Books2ReadDraft2Digital has released a hands-off mailing list subscription service as an add-on to their distribution service called Books2Read. From their blog:

Starting now, you’ll see a new option on the Layout page whenever you edit a book at Draft2Digital. Not only will we provide you with easy, one-click store-specific Also By pages, teasers, and About the Author pages, but we will also embed a New Release Notifications sign-up page in the back of your book if you ask for one.

Readers who click the link on that page will end up at a new landing page on our reader-facing service, Books2Read.com. They’ll have the option of choosing their favorite bookstore, and we’ll record their email address for future use.

What use? New release notifications, of course! Since this service is integrated directly with your Draft2Digital account, the next time you schedule a pre-order or release a new book, we will automatically send an announcement email to everyone who opted in to your list. Not only that, but we will send store-specific announcements to everyone who told us their preference, and we’ll make sure we send the notice as soon as the book is live on that particular store (and not a moment sooner)!

Some additional info from their email announcement:

Starting immediately, you can simply check a box and we’ll drop a page into the back of your book that directs readers to a signup. After that, whenever you release a book, our new wholly-owned affiliate Books2Read will send out an email letting your loyal readers know they need to make a purchase.

As they make clear on the blog, it’s up to the author to set up the landing page the book links to with the sign-up form, plus end matter info – including incentives (free stories and the like). Of course, the effectiveness of this mailing list service relies on book sales and the author’s own marketing. That said, the Books2Read site is an interesting development, in which Draft2Digital is attempting to create a BookBub-style marketing site to reach readers directly. Currently, it’s still showing a “Coming Soon” message.

All told, a neat new option and something that isn’t offered by Smashwords.

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