As an author, one thing you must remember is that marketing a book is as substantial as completing a book since there’s always something more you can do for your book. That is, on one hand, you always have the opportunity to reach new readers, no matter how long your book has been out in the world; your book can’t be old to someone who hasn’t yet discovered it. On the other hand, you can spend so much time on book promotion that you can risk neglecting what got you to this point in the first place: writing. So the question that bumps in is, “How to balance it all?” Below are a few identified author marketing tips that can come handy:
1. Give lots of Time
It sounds crazy, especially if all you really want to do is write, but you should be investing as much, if not more time in marketing as you do in actually writing the book. Shouldn’t you be writing the next books, you ask? Don’t be silly! Authors don’t have time for that! You might loathe the idea of having to spend so much time on marketing, but if you want to sell books and be ‘successful’ then there is simply no other way. And if you’re signed to a mainstream publisher, forget it if you think they’ll do it all for you. You will still need to do 99% of it yourself.
2. Engage your readers on your website
Your book might be the greatest on the planet, but who cares? There are millions of books out there. You need to prove yours is worth your readers’ time. How? By making sure everything else you put out there into the world is top quality. Blog every day, offer interesting insights and make sure your website is SEO optimised. Your website is the gateway point for publishers and fans to find out about you and your books.
3. Don’t just brag
There’s nothing more boring than an author who talks about nothing but their 5-star reviewed book. Intersperse your online plugs with interesting blog posts. These can be about anything – your life, your interests, your thoughts on other books and current events. Once you start offering content that people enjoy on a regular basis, they’ll be more likely to support you when you start selling your new book. Why? Because you have become a source of wisdom and a part of their lifestyle as well.
4. Give give and give
Social media should be 90% giving. The research found a lot of success stories simply by offering free content to the readers. Creating interesting posts on specialist subjects or just sharing stories that entertain or inform helps an author to become a useful resource for others. It helps to do a free or discount promo with your book, too. Talk to the publishers about a marketing plan that incorporates giving away some kind of free content.
5. Know your audience
Focus on just one or two social media platforms so you don’t spread yourself too thin and make sure you know who you’re trying to reach before you start. If you write Young Adult novels, focus on Instagram as many teens don’t have Facebook or Twitter accounts. Likewise, if you’re writing biographies, it’s pointless writing to Young Adult book bloggers or targeting teenagers, as they won’t be buying your unique masterpiece. Do your research and then get involved.
6. Get reviews
This is one of the most important things for a new author to remember. Amazon is often the first point of contact for readers looking to buy new books. How often do you buy a book with no reviews? It’s a good idea to send Advanced Reading Copies to bloggers/key influencers a month, or even further in advance, and ask them to review you on Goodreads. Don’t waste time asking friends to read and review. Remember, know your audience.
7. Just be yourself
This might sound obvious, but when you’re marketing, you’re selling a piece of yourself and you’d be surprised at the number of authors who sound like robots, sending plug after plug out into the Twitterverse. The last thing you want to be in the public realm is a nuisance to anybody, or to come off as an uninformed amateur. A little preparation goes a long way. Don’t just copy what others are doing when you can create your own twist or niche to a story/article/comment thread. Let your brilliant, creative self shine through in everything you do and hopefully, with some time and effort, success in the publishing world will be yours.
Discover what you love to do, and then, when you go out and do it, it’ll hardly feel like work at all. Readers can tell whether you feel as though you’re fulfilling a chore or whether you’re genuinely having a good time – and these impressions can make all the difference. Thus by following the above-mentioned marketing tips, authors can market their books successfully and themselves as well and ace in the long run!
This article was written by Jinnatul Raihan