Boom: children's literature serving social resilience in Iran

In the midst of crises and the psychological pressures arising from war, providing a cultural refuge for children is a vital necessity. "Boom"—an online library platform for children and young adults—is among the projects that, in the heart of our country's imposed war with the Zionist regime, adopted a committed approach; and with the aim of strengthening children's psychological resilience, it made free access to its text, audio, and illustrated books available to the general public of users. A measure that was met with families' reception and showed that literature, even in the midst of the most intense anxieties, can gift calm to society.

In a conversation with Hamidreza Nekouei, co-founder of this enterprise, we have spoken of the process of designing "Boom," its cultural-economic model, its distinction from other platforms, and of course its active and responsible role-playing in the period of war and crisis.

Part one: Getting to know the product and the subscription model

How did the idea of a subscription model for books take shape? Why did you choose subscription instead of single-copy sales?

The idea of Boom's formation is rooted in a simple but deep concern: how can reading be made possible for all of Iran's children and young adults, without financial limitation? Our audiences are in their period of growth and their reading taste is constantly changing. In such circumstances, the subscription model was the best option for responding to these needs.

This model is in fact a kind of digital re-creation of the concept of the library. By paying a small cost, the user can, over the period of their subscription, have access to tens or hundreds of book titles; unlike a single-copy purchase, which has a higher cost and places more limited choices before the audience. This structure helps children discover their reading tastes and gives parents the assurance that their children, without financial concern, have access to high-quality cultural content. Our goal is the democratization of reading for the future generation.

What is Boom's competitive advantage relative to apps such as Fidibo and Taaghche?

What distinguishes Boom from other platforms is a complete focus on children and young adults. This is seen in all dimensions of the product: from the design of a simple and colorful user interface suited to different age groups, to the evaluation and classification of books' content before publication.

Boom is not merely a digital library; rather it is a cultural platform for connecting publishers, authors, translators, and families with one another. Alongside an extensive archive of books from reputable publishers, Boom also produces exclusive content; including the translation of books into local languages such as Gilaki, Kurdish, Balochi, and Turkish, the offering of illustrated books and sign language for deaf children, and also the production of audiobooks with visual description especially for blind children. These features have turned Boom into a platform distinct from other players in this field.

What factors have had the greatest effect in maintaining the satisfaction of your subscription users?

The quality and variety of the books' content is the principal factor in users' satisfaction. We continually update Boom's archive and try, by offering text, audio, and illustrated formats, to respond to audiences' diverse needs. Also, by listening to users' feedback, we improve their experience in a continuous way.

How is the process of selecting and prioritizing books' content carried out at Boom? Do you also use users' reading data on this path?

The process of selecting books is based on three principles: variety and quality of content, security and simplicity of the user experience, and creating motivation for active reading. Every month tens of new titles are added to Boom so that various tastes are covered. Boom's environment has been designed in such a way that parents entrust their children to it with peace of mind. And features such as reading badges and gamification encourage children to read more.

Does a book-recommendation system based on users' interests exist at Boom?

At present, features such as targeted search and subject filters suited to the user's interests are available. But in later phases of development, we have planned to create a personalized experience by analyzing reading data; in such a way that each user receives intelligent and appealing recommendations and builds their own library in line with their taste.

What is the conversion rate of guest users to subscription users? Have you taken a measure to increase it?

We have placed our focus on creating a simple and appealing user experience, offering free content, and running awareness campaigns. After becoming familiar with the variety and quality of Boom's content, users turn to a subscription far more readily.

What plans do you have for increasing loyalty and subscription renewal? Do you use tools such as gamification (gamification) or email marketing?

At Boom, a system for awarding badges or reading badges has been designed in which children can observe the extent of their progress. Also, the design team is developing advanced gamification tools that help increase users' engagement, raise the amount of reading, and strengthen their loyalty.

How has the experience of cooperating with publishers been? Have you faced a challenge in areas such as authors' rights or copyright?

