What is the Keystone Survey?
Keystone mutualism describes a relationship in nature where two species have a mutually beneficial relationship that is the basis of the entire ecosystem.
The entire publishing industry depends on the reader-writer relationship. A symbiotic connection where the creator and consumer are the basis of all economic benefits.
How can creators learn more about the consumers of their content?
You can (and should) conduct surveys of your community, but how do you put that data into context for the broader market?
How are your readers alike and different from others?
Few general reader surveys provide data to authors, those that do have an inherent bias. They may skew to discount shoppers because discount promotion companies run them or are biased to a particular sales platform.
How does an author get good information about readers?
You can be part of the solution.
The Keystone Survey is a collaboration of authors to crowdsource data.
Here is how it works:
Twice a year, we’ll run a survey. The survey period goes over a two-week period to give you time to feature the survey in your newsletter, communities, and other communications you have with your readers.
Just like a newsletter swap you feature the link and logo along with an ask to your community to participate.
To participate, you need to sign up. There is no cost other than the time. Once you sign up, you’ll be given a link to the survey. This link is how we see that you’re sharing the survey.
Those who actively participate will then get access to the survey results and our commentary on the results. Our goal is to create the largest survey of readers. A way for us all to listen to our customers.
We will also help you so that you can add questions to your own survey that helps you to compare and contrast your community against our broad base survey results.
How does this look for your readers?
Your reader will be sent to the survey and asked questions regarding genre interests, buying behaviors, and how they learn about new content.
Your reader isn’t asked for an email until the end of the survey where they can provide it if they want to participate in our sweepstakes to win one of three gift cards. Each survey round, we will give away three $100 gift cards.
We only need the information if they wish to participate in the sweepstakes or get a notice of future surveys.
No authors will get access to the reader list, nor will this list be used to sell or market to the readers. The sole purpose is to develop a diverse survey pool and help authors understand the marketplace and changes in that market.
Simply put, we are creating a tool to understand your symbiotic relationship with your readership.
Samples of the survey and further information will be supplied if you participate.
If you’re interested sign-up below.