Easy Ways To Promote Books

12 Easy Ways to Promote Your Book

Learning how to promote your book as a first-time author is challenging. Numerous social media platforms exist, and it is hard to know which one is going to serve you best. Social media and audience outreach are essential to building momentum around your new book. When coupled with a few other select promotional methods, you are more likely to gain a high level of interest leading up to your publication.

Some methods of promotion are more complicated than others, though the complex methods are not always the most fruitful. Following these 12 easy ways to promote your book helps you garner attention for your new book without giving yourself a headache in the process. Once you understand these basic promotional methods, take time to establish yourself across each usable platform. This helps you reach a wider audience, which effectively helps increase sales over time. When you start with an existing audience, it is easier to build momentum leading up to the publication of your book.

Embrace Social Media

In 2019, social media is everyone’s best friend. Whether you choose to use Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or some combination of the three, this is one of the best ways to promote your book. Twitter is commonly regarded as the best platform for burgeoning writers. When you Tweet, you have the ability to reach a high number of people at one time. Be sure to include specific hashtags relevant to your book and try to reach out to people individually when spreading the word. The stronger your interactions with your audience, the more likely they are to purchase your book when it becomes available.

Utilize Goodreads

In addition to the standard social media platforms, Goodreads presents authors with an effective means of promoting their book to a new audience. Users with Goodreads accounts are avid readers, which helps you target your preferred demographic more easily. After establishing your account and building an audience on Goodreads, offer a giveaway of your new book. This helps put your book directly into the reader’s hands and it gives you the chance to gain positive reviews. Readers write reviews on Goodreads indicating whether they liked a book, so this presents you with the chance to get even more attention if the reviews are good.

Consider Running a Special Promotion

Consumers enjoy the thrill of receiving a special promotion and it is best to capitalize on this emotion when you are anticipating the imminent release of your new book. Offer the book at a discounted rate for the first 100 customers. Include a small gift relating to your book for the first 50 purchases. Special promotions build momentum and they help create a unique bond with your audience. This helps you achieve important sales goals and it provides you with a fun way to promote your book.

Join the Discussion

If you want people to get to know you and your work better, join a popular discussion board and give your audience a chance to ask you questions directly. Sites such as Reddit and Quora are preferable as they are the most commonly used. When creating a thread for discussion, introduce yourself and tell the audience about your upcoming book. Once you have established this key information, allow for those joining the discussion to ask you questions. This process is most effective when you let the audience take the reins in lieu of simply using the time to talk about yourself unprompted.

Design and Use Your Website Properly

One of the easiest ways to build your brand and promote your new book is to design an eye-catching website. If you are promoting your book on a limited budget, create a free website to help you through the initial stages of your career. Include information about yourself and a picture of yourself on the website so potential customers know who you are before your book is released. Use the marketing kit provided by your publishing company to adorn the website and spark attention in your new book. By placing pictures of your book on your website with links to where the book is purchasable, you are promoting your book and facilitating sales simultaneously.

Arrange a Book Signing

Meeting your readers in person is an effective way to build your relationship with your audience. Prior to the publication of your book, arrange for a book signing at a local bookshop and meet with readers from your area. If you are more well-known, arrange several book signings throughout the surrounding states to meet more readers in more places. One on one interaction with your audience promotes your books in a more proactive way.

Run A Blog Tour

Authors who are still establishing themselves benefit from running a blog tour. In essence, you write a guest blog post for publications geared around books and literature. Discuss the process of writing a book and provide helpful tips to those who are still struggling to begin their writing careers. By lending your insight to a target audience, you build a name for yourself within the reading community. Try to write several blog posts for different publications and take readers on a tour of what it is like to have a book published.

Build Momentum

Building momentum is an easy and effective way of promoting your book with minimal effort. Use the resources already available to you to build this momentum. Send a few Tweets throughout the day, update your Facebook posts, and make a few notes on your Goodreads account about the upcoming publication of your book. Create new blog posts on your website revealing small facts about your story to grab the reader’s attention. Be sure to reach as many people as possible to build a steady stream of momentum.

Network Properly

It is okay if you need assistance during the promotional process. To ensure you are promoting your book effectively, reach out to others in your community for assistance. Network via LinkedIn and put yourself in touch with authors, social media managers, and marketers to gain their perspective. In doing so, you are establishing beneficial connections which helps you promote your book more effectively. The wider your network, the higher your chances of achieving success during the promotional period.

Write the Right Press Release

Writing an effective press release is important. If you do not provide the right information in your press release, book buyers and customers are not going to know what your story is about. Detail information about yourself as a writer and highlight the key elements of your book in the release. Not only does this help gain the attention of consumers, but it makes you more appealing to the press. When the press is interested in your book, they help you promote your book and earn more sales.

Design a Book Trailer

Trailers are not just for new movies. Design and release a book trailer to your website and social media platforms to promote your book. Include images of your book and of yourself to help familiarize your audience with the work you do. Provide audio that enhances the story of your book and be sure to keep your trailer brief.

Connect with Your Audience

Connecting with your audience is the most important way to promote your book. Whether you choose to connect via social media or in person, this is the easiest way to gain traction in the book industry. You do not need to open your personal life up to your audience, but it is best to remain honest and truthful with them throughout the promotional process. Answer questions about how you write and come up with your story ideas to give them insight into who you are.

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