There’s no need to fret. There are several convenient ways to promote your book without burning through your savings.
Here are some easy cost-effective ways to promote your book:
1. The Cover Matters
Imagine a shelf full of books. Your book just be one of the many books on that shelf. Now, how do you get a reader to pick up yours? The book cover is very important. A book with a great cover will be able to capture that reader’s attention. Be it print or digital, an attractive cover will get you prospects. Once a reader is attracted to your cover, the reader will then proceed to the synopsis. Also, the synopsis needs to be convincing. This is what seals the deal.
2. Keywords
Social Media is not only a convenient way to market your book; it is a cheap one. Although you already have a certain hundred friends or followers, it won’t be enough to get you on the bestsellers list. To maximize your social media efforts, always remember that keywords matter. Yes, the name speaks for itself.
Take advantage of the hashtag (#). No matter how annoying people are with these things, when it comes to marketing, it’s your best friend. These tags will increase your visibility. Strangers who are lurking on the internet will come across your book if you’ve tagged it properly.
If you haven’t, chances are, the only people who are going to see it are your friends and followers. You can’t ask them all to share your posts. In the long run, they’ll get tired of it and ignore you. To avoid any of that, always remember to put tags on your posts.
3. Author Brand
Would you purchase something from some random guy who’s trying to sell you a product? Of course you won’t! One, you don’t know the brand. Two, who knows what’s in that product? The same principles apply to your audience.
Hence, you need to establish your own brand. No need to worry. You already know how to establish a brand, you’re just not aware of it. Establishing your brand is no different from having a social media account.
You want people to know who you are. You need to let them understand your advocacies, your quirks, or your frustrations. At the same time, they will become aware of what you can and can’t do.
4. Create some buzz
If you’re familiar with John Green, Cassandra Clare, and Neil Gaiman, you might be aware of their Tumblr accounts. Tumblr is a melting pot of various cultures, bookworms, and movie buffs. A simple yet effective way to create buzz is by engaging your audience. Tumblr is a great medium for this.
Authors get to reblog posts they like from random users. Wouldn’t that make your audience excited? An author, reblogging their posts! Occasionally, authors also post teasers from their upcoming books. Some even indulge in fan fiction/art. Another way to create buzz is by having contests your fans can easily participate in.
You can have photo, sketch, digital art, or writing contests. The winners should be acknowledged and their work should be posted as well. For their prizes, you can give them a free, signed copy of your book.
5. Book Reviews
Have you ever been excited by a movie trailer, but when you finally get to watch the movie, it leaves you disappointed? This is most likely why we make it a point to look at reviews.
The more people talk about how great your book is, the more opportunity you have to attract new readers. You can ask famous bloggers, the press, professional reviewers, or anyone with a social media account for book reviews.
6. Book clubs
Get involved with book clubs. Share your work with those who have the same affinity for writing. Share your work with those who have the same love for literature. When you do book readings, you can ask these people for feedback.
You’ll know what you did right and you’ll know what you’ll need to improve on. Moreover, once you’re in these book clubs, they will, without a doubt, help you promote your books.
7. Indie Bookstores
Target your local community! A lot of indie bookstores are looking for new writers to collaborate with. These people think out of the box! This is exactly what you need.
You can start with hosting book readings in their shop. You can even have a book launch there! Eventually, it’ll become a regular thing and it’ll be beneficial to both parties.
References:
https://blog.litfirepublishing.com/top-5-book-marketing-services/
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One Response to “Reaching Readers: 7 Top Book Promotion Tips for Beginners”
Debbie Erickson
Thanks for the tips!