If you are writing only because you are passionate about it write, you don’t have to think about marketing. If you’re self-publishing and you want your work to be read by as wide of the people you want to reach as many You will need learn a new skill: how to promote your book. It is helpful to know your objectives at the start as the art of book marketing requires time and planning.
Marketing for authors essentially involves engaging and drawing your readers by sharing details about yourself or your novel. It’s as easy as sharing your story. However, it requires effort. This article will discuss 11 suggestions for book promotion to increase the visibility of your book among your intended audience and assist you in selling more books. Some of these ideas, such as incorporating metadata, are a part of the process of publishing a book and require no additional effort. Other ways of marketing offered here may seem redundant however, remember your objectives and apply the same discipline when creating the book’s marketing plan that you do with your writing.
1. Create you own personal blog web site
Potential readers can discover you before you write your book. Your website should be updated with new content that will appear in your targeted audience’s organic results for searches. For instance, if your book is focused on the management of emotional well-being, be sure to review the most recent scientific advances in this field and include them in conjunction with the insights from your own book. If your work is of fiction, then you could look at the most popular novels or famous characters from the genre.
As you get closer to the date of publication You can generate excitement around your book by holding book giveaways and contests. Create content of high-quality that entices your audience to sign up to receive updates. If your website has one year’s time between the publication date of your book that gives the time to create an impressive mailing list as well as increase your website’s rank.
2. Expand your online presence to help spread the word about your book
There are many ways to enhance your presence on the internet. For instance, you could publish your content on websites that draw a large amount of visitors, or post articles to forums where you can discuss the subject matter of the book you wrote, or even request web sites and blogs well-known with your readers to include your work as a guest or interview blog.
When you write your bio, make sure to include an address for your website as well as the books you’ve written or are currently writing.
3. Make use of social media
Set up an author profile on Facebook and a Twitter account. Twitter. Check out what types of posts and promotional content receive the most shares, likes and retweets. You can then use the information to grow your social media followers and make them more engaging.
4. Take a look at the most popular books of your genreWhat makes them popular?
Reviewing their covers, titles and typography will tell you what is effective within your particular genre. Select the ones you enjoy the most, or not really like Consider your reasoning behind each choice.
There are other advantages to reading the top books. When you read their reviews, you’ll discover terms and phrases that are connected to and define your intended readers. By including these words in the descriptions of your metadata of your book, you can assist in getting your book noticed by the readers you intend to target through their search terms.
When you’re going through this procedure be sure to keep an eye out for reviews that are balanced and informative You can add reviewers to your shortlist , and contact them to discuss an interview after your book is completed.
5. Review your book and get reviews
One of the fastest methods to gain reviews for your novel is to contact reviewers from previous titles with a complimentary copy of your book and an obliging request.
If you’re a first-time author, you can search the top reviewers on Amazon and select the top ones who have reviewed books in your subject.
Although Amazon doesn’t allow reviews on books pre-ordered by customers however, if you’ve published the paperback version of your ebook and linked the paperback to an non-released ebook, the reviews that are posted on the paperback will be transferred onto your book. In this way the book is available with social proof from the moment it goes live.
You can also market your book’s release date to the Goodread’s community of more than 65 million users through the use of a featured prize. Goodreads permits reviews to be uploaded for books that are in pre-release. Be aware that, although Amazon is the owner of Goodreads reviews, they can only be posted on one platform are not transferable to another.
A good rule of thumb you should contact at least four times as many reviewers as the amount of reviews that you’re hoping for. Make sure to follow up with at minimum once, and preferably at least a week or two following the first email.
It is also recommended to seek out prominent book blogs, well-known authors from your field, as well as newspapers to get editorial reviews.
6. Write a compelling book blurb
A book blurb is a brief piece of advertising that is between 100 and 150 words. It is found on the back of printed books, as well as on the sales pages of online stores.
To create a captivating blurb, start with an engaging opening line that stimulates the reader’s interest and keeps them wanting to read more. Follow that up with a hint about your plot and characters (for fiction) or the core concept (for nonfiction), using compelling words such as amazing, incredible, mysterious, powerful, life-altering–depending on your book’s genre. The final chapter should captivate the reader. In the case of fiction, you can provide a turning moment in the story. for nonfiction, you can explain who should read the book and the reason for it.
When your work has garnered editorial reviews, you can add them to your blurb.
