Book Marketing

Book Marketing

Why Are You Following Only Authors? Follow Readers!

No Comments

I did a training this week with a new client and one of her questions was something I hear almost daily: How do I connect with readers on social media? I know they’re out there, but how do I find them? 

FreeDigitalPhotos.net
FreeDigitalPhotos.net

A great question, a not so easy answer.

Let’s deconstruct.

FINDING READERS 

Some authors take a laid-back approach — if readers want to find me, they will. And while I understand that desire to ‘be found,’ I also know that it rarely if ever happens to the extent the author hopes for.

While you’re waiting around to be discovered, try this instead: follow readers! How?

  • Enter terms in Twitter search like: #AmReading #BookClub #Reading #Reader #FridayReads #BookReviewer #BookBlogger and your genre.
  • Follow a writer similar in genre and tone to yourself — but also see whom they follow and who follows them.
  • Check lists: what lists has a particular follower been listed on? Which have they created themselves? Click on who else is on the list and if they meet your criteria (potential reader, blogger, reviewer), follow them.
  • Connect with bloggers who blog about writers in your genre. Book bloggers are an invaluable resource for any author.

BOOK BLOGGERS/REVIEWERS 

I probably get about five requests weekly to read someone’s book, and while I appreciate that they think enough of me to ask, I tell them no. Not because I think I’m all that, but because I’m NOT a reviewer! As authors, we need to connect with book bloggers and book reviewers on social media so that when we ask for reviews, we’re not a total stranger making a cold call.

Make sense?

A few ways to connect with book bloggers and book reviewers:

  • As I said above, enter the term #BookBlogger into search (whether on Twitter or if you use ManageFlitter, which allows for quick searches), follow them, interact (don’t sell!), RT them, comment on their posts. Make an effort.
  • Check out the BookBloggerList.com for book bloggers broken down by genre, with contact information.
  • Spend $2.99 and purchase The Author’s Guide to Book Bloggers (by Barb Drozdowich) for more in-depth information and help.

GROUPS 

If you’re not on Goodreads yet, get thine self over there as soon as you’re done reading this and being mad at me for telling you to even more stuff. Goodreads (now owned by Amazon — hello?) is the premier place to interact with readers. Not only can you run contests and talk directly with readers, but they can review for you there as well. Tip: Join before your book comes out, otherwise asking for a review without establishing a relationship first is like expecting sex on a first date.

There are also many reading groups on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google+. Take the time to peruse the most appropriate groups for you and join them now. Tip: as before, don’t go in expecting everyone to think you’re all that just because you’re there. You are no different than the thousands millions of other writers looking for a break. Make a friend, make a sale.

Curating good content, actively following others, and interaction is the absolute quickest and most effective combo I’ve found for creating a quality following.

 

I hope this information is helpful and gives you specific information you can use NOW to grow your fan base and connect with readers. Got questions? Ask away!

 

Related articles

Book Marketing

You Owe It To Your Readers To Be Interesting

No Comments
ID-10091595
FreeDigitalPhotos.net

If you’re going to be someone of interest to follow on social media, you need to do more than share repeated book links to ‘Buy My Book!’

Someone on Facebook told me recently that he’s boring and has nothing much to share. Another said she’s only on social media to hawk her books because that’s all she has time for. Finally, another said he’s too shy to really share anything beyond ‘fluff.’

Let’s deconstruct.

SHARING

Our job, as authors and as social media users, is to share interesting content. We all peruse the internet daily and come across amazing pictures, good stories, quotes, books, people — how can we NOT find great stuff to share?

If you haven’t already, add some handy extensions to your browser toolbar — I use Hootsuite, Add This, bitly, BufferApp, Pluggio — honestly, there are so many, just Google it for more info — in order to share to your various channels without having to leave the site. Easy.

TIME

I don’t buy the ‘I don’t have time to do anything but sell’ excuse. Not because I don’t believe her — I do. I’m all about the crazy, busy work-at-home mom, writer, and businesswoman. I GET it.

I’ve learned how to work with applications that save me a huge amount of time: Hootsuite to schedule and live tweet, Pluggio to dripfeed relevant content (based on keywords I input), ManageFlitter (free for basic) for following/unfollowing folks on Twitter, and a few others. All save time, allowing me to curate cool content.

SHY

Shockingly, I get this one a lot (that was sarcasm), but to be honest, who cares? Get over yourself. You’re sitting behind a computer screen — isn’t that an introvert’s