“During the first half of 2024, book sales on TikTok reached VND600 billion. In comparison, the total revenue for the entire publishing industry in 2023 was nearly VND4 trillion. This highlights significant new opportunities for the publishing sector arising from the ongoing digital transformation,” stated Mr. Nguyen Nguyen, Director of the Authority of Publishing, Printing, and Distribution under the Ministry of Information and Communications, at a recent seminar on digital transformation in publishing held in Ho Chi Minh City.
Growth drivers
As of now, the country has 24 publishing houses, up 26.3 percent compared to 2022. Many of these units are licensed to publish and distribute electronic books, with several based in HCMC.
Not only has the number of publishers increased, but revenue from electronic publications has also shown promising trends. According to data from the Authority of Publishing, Printing, and Distribution, the entire publishing industry produced 4,000 electronic publications in 2023, marking a 19.4 percent increase from 2022.
Additionally, the audiobook segment has also seen strong revenue growth. Reports from various companies indicate that total audiobook turnover in 2022 and 2023 reached approximately VND116.1 billion.
In addition, the rise of e-commerce platforms such as Shopee, Lazada, Tiki, and Sendo has opened up numerous opportunities for the domestic publishing industry. Recently, the trend of livestreaming book sales with the participation of various KOLs (key opinion leaders) has gained significant traction on platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and Shopee.
A report on the book sector within TikTok Shop reveals that revenue from book sales in 2023 exceeded VND500 billion, with stable quarterly growth of 15 percent. One livestream session on TikTok recorded the highest income for 2023, reaching nearly VND300 million and selling over 2,000 books within three hours.
In the first six months of 2024, online retail revenue through e-commerce platforms at HCMC Book Street accounted for 21 percent of the total sales of VND28.87 billion. At the HCMC General Publishing House, Ms. Ong Thi Ngoc Linh, Deputy Director cum Deputy Editor-in-Chief, noted that initial sales on e-commerce platforms were meager. Still, they have since improved, now making up 26 percent of the unit's total revenue for the first half of 2024. "We are planning to enhance our distribution on e-commerce platforms to achieve a breakthrough in revenue growth," Ms. Ong Thi Ngoc Linh stated.
HCMC General Publishing House was an early participant in the field of electronic publishing, starting in 2012. Reflecting on the unit’s experience, Ms. Ong Thi Ngoc Linh noted, “Digital transformation has opened up new opportunities for the publishing industry to expand its market. By offering e-books audiobooks, and building online reading platforms, we’re not only broadening our reach but also eliminating geographical barriers. Today, publishing isn’t just for readers in Vietnam or HCMC, but for audiences worldwide through various platforms.”
Digital transformation: More than technology
Besides widespread copyright violations online, Dr. Quach Thu Nguyet, former Director of Youth Publishing House, highlighted another key challenge for the publishing industry: human resources. According to Dr. Nguyet, training to meet the demands of digital transformation has been slow, leading to a shortage of skilled staff, from managers to editors.
“We have training programs to enhance skills, but in reality, they’re still quite superficial. Current training programs focus on traditional publishing methods, with little emphasis on equipping staff to handle new technologies. This is a significant challenge that must be addressed if we want to thrive in the digital era,” Dr. Quach Thu Nguyet emphasized.
Mr. Nguyen Nguyen, Director of the Authority of Publishing, Printing, and Distribution, highlighted that digital transformation is not just about technology; awareness and human resources are equally critical.
Nguyen explained that awareness plays a decisive role in the success of digital transformation. It’s not only about understanding the necessity of digital transformation but also about how to implement it effectively to achieve optimal results.
"Currently, we don’t have enough well-trained editors to meet the needs of digital transformation, which is why we urgently need tech engineers. Editors should be those with true expertise, focusing on tasks that AI like ChatGPT cannot handle—such as creativity and ideation. Digital transformation extends beyond technology; it also includes financial managers and other key personnel. Only with this holistic approach can we ensure a synchronous transformation process," Nguyen said.
Ms. Ong Thi Ngoc Linh, Deputy Director cum Deputy Editor-in-Chief of HCMC General Publishing House, emphasized that driving digital transformation in the publishing industry requires close collaboration between publishers, technology service providers, and educational institutions. Developing a digital ecosystem necessitates the integration of various resources, expertise, and experience.
By working together, these entities can create advanced e-book platforms, expand the range of digital products, and foster a dynamic and sustainable digital reading community.
Information security: Key to digital transformation
Mr. Le Hoang Thach, Director of WeWe Technology Company Limited, which produces Voiz FM audiobooks, warned, “New sectors bring new challenges. Recently, we and many businesses have encountered increasingly complex online scams.”
A common scam involves fake alerts from platforms like YouTube or Facebook, tricking users into clicking malicious links that can compromise information systems. Additionally, there has been a growing trend of scammers—often from abroad—posing as authors or content partners to promote cryptocurrency fraud and online gambling.
"In the digital age, if a business cannot ensure information security, it cannot survive, let alone thrive. That’s why information security must be considered a critical element of any digital transformation process," he asserted.
