Our new Kete Books site is set to launch at the end of June (watch this space). The new build site will make it even easier for readers to find books by authors from Aotearoa and to learn more about New Zealand books in ebook and audiobook formats. It will also give Coalition for Books members easier access to the site with greater opportunities for promoting your books, authors and activities.

The site is moving from Squarespace to a structured content management system which will help to future proof Kete and ensure any future site upgrades are able to be made seamlessly.

The new Kete has been made possible thanks to funding from the Manatū Taonga | Ministry of Culture and Heritage. The build has been governed by a subcommittee representing the sector, including representatives for booksellers, publishers and authors.

What’s new?

• A fresh, news style site in flax green

• New books carousel on the Home Page with information automated to load direct from Nielsen (books which have been loaded by authors/publishers in Nielsen will automatically update)*

• Links to buy physical books from BookHub and PaperPlus (and Mighty Ape as on the current Kete site)

• Ebook and audiobook format information and ways to purchase

• Reviews connected to the book’s listing on Kete (listing information direct from Nielsen)

• Author biographies (where available)

• Reading lists page

• Book categories page

• Audiobook reviews

• Improved SEO

• More from this author | More titles you might like feature at the end of each article

• Multiple Home Page advertising spaces

*Note Nielsen Title Editor is free to access and Kete will encourage self-published and indie authors to load their books there for placement on the new books carousel.

What continues?

• New, weekly review, interview and extract content for NZ books across all genres

• Fortnightly Kete Books newsletter

• New books listings
  Events calendar

• Listen section with RNZ audio content 

Reaching Aotearoa’s readers

We’ll be promoting the new Kete to readers through a targeted awareness campaign, heightened SEO, and a campaign to grow Kete newsletter subscribers. We also have some exciting content planned for launch to engage readers in the ebook and audiobook formats showcased on the site, as well as books from Aotearoa more broadly.

In May a pre-launch initiative to grow newsletter subscribers began with our win a kete of books giveaway, launched with postcards through the bookshops at Auckland Writers Festival.

This campaign continues online and through the version of the Winter Reading catalogue that lands with New Zealand Listener subscribers on 17 June. The prize will be drawn on 1 July. Thank you to all these publishers who have helped by providing books for this prize pack.
Take a look at our reel on Instagram and visit the promo page here.

We’d love your help reaching your existing audiences too and will provide shareable assets to help you connect your audiences to Kete too.

What happens to book reviews that feature on the current site?

We’re migrating all reviews from the current Kete to the new site and this process will continue post launch. Because the new site is structured differently to the old site the urls will be different but it should be easy to find them using the site search function. You can also drop us a line if there is something you’re particularly looking for. 

Nielsen input and new books page

Up-to-date input into Nielsen will be critical for both book records on Kete as this information will be automated from Nielsen.

What is the book categories page and why are thema codes important?

Kete’s book categories page will be a place for readers to browse and find new reading ideas in their favourite categories. The category a book appears in is directed by the thema code a publisher gives the book when they enter it in Nielsen.

Get in touch with Kete

To book ads, list a book launch, festival or other book event contact Kirsteen via kirsteen.coalitionforbooks@gmail.com

For reviews and editorial enquiries contact Erica via reviews@coalitionforbooks@gmail.com

Read more about our new Kete team