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101 Book Marketing Ideas for Authors

ByLinda Parkinson-Hardman

101 Book Marketing Ideas for Authors is my way of trying to make sure I keep on track with my marketing activities. As an independent author and publisher it’s often easy to forget or overlook some of the basic activities that could propel your book up the listings. This is going to be a work in progress, and when I complete a new idea I’ll make sure that the link is added to this page.

  1. Make sure you ask for reviews in your Kindle and eBook copies
  2. Add an About the Author page to your book
  3. Add a list of other books you have written or contributed to at the end of each book – with links in eBooks
  4. Get your Amazon SEO right
  5. Create your authors blog
  6. Create an account on Twitter
  7. Create an authors page on Facebook
  8. Create your profile on Goodreads and link your blog up
  9. If you are writing Non-Fiction for business – don’t forget to sign up for LinkedIn
  10. Create your book trailer
  11. Register yourself as an Amazon Author to add valuable information and gain statistical trends knowledge
  12. Connect your blog or website to Google Webmaster Tools
  13. Connect up Google Analytics to your self hosted blog
  14. Sort out your privacy settings on all the social networks
  15. Don’t forget to sign up for Google +
  16. Have your book reviewed by book bloggers
  17. Create your authors business card
  18. Have a set of postcards about your book printed
  19. Offer advance copies for review to fans of your previous work
  20. Create a monthly newsletter about your work and online activities
  21. Organise a competition to gather support from those that already know you
  22. Use the Amazon KDP select programme to offer your book free of charge for five days
  23. Start your online book tour
  24. Offer bloggers free copies and/or interviews
  25. Host some guest bloggers yourself
  26. Comment on other authors blogs – especially those you particularly enjoy
  27. Use keyword analysis to create focused blog posts that you know people want to read
  28. Set up a series of speaking engagements at local events about your topic
  29. Sell your book in multiple outlets
  30. Create and sell your eBook in multiple online stores
  31. Put together a set of local contacts for the press
  32. Write a regular press release about events you are taking part in
  33. Send an interview and photograph to your local paper/s
  34. Send a press release and photograph to your local radio station
  35. Link your book up to a cause
  36. Ask your local coffee shop, bar, pub if you can do a book reading
  37. Offer a free copy of your book to your local libraries
  38. Offer to host a book reading in your local library
  39. Rent a stall at the next relevant fair in your local area
  40. Create videos and presentations about themes you cover in your book
  41. Donate your book to relevant organisations or charities
  42. Sell your book on your own website
  43. Join BookCrossing.com
  44. Create an account on LibraryThing
  45. Use the KindleDirect forums to engage with readers
  46. Search for active forums to take part in
  47. Create a book excerpt
  48. Create an A5 book information flyer for booksellers
  49. Create a set of greeting cards
  50. Offer free copies to local and relevant journalists
  51. Create a free download that introduces your style to a new set of readers
  52. Write flash fiction if you are a novelist
  53. Take part in writing competitions
  54. Make sure people can contact you
  55. Keep a calendar of events that you can use to promote your book
  56. Ask your readers for feedback
  57. Use LinkedIn Groups to get feedback and create interest
  58. Make use of LinkedIn Blogging to establish your expertise around a subject area
  59. Record a podcast of your opening chapters
  60. Add your book to Google Books
  61. Ensure your book is enrolled in any preview systems that booksellers use
  62. Create QR codes for your Facebook Page, Twitter Account, Book on Amazon
  63. Make sure your Amazon listings are correct
  64. Don’t forget to tag your book correctly
  65. Say thank you regularly
  66. Network extensively on Facebook
  67. Use the customers also bought facility to ensure your book is placed correctly
  68. Add your book to The Book Marketing Network
  69. Create a listopia list on Goodreads
  70. Host a giveaway on Goodreads
  71. Create an Amazon list for your topic/subject matter
  72. Reach out to the top reviewers on Amazon and Goodreads
  73. Understand Amazon lists and how they can help you be visible across the site
  74. Send your news to Writing Magazine
  75. Create a set of book club notes
  76. Work on your personal brand
  77. Understand who your reader is and why they will want to read your book
  78. Set up a Slideshare account
  79. Set up a docstoc account
  80. Add your book to eBay
  81. Don’t forget to sell your book through the Amazon MarketPlace too
  82. Use webinars and hangouts to speak with a broader audience
  83. Adapt chapters or small sections of your book for alternative audiences
  84. Provide free copies to your local doctors surgery or dentist waiting room
  85. Don’t just use one Print On Demand provider
  86. Investigate WattPad
  87. Add your free books to Project Guttenberg
  88. In the UK? Use We Buy Books
  89. Investigate and use Scribd
  90. Join Issuu
  91. Add your video trailers to Vimeo
  92. Use Facebook Ads
  93. Create an Adwords Campaign
  94. Investigate the LinkedIn Advertising Platform
  95. Create a marketing plan for your book
  96. Connect with other Authors online (they are often readers too)
  97. Offer free e-copies of your book for specified time periods
  98. Have some merchandise made up that you can give away
  99. Create an audio version of your book
  100. Think about adding pictures of your events and book to Pinterest
  101. Contact tourist information resources if your book has a local interest.

