Mobi book for Mxit

Mobinomics, a book by ALAN KNOTT-CRAIG and GUS SILBER about Mxit, is the first printed book to be distributed by the local social networking site.

Mobinomics, the book by Alan Knott-Craig and Gus Silber on Mxit and Africa’s mobile revolution, has been published to the social network. This is the first time a printed book, available in national book stores, has been distributed via Mxit.

“The book is about Mxit,” says Alan Knott-Craig, CEO of Mxit. “It would be completely insane not to make it easily accessible to our users. It’s more their story than it is ours.”

The publishing of Mobinomics on the social media network is part of a bigger strategy to increase access to books by creating pricing and distribution models that make sense to the broader South African population and eventually the entire African continent.

Digital publishing, in all its forms, is challenging traditional publishing and distribution models. “In the case of Mxit, the opportunity is to reach new people who don’t traditionally buy printed books,” says Louise Grantham, CEO and Publisher at Bookstorm. 

“The local market has seen slow growth of digital format books as the market is geared towards those who can afford Kindles and iPads. Mxit has the potential to help us leapfrog our digital sales via a completely African platform and meet the needs of large numbers of African consumers,” says Grantham.

Mxit has been bringing books to its 10 million active users since 2009 when it published its first mBook, ‘Emily and the battle of the veil.’ The true power of publishing on the social network is being explored by FunDza Literacy Trust. It joined Mxit in 2011 and has grown its subscriber base to over 35 000 readers who read the serialised stories on the platform.

Mobinomics twelve chapters will be sold individually. The first chapter is free and each subsequent chapter will cost between 50 Moola (50 cents) and 295 Moola (R2.95). The book will cost a total of R18.95, less than a tenth of the cost of the printed book.

To read Mobinomics please go onto Mxit> Tradepost> Mxit Reach> Mobi books> FunDza

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