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Wiley’s Strategic Growth in Trade Publishing Shows Promising Results

In early December, Wiley released its financial results for the second quarter, revealing encouraging signs from its strategic reinvestment in core sectors, particularly professional and trade book publishing. The company’s Learning sector saw sales increase by 8% for the quarter ending October 31, with an impressive 11% revenue surge in the professional division, attributed primarily to enhanced sell-through at retail outlets.

Eileen Dolan, the Senior Vice President for learning at Wiley, who oversees the professional and trade division, shared insights with PW about the company’s comprehensive planning efforts to streamline its trade business, initiated about a year ago. This involved hiring additional editorial staff and exploring efficient publishing methods to enhance the author experience. Dolan reported that these initiatives led to a 11% increase in new trade book releases over the past six months, alongside a 30% acceleration in acquiring new titles.

Dolan highlighted the accelerated pace of acquisitions, attributing it to various strategic decisions, including branching into emerging sectors like personal development and wellness, while also increasing new acquisitions in traditional areas of strength for Wiley—such as business, finance, and technology—by around 20%. “We aim to cater to professionals in diverse areas of their lives,” Dolan explained. The company is also investing in expanding the presence of well-regarded authors recognized for their expertise. Recent successful titles include Experiencing the American Dream by Mark Matson, Arise by Elena Aguilar, and The AI Edge by Jeb Blount.

A cornerstone of Wiley’s trade portfolio has been the Dummies series, now under the direct management of Shannon Vargo, which has been part of the company since 2001. With over 3,000 active titles, Wiley produces 250 new Dummies books annually, with a 4% sales increase reported in the past six months. “It’s a trusted and accessible brand,” Dolan remarked, attributing the brand’s sustained popularity to its reliability. This August, Wiley announced a collaboration with Marvel to introduce a new series of Dummies books featuring beloved characters from the Marvel Comics universe. The first two installments, Marvel Comics For Dummies and Captain America For Dummies, are scheduled for release in February.

In a notable move, Wiley published Generative AI for Dummies in October, created with assistance from AI technology. This title is part of Wiley’s expanding catalog that addresses artificial intelligence across various domains. “AI will permeate our offerings across all categories,” Dolan stated, noting the publisher’s commitment to releasing AI-focused titles in technology, business, finance, and education.

Wiley’s successful sales are buoyed not only by traditional retail channels but also through growing digital distribution, particularly in the audio format. “Our goal is to connect with customers in their preferred formats and at their locations,” Dolan emphasized, acknowledging the robust performance of print alongside the popularity of e-books in specific sectors.

With annual revenues exceeding $1.6 billion, Wiley stands out as one of the few remaining U.S. publishers with extensive academic, research, and trade operations. Dolan appreciates this diverse portfolio as integral to the company’s mission of “unlocking human potential.” Despite the notable changes in Wiley’s business model over the years, and its unique focus away from fiction, the publisher’s influence in the trade space is significant, ranking among the top 15 publishers per Circana BookScan data. Dolan affirms Wiley’s philosophy of aiming to be “the leading or second top publisher in the categories we serve.”

While Dolan does not anticipate Wiley consistently releasing blockbuster bestsellers—it had five titles appear on various PW bestseller lists in 2024—she describes the company’s strategy in trade publishing as thoughtfully measured. “What’s great about trade publishing is that when you succeed, your reach extends well beyond three months post-release,” she noted. “I believe we are positioned exceptionally well for ongoing growth. With focused investment, trade publishing remains a vibrant arena.”

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