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Whatever we put our attention on will grow stronger in our life.

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

I first opened my Goodreads account in 2013. Actually, I think this is my second account. I think I lost the password and username for the first account. I opened the first account when I was working on my MA in English Literature, and I find myself returning as I start my MFA.

What is it about Goodreads that draws people in? Is it still a relevant social media site? Should I bother updating my shelves and reviews? These were all questions that bubbled to the surface of my brain as I updated my picture and profile. I decided to do a little Google research to see if I could find some superficial answers to my questions.

First, what draws people to Goodreads? The obvious answer is that we like books. But why? I found Pew Research that provided some basic stats:

• 26% of those who had read a book in the past 12 months said that what they enjoyed most was learning, gaining knowledge, and discovering information.
• 15% cited the pleasures of escaping reality, becoming immersed in another world, and the enjoyment they got from using their imaginations.
• 12% said they liked the entertainment value of reading, the drama of good stories, the suspense of watching a good plot unfold.
• 12% said they enjoyed relaxing while reading and having quiet time.

and my favorite:

 One respondent noted: “I am an English teacher, so I read to save my sanity from grading essays.”

Pew Research Center

Of course, these statistics only tell us why we read, not why readers flock to Goodreads. I suspect it’s for the same reason that we book blog, bookstagram, and post booktoks. For dedicated book lovers, books are more than a form of enlightenment or entertainment, it’s part of our identity. There is a belief that you can know who someone is through the books that are on their shelves. Goodreads gives us a place to define ourselves, to curate an identity, and share that ideal self with others.

My next question was whether or not it was still a relevant social media website. For the answer to this question, I went to a book source I wholeheartedly trust: Book Riot. In 2019, Steph Coelho wrote a piece entitled “The Current State and Future of Goodreads.” The author does a great job of pointing out the pros and cons of the rather outdated, yet still popular website. According to a 2017 article, Goodreads had 45 million active visitors a month. The article even uses Quantcast data to break down the demographics of who those users are. But, things change quickly in the digital world. Are these statistics still valid. Well if DMR is to be believed, it looks like the stats were on an upward trend.

According to DMR, Goodreads had 50 million active members each month in 2018. The report also notes that Goodreads had 2.3 million books listed and 80 million reviews posted. Of course, even the author of the report, Craig Smith, admits that his statistics are compiled from both the news and Goodreads own reports, so he does not advise making any investment decisions based on his data. Does that include investment of time? Many writers are encouraged to engage with the book community through Goodreads. Goodreads does have an author program to encourage author participation on the site, and even heavy hitters like Stephen King and James Patterson do participate.

The final question was a personal one that I really couldn’t research: should I bother updating my shelf? I think I will. As the Yogi quote at the top of the blog points out, what we pay attention to will grow. It’s time for me to refocus on my reading, not just books on pedagogy and classroom management, but books that fulfill my longing for immersion in other worlds, satiate my curiosity, help me build my ideal self.

References

• Coelho, S. (2019, November 7). The current state and future of goodreads. BOOK RIOT. https://bookriot.com/future-of-goodreads/.
• Pew Research Center. (2020, May 30). Why people like to read. Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2012/04/05/why-people-like-to-read/
• Slee, T. J. (2017, January 13). T.J. Slee’s blog – who is the average goodreads user? You’ll be surprised! – January 13, 2017 04:27. Goodreads. https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/14538341-who-is-the-average-goodreads-user-you-ll-be-surprised.
• Smith, B. C., Smith, C., About Craig SmithDMR Publisher. Director of Marketing by day and I run this little site at night. Other interests include Disney, & View all posts by Craig Smith →. (2021, May 29). 10 interesting Goodreads facts and statistics. DMR. https://expandedramblings.com/index.php/goodreads-facts-and-statistics/.