101 Book Marketing Ideas for Authors
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.
- Make sure you ask for reviews in your Kindle and eBook copies
- Add an About the Author page to your book
- Add a list of other books you have written or contributed to at the end of each book – with links in eBooks
- Get your Amazon SEO right
- Create your authors blog
- Create an account on Twitter
- Create an authors page on Facebook
- Create your profile on Goodreads and link your blog up
- If you are writing Non-Fiction for business – don’t forget to sign up for LinkedIn
- Create your book trailer
- Register yourself as an Amazon Author to add valuable information and gain statistical trends knowledge
- Connect your blog or website to Google Webmaster Tools
- Connect up Google Analytics to your self hosted blog
- Sort out your privacy settings on all the social networks
- Don’t forget to sign up for Google +
- Have your book reviewed by book bloggers
- Create your authors business card
- Have a set of postcards about your book printed
- Offer advance copies for review to fans of your previous work
- Create a monthly newsletter about your work and online activities
- Organise a competition to gather support from those that already know you
- Use the Amazon KDP select programme to offer your book free of charge for five days
- Start your online book tour
- Offer bloggers free copies and/or interviews
- Host some guest bloggers yourself
- Comment on other authors blogs – especially those you particularly enjoy
- Use keyword analysis to create focused blog posts that you know people want to read
- Set up a series of speaking engagements at local events about your topic
- Sell your book in multiple outlets
- Create and sell your eBook in multiple online stores
- Put together a set of local contacts for the press
- Write a regular press release about events you are taking part in
- Send an interview and photograph to your local paper/s
- Send a press release and photograph to your local radio station
- Link your book up to a cause
- Ask your local coffee shop, bar, pub if you can do a book reading
- Offer a free copy of your book to your local libraries
- Offer to host a book reading in your local library
- Rent a stall at the next relevant fair in your local area
- Create videos and presentations about themes you cover in your book
- Donate your book to relevant organisations or charities
- Sell your book on your own website
- Join BookCrossing.com
- Create an account on LibraryThing
- Use the KindleDirect forums to engage with readers
- Search for active forums to take part in
- Create a book excerpt
- Create an A5 book information flyer for booksellers
- Create a set of greeting cards
- Offer free copies to local and relevant journalists
- Create a free download that introduces your style to a new set of readers
- Write flash fiction if you are a novelist
- Take part in writing competitions
- Make sure people can contact you
- Keep a calendar of events that you can use to promote your book
- Ask your readers for feedback
- Use LinkedIn Groups to get feedback and create interest
- Make use of LinkedIn Blogging to establish your expertise around a subject area
- Record a podcast of your opening chapters
- Add your book to Google Books
- Ensure your book is enrolled in any preview systems that booksellers use
- Create QR codes for your Facebook Page, Twitter Account, Book on Amazon
- Make sure your Amazon listings are correct
- Don’t forget to tag your book correctly
- Say thank you regularly
- Network extensively on Facebook
- Use the customers also bought facility to ensure your book is placed correctly
- Add your book to The Book Marketing Network
- Create a listopia list on Goodreads
- Host a giveaway on Goodreads
- Create an Amazon list for your topic/subject matter
- Reach out to the top reviewers on Amazon and Goodreads
- Understand Amazon lists and how they can help you be visible across the site
- Send your news to Writing Magazine
- Create a set of book club notes
- Work on your personal brand
- Understand who your reader is and why they will want to read your book
- Set up a Slideshare account
- Set up a docstoc account
- Add your book to eBay
- Don’t forget to sell your book through the Amazon MarketPlace too
- Use webinars and hangouts to speak with a broader audience
- Adapt chapters or small sections of your book for alternative audiences
- Provide free copies to your local doctors surgery or dentist waiting room
- Don’t just use one Print On Demand provider
- Investigate WattPad
- Add your free books to Project Guttenberg
- In the UK? Use We Buy Books
- Investigate and use Scribd
- Join Issuu
- Add your video trailers to Vimeo
- Use Facebook Ads
- Create an Adwords Campaign
- Investigate the LinkedIn Advertising Platform
- Create a marketing plan for your book
- Connect with other Authors online (they are often readers too)
- Offer free e-copies of your book for specified time periods
- Have some merchandise made up that you can give away
- Create an audio version of your book
- Think about adding pictures of your events and book to Pinterest
- 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.
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Thank you so much for providing this list! I have a lot of work to do! 🙂
Wow, I’m pleased it’s been so helpful Susan – thanks for letting me know 🙂
After two maybes and twenty-five rejection letters, your post gives me motivation to get the revision done and plow ahead with new vigor!
Those are some great extras Don and thanks for adding them.
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.
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
Thanks for the extra tips Amy – and they are three good ones too. And your marketing event looks like it could be a really good find for local authors too.
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!
Reblogged this on Roxy Wilson.
I found my scratched out list yesterday 🙂
You’re very welcome Sarah and I’m glad you’ve found it helpful 🙂
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!
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 ….. !!
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!
I guess that’s a great analogy for them Tony 🙂
Well, either that or they’ll live in a kindle, kind of like a giant RV for them…
If they’re microscopic will they have a specially designed Kindle just for them though?
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?
Well you only have about 87 years to go to do it Tony – if you want it out this century 🙂
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)
I must admit, I do have a thing about 101 – the second book I wrote was called 101 handy hints for a happy hysterectomy 😉
What a brilliant idea Tony and thanks for sharing it – do they take ebooks from anywhere?
Thanks, Linda, although I found the long list a bit daunting. I will need to go through it carefully again – too much to remember! Well done on finding 101. Did you aim for that number or did it just happen?
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/
Good blog you have here.. It’s hard to find excellent writing like yours nowadays. I really appreciate individuals like you! Take care!!
You’re very welcome Joanna and glad you found it helpful. 🙂
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.
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 🙂
You’re welcome Wendy and I’ll update the post later today when I do some ‘housekeeping’ 🙂
Thanks for all your tips – they are brilliant and I realise how much work I need to do!
Wendy
P.S. Can you change my website http://www.wendyknee.com
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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I think you posted these at another time and I prompted printed and lost them 🙂 Thanks for putting this list together. I am about 60% there! Will be saving, Linda.
Oh my goodness – what a treasure trove! I’ll be saving this to use as a potential checklist. I’ll share it around, too! Thanks, Linda! 🙂