communicate Its Value Immediately

We discussed how book retailers make buying decisions. Booksellers are reviewing hundreds or thousands of titles each season. Often they are only seeing new titles in Edelweiss or what their sales rep from the distributor or publisher briefly presents to them.

That means several elements need to work immediately and cohesively:

• The cover

• The title

• The subtitle

• The metadata

• The pricing

• The positioning

One comment that stuck with me was that a book’s positioning needs to highlight how it is both differentiated and commercially viable. At the same time, it is often better to position a book for a specific audience than to try to position it for everybody. These ideas may sound like they are in conflict, but there is a sweet spot where they can coexist. To help acheive this sweet spot, publishers should strive to be able to quickly answer:

Who is this for? Why would someone buy it?

And all of the bullets above should work together to support the same answers.

Several presenters also stressed the importance of making purchasing decisions easy by offering competitive pricing and discounts, ensuring the books are returnable, and considering free shipping. Lastly, relationships with stores remain critical. Do you shop there? Do you offer to do events with them? Do you show up to their other events?

3. There are Several Overlooked Sales Channels

One of the most valuable reminders from the conference was that bookstores, online retailers, and libraries are only a few of several sales channels.

Many successful publishers are finding growth through:

• Museums

• Nature centers

• Gift shops

• Conferences

• Nonprofits

• Specialty retailers

The common thread: Go where your audience already gathers and where the products, missions, or topics align naturally with your book. For children's books, that might mean zoos, science centers, or family attractions. For niche nonfiction, it might mean industry conferences or professional associations. These partnerships often result in bulk orders with non-returnable terms and repeatable business opportunities.

4. Licensing Rights Can Unlock New Revenue Streams

Many independent publishers focus almost exclusively on print sales. The conference was a good reminder that every book potentially contains multiple products.

Beyond US English print editions, opportunities may include:

• Foreign & translation rights

• Audio rights

• Educational licensing

• Dramatic rights

While not every title will be a fit for every opportunity, rights sales can create additional revenue streams and expand a book's reach into entirely new markets. Rights opportunities are easier to pursue when you've prepared for them in advance with strong metadata, professional marketing materials, and a clear understanding of your audience.

Larger publishers may have in-house rights teams collaborating with other publishers around the globe to work on rights deals. Small publishers or author-publishers may use agents who represent their books in the marketplace and seek out parties interested in acquiring rights.

5. Winning Books Combine Differentiation with Demand Generated Early

An overarching theme and one all of us are always striving to figure out is how to make a book successful. Each discussion about this reinforced that a book's success rarely ties back to a single tactic or factor. Successful books are usually the result of multiple elements working together, and those efforts often begin six to eight months or more before publication.

• Strong covers

• Clear positioning

• Compelling metadata

• Advance reviews

• Email lists

• Publicity

• Preorders

• Retail relationships

No single tactic guarantees success. Instead, successful publishers build systems that can be repeated from book to book. This is encouraging because systems are something we can control. While we can't control every review, retailer decision, or algorithm change, we can control how we build visibility and communicate value.