Boom's cooperation model is built on the purchase of publication rights on an annual or multi-year basis; a model that is still considered relatively unfamiliar to many publishers in Iran. Some publishers still prefer to cooperate with traditional models or exclusive platforms. Even so, we have tried to show publishers how Boom can help expand their audiences, especially in remote areas where access to bookstores is limited. Also, the precise data that we place at publishers' disposal from users' reading behavior assists them in improving the quality of works and planning for the future.

What kinds of data do you collect from users' behavior? How is this information put to use in product development?

We collect and analyze information such as the number and duration of reading of each book, subjects of interest to users, and the extent of reception of various titles. These data both have a key role in our product development; and they help publishers have a clearer view of the performance of their works and of recognizing popular subjects and contents. We believe that a data-driven approach can have a considerable effect in elevating the children's publishing industry in the country.

How do you assess the future of reading in Iran? Is there a greater inclination toward audiobooks or toward text versions? Is Boom's model aligned with these trends?

We believe that both formats, that is text and audio, will preserve their place; especially in the children and young-adult age group, which has diverse needs and preferences. Boom's goal is, by offering a diverse collection of text, audio, and illustrated books, to give the right of choice to the user and always to keep pace with up-to-date technologies and new styles of reading.

Part two: Social measures during the days of the war with Israel

During the imposed war with the Zionist regime, what concern caused you to decide to offer free or social services?

From the beginning of the path, Boom's mission has been to place high-quality books without discrimination at the disposal of all children; regardless of where they live or what economic, physical, or cultural limitations they have. In conditions of war, in which children fall away from home, school, and educational environments or become anxious, we considered it our duty to place our services at families' disposal free of charge. Because we believed that even a few minutes of reading or listening to a story can give the child and their family calm and hope.

What kind of services did you place at users' disposal?

We activated a two-month free subscription to the app for all users so that they would have access to text, audio, and illustrated books without any limitation.

What feedback did this measure bring for the Boom brand? Was it well received?

Yes, a very good reception took place. Even on days when international internet was cut off, the Boom app was still accessible and active inside the country. This matter caused an increase in app installs and made more families familiar with Boom. Also, our message of social responsibility was seen more prominently.

Have you previously also had experience of cooperating with civic institutions or social campaigns?

Yes, we participated in the "Iran Hamdel" campaign and in general we have always tried to have connection and cooperation with charities, schools, libraries in rural areas, and civic institutions.

In your view, what is the role of cultural businesses in humanitarian crises such as war?
We believe that every business is part of society and in crises must use its expertise and resources to reduce people's difficulties and mental and psychological pressures. At Boom, we consider aiding and helping in such circumstances not a choice, but a social responsibility and a foundational value.

Did offering these social services create a motivation among your users to promote the Boom brand?

Our experience shows that in such situations, mostly large and well-known brands are seen and nascent businesses receive less attention. Even so, we believe in the long-term effect of these actions and remain committed to our social responsibility.

Are this kind of social measures part of Boom's plans, or are they carried out solely in reaction to particular circumstances?

Providing equal access to books has always been part of Boom's identity and goals. From the beginning of the path we have cooperated with charities, schools, and rural libraries and have covered many children free of charge or with the support of donors. This is not a merely reactive approach; rather it is part of our principal mission.

Closing questions

If only one book is to convey your brand's message, what book will it be and why?

"Good Stories for Good Children." Because we too want children's world to be full of good, diverse, and accessible stories; without their place of residence or their financial and physical circumstances becoming an obstacle to this experience.

If your app were a character, how would it introduce itself?

The character of our app is an owl named Boom; an owl that, when night arrives, raises a call so as to dispel the silence and fear of the night with a calm and pleasant story.

In one sentence say why people should choose your subscription instead of buying single copies?

With the cost of buying only one book, you can have a full year of access to a world of hundreds of text, audio, and illustrated books especially for children and young adults.