HOW TO PROMOTE YOUR BOOK

Top Ways to Promote Your Book

Writing a book takes a great deal of energy and creativity. Unfortunately, once you are done writing your book, your work is far from over. In order to get readers for your book, you need to focus on promoting it. Marketing is even more important today because of the number of self-published authors trying to get noticed. There is no shortage of books to choose from, so you need to do everything you can to get your book noticed.

There are many methods to promote your book. Some methods are universally recommended, while others are better depending on the genre of your book. In recent years, there has been a greater push for digital marketing. While digital marketing allows you to reach a wide audience online, it is not the only area to focus on. For example, book contests are a good way to generate attention for your novel, even if you do not win. Listed below are some of the top options to promote your book.

Author Website

If you want to become a professional author, you want to make your own blog or website. Some authors use their website as an avenue to write and share articles, while others use it primarily for advertising. Writing articles is a good way to show off your talents and also cover subjects that are relevant to your book. Ideally, if readers are interested in your posts, they will purchase your book. Updating your site with content also helps it stay relevant in searches, directing more potential readers to your page. You may also be able to partner with other writers for guest posts, which is another way to promote your book.

If you are not interested in writing blog posts, you at least need a website with information on your books. Your website should also contain a blurb about yourself, contact options, and an event listing. 

Local Bookstores

Most self-published authors focus only on digital marketing, but do not overlook local sources. While many readers purchase books online, there is still a large number of readers who shop at bookstores. You do not need to be a famous author to promote at a bookstore. Many stores even host events specifically for new authors to promote their books. In addition to stores, reach out to nearby libraries and see if there are any promotional events. 

While these may seem like smaller events, there is significantly less competition to get noticed compared to online advertisements. Your audience is also more likely to engage with you in person versus an easily dismissible online advertisement. Many readers are also willing to support a local author within their community.

Reviewers

Positive reviews are a great way to promote your book. Readers are more inclined to pick up a book if it has at least a few reviews. Even if your book does not have five stars, reviews add a sense of legitimacy. An easy way to find reviewers is to go on a site like Amazon or Goodreads and look for top reviewers within your genre. Reach out and ask if they are interested in receiving a review copy of your book.

Covers Matter

When readers are scrolling through a website, you want a strong book cover to draw their attention. Your book cover creates a first impression and hooks potential readers. You want a cover that not only sells your story but is easy to read. Avoid clashing colors and confusing imagery. While there are many tools to create your book cover, many of these appear overly generic. Hiring an artist is always preferred. Fortunately, designing a book cover is not nearly as expensive as other projects, typically costing around $150 to $500. 

Marketplace Tools

If you are selling your book online, there are a number of marketplace tools you can use to promote your book. Amazon allows authors to enroll their books through Kindle Direct Publishing. They also allow you to run sales, free book promotions, and giveaways to draw more attention to your book.

Buying Advertisements

The tried-and-true method for promoting your book is advertising. Digital marketplaces like Amazon allow you to purchase ad space. When you create an ad, you write a small blurb for your book and set relevant keywords where your book will show up. You set a budget for how much you are willing to pay per click and the total length you want to run your ad for.

If you have a larger budget, you can reach out to podcasts to advertise your book. Blogs are another advertising source. You can even contact an online influencer to see if they are interested in promoting your book. These advertising costs greatly vary depending on what kind of advertisement you want, as well as the size of the advertiser.

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