7. Invest in professional design services for your cover
Do you think anyone would take the time to look at an uninteresting book with a cover that’s too busy, is cluttered with an unsettling color scheme and typeface or appears poor-looking and unprofessional? A properly designed cover is essential for a book’s visibility and can be done by employing an professional cover design service for books.
8. Maximize your distribution channels
Amazon is the largest retailer of printed and digital books. It also owns two self-publishing service providers–Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) for ebooks, and CreateSpace for printed books. If you add Amazon’s KDP as well as Apple’s iBooks and Barnes & Noble’s Nook along with Kobo as part of your publishing strategy that you have covered the channels responsible to 97% of the ebook sales. Smaller retailers make up the smallest percentage of sales, however they are able to boost visibility.
If you don’t want to manage individual businesses, you can create your book using an ebook aggregator, like *Smashwords or Draft2Digital. These aggregators distribute ebooks to multiple retailers and format books according to the specifications of each. They also offer access to channels authors are not able to directly access for publication, like Scribd which is a digital library that offers a subscription service which is used by over 80 million people around the world.
9. Make the maximum use of Amazon’s book promotion tools and tools
Amazon offers an extensive array of tools for promotion and programs you can utilize to the fullest extent.
KDP Select: In order to be accepted in the program you need to offer Amazon exclusive distribution rights for your book for a 90-day period. Discounting has been proven to be extremely efficient in increasing sales and visibility, and during any five days of this time, you may offer your book at no cost or create the option of a countdown offer. Additionally the book sales that are generated by this program will net Amazon’s highest royalty rate of 70 percent.
KDP Select would also enter your book in the Kindle Unlimited A subscription service that lets subscribers discover and read books and pay authors based on the amount of pages that are read.
In the event that KDP Select works well for your needs, you may enroll at as many times you’d like.
Amazon Author Central: By making your Amazon Author Central account you will be able to create the option of having your own profile on Amazon which includes your bio pictures video, news, and the information of every book you’ve ever published. The page is also linked on the pages of sales for each book you’re offering on Amazon. You can alter the design of your website and include the link on social media platforms as well as within your signature email, to drive additional traffic to it.
The Expanded Distribution program provides authors the chance to make their books available for purchase at many online retailers and physical libraries, bookstores as well as academic institutions within the United States. When you join the program your book will appear in the catalogues of distributors and will be available for purchase by retailers and libraries that are linked to distributors order systems.
10. Book discounting websites like Bookbub or Book Gorilla
Bookbub or Book Gorilla are book recommendation services that send their subscribers each day an email, which recommends books from various genres or authors they have expressed an passion for. To be considered for a recommendation it is necessary to offer your book at no cost or at a minimum price 50 percent for a specified time.
While some sites provide free book promotions however, the majority of good ones require a fee that is based on the type and price that the novel. For Bookbub’s most popular genre of crime fiction the cost for listing is around $400 for books that are provided for free or for a fee of around $2000 for books that are offered at a price between $2 and $3.
The growing popularity of Bookbub among authors, as seen by messages boards and online reviews shows that book promotion does boost sales beyond levels prior to promotion regardless of when the promotion has ended. The advantages are not limited to the book that is being promoted , but also to others written by the writer. Authors have also noted that promotions are followed by an increase in reviews of books.
11. Participate in with Goodreads Author Program
Goodreads its network of over 65 million users makes it an excellent platform for promotion. Create an account page for yourself to promote your book and yourself read reviews, plan book giveaways, organize discussions about your book, add your books to relevant lists of Listopia which means they can be read and voted upon by the people you want to reach and much more!
Summary
Planning for book marketing is of no importance for authors who go through the traditionally-run book editor. The publisher is in charge of distribution and book marketing as well as arranging reviews of the book, book launches or signings, an appearance in a book fair prominent articles in newspapers as well as a spot in the bookstore. Self-publishing authors on the other hand, must find these solutions on their own, obtaining ideas and advice from any and all sources.
This article is not intended to give a complete listing of marketing strategies for books. Its purpose is to make clear that the essence of marketing is the process of promoting your book and making it accessible across as many platforms as you can. When you begin to learn the book marketing strategies provided here, you’ll discover a variety of methods to promote your book to the most potential readers. One thing can lead to another. The most important thing is to start. Have fun marketing!
*Smashwords does not sell to Amazon.