That’s it folks – that’s what I could come up with. If you have any other suggestions to add then why not share them below.

(Image by Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay)

Leave a Reply

33 Comments

  1. Thank you so much for providing this list! I have a lot of work to do! 🙂

  3. After two maybes and twenty-five rejection letters, your post gives me motivation to get the revision done and plow ahead with new vigor!

  5. All of these tips are great. Extra tips: interact always with your audience especially on the social media, don’t leave unanswered questions or comments, and keep them updated about your whereabouts.

  6. Thanks for this great post Linda!
    To enrich the marketing strategies for authors, in addition to what it is mentioned here, I’d like to include the following which I could test with good results:

    1. Take advantage of the launch of a new site thebooksmachine.com to give your work a shock of publicity tools and also obtain honest reviews on the platform where you have published your books. The platform has a paid membership but they are offering free memberships for a limited time. I can’t guarantee that they’ll still be available so you should try to take advantage while it lasts.
    2. Fill in your author information on Amazon, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, etc. It’s really important that we connect to the reader, especially when they don’t know us.
    3. Regularly edit and improve the description of your book on those online stores. The description doesn’t just tell what your book is about IT’S ALSO THE READER’S FIRST IMPRESSION. A reader judges your writing based on your description. It’s important not only to inform the reader, you have to seduce them.
    4. Create visual support for your book through a website so that when you post on social media you have a visual connection. If you can’t afford the investment in a professional web page, create a blog. There are tons of tutorials.

    Well friends, that’s my mini summary of what I have experienced first-hand.
    I’m already putting it into practice daily with my book and I’m seeing my sales increase daily.

    Stay well,
    Amy
    Avid reader on my Kindle

  8. This is awesome. Thanks so much. I have plenty to be getting on with.
    A couple of extra tips:

    Guest blog for blogs related to the topics in your books

    Share, converse and say nice things about people on Twitter so they say nice things about you

    Have a launch event – make it a party and invite everyone with even a tenuous passing interest in your writing. I managed to sell one to the Mayor of Bristol at my event and got loads of social media mileage out of the pictures!

  12. I have been browsing your website and blogs for over 2 hours, and this is the most fascinating read for me as a writer. Thanks for giving so much away!

  13. Ooops, sorry about that Carol – it wasn’t my intention to give anyone a long to do list. Mind you, all I have to do now is add the content to each one of the 101 marketing tips ….. !!

  14. Hi Linda,
    I think I should have read this before sending my new release off to the printers!
    I’ve found two tips about stuff I should have put in the book.. and I didn’t! Just goes to show we are all always on a learning curve.
    You’ve certainly given me a loooong to-do list!

  18. Question is, in that many years will we still have an army? Or will all the fighting be done by invisible microscopic machines… if so, maybe they’ll read on Kindle?

  20. They do! You just need to email the founder, and he adds you to the list. I haven’t heard much back from them, because I still haven’t gotten around to sending them out – there’s a list of about 200 serving men and women who’ve registered for free ebooks, and I wanted to email them all individually…. hm. Maybe I’ll just send one email out around them all? Might get it done this century that way… :0)

  21. I must admit, I do have a thing about 101 – the second book I wrote was called 101 handy hints for a happy hysterectomy 😉

  24. Wow! That is an awesome and extensive list! I only have one to add, which is a fairly random one but might be of interest: Operation eBook Drop. They send free ebooks to troops stationed in Iraq, Afghanistan etc, as a way of saying thanks to them for doing what they do. I’ve joined up (to the ebook drop, not the army!) and am going to send out a free e-copy to their huge list of serving forces members. You never know – might spark a revolution?! Here’s their URL:
    http://www.operationebookdrop.com/

  25. Good blog you have here.. It’s hard to find excellent writing like yours nowadays. I really appreciate individuals like you! Take care!!

  27. I think I managed to post them by mistake the first time, I hadn’t finished the post so removed it and started again. I’ll be updating it regularly as I add the articles each one refers to as well Lesley.

  28. Brilliant news – will it be ready soon Annie? I really enjoyed both your books and am looking forward to the next one too. Oh, and you’re welcome anytime 🙂

  31. First of all I need to understand what some of it means! My learning curve has just gone vertical!! But thank you so much Linda. Yet again, incredibly helpful information and advice.
    By the way, I’m working on the sequel to Charity Begins with Murder. Not the one in the gym, I got bored with that, because I knew how it ended!! Hope all’s well with you…x A

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