Issues / Problem Statement
Most people today rarely read, especially in English. Typically, those who want to learn the language prefer courses or watching original movies. Because of this, they miss the opportunity to visually memorize word spellings or see the linguistic structures characteristic of literary speech.
Media Goal
To help Russian-speaking readers learning English immerse themselves in «spooky/intriguing» books in the original language without constant interruption for dictionary lookups—by providing ready-made vocabulary guides for each book.
Future Media Topics
Segment: Language assistant
Niche topic: A channel with links to printed books of specific genres, and an individual lexical dictionary
A Telegram channel that curates collections of captivating books, highlighting key vocabulary characteristic of each title.
Key Features:— A specialized selection of books with captivating storylines, which minimizes the likelihood that a reader will abandon the book.
— Dedicated vocabulary lists tailored to specific titles, addressing the common challenge of contextual translation.
— Links to purchase the book on popular marketplaces eliminate the difficulty of finding a complete, unadapted version of the original work at an optimal price.
— A link to purchase the print book motivates users to continue reading because they will have a physical object rather than just an electronic version.
Competitors
Direct Competitors
- Telegram channel «Books in English | Audiobooks.» This channel publishes posts about books across various genres, tailored to different moods. It features small book selections and links to free downloadable PDF files.Cons: Excessive advertising, few actual book posts, some selections lack descriptions, there are no links to purchase physical copies—only the PDF version is provided, and there is no vocabulary guide for individual books.2. VK community «Books in English★Books in English★Non-fiction» publishes book selections across different genres and provides links to download PDFs. Instead of descriptions, it offers convenient genre hashtags.Cons: No book descriptions, no genre specificity, primarily contemporary and light reading, no links are provided to purchase physical books, and there is no vocabulary guide for individual books.3. «Bookflix» is a platform that offers a program for monthly English book reading. Reading takes place within a book club format; the application provides a dictionary of key words and phrases for each work, breaking each section down by chapter.Cons: Membership fee is required to join the club; the platform does not provide access to the books—they must be purchased separately; there is no genre specificity, and the reading pace is fixed (one month).
Indirect Competitors
There are many Telegram channels with English books, but they are mostly created for native English speakers, so they do not include explanations for those who do not speak the language.
Distribution Channel
The primary distribution platform is Telegram. Although access to Telegram in Russia is restricted, most people do not switch to other messengers and actively use this application.The reason this distribution channel was chosen is that, for example, few people will regularly visit a Zen channel to read posts about new books, whereas Telegram is not only a platform for channels but also a messenger that people scroll through several times a day. Almost everyone, especially those in the target audience for this channel, has this application. Therefore, the user is more likely to see new publications, even if they don’t immediately order a book.
To attract a new audience, you can use Instagram Reels and Yandex Zen.
There is a huge community of book lovers on Instagram. Book clubs and shops often post Reels featuring curated selections of books based on specific criteria, or even create «iceberg» posts showcasing the most provocative titles. The idea is to create short videos briefly describing the premise of a book, but directing viewers to a link in the channel to find out the title.
Dzen, even though few people use it consistently, can attract an audience that searches for English books via the browser. Yandex Dzen is displayed as one of the first results among other links. On Dzen, you can periodically publish compilations such as «Gripping Books in English» or «Top Channels for Improving English,» while including a link to your main Telegram channel.
Target Audience
Elena, 52, Accountant, Moscow.
Elena loves spending her evenings with a cup of tea, reading detective novels. Elena wants to keep up with the times and spice up the routine of her job—a job that doesn’t require special skills—by practicing English. She wants intellectual growth because she feels she isn’t learning anything new or changing her line of work during her job. She can’t put down detective novels, but she runs into some difficulties learning the language, often abandoning a book halfway, especially when she constantly has to look up words in a dictionary. She wishes she had a dedicated vocabulary guide specifically for her book so she wouldn’t waste time on contextual translation or typing words into an online translator.
Job To Be Done: «When I read a detective novel in the evening, I want to enjoy the plot, not be distracted by translating every word, so I can feel progress in my English and not abandon the book midway.»
Kirill, 21, student, Ekaterinburg.
He doesn’t enjoy reading in general, but he loves horror movies or thrillers. He believes that young people in the modern world should know English for communication, internet research, and programming. Kirill wants to learn English because his peers speak it, and sometimes he feels like he doesn’t fit in with their social circles, not understanding certain phrases or English memes. That’s why it’s important for him to find books that match his interests while improving his language skills.
Jobs To Be Done: «When I want to improve my language level but am too lazy to open textbooks, I’m looking for a book that will grip me like a horror movie so I can learn real-world language through something I’m genuinely interested in.»
Anna, 34, Marketing Specialist, Almaty.
She works in marketing and reads a lot of professional literature, but while on vacation, she wants to «switch off her brain.» She loves psychological thrillers and provocative plots. Her English is at an Upper-Intermediate level, but she is shy about speaking. Furthermore, she lacks conversational language and slang because she primarily studies professionally written documentation. Anna wants to read the same books that are discussed in international podcasts so that she can feel connected to global culture and keep her language skills active.
Job To Be Done: «When I have an hour to myself after work, I want to dive into a fast-paced book in English without feeling guilty about my „imperfect“ language, so that I can enjoy myself while subtly maintaining my skill level.»
Unique Selling Proposition
The channel will help you fall in love with English and not give up practice halfway through, thanks not only to compelling content but also to the vocabulary accompanying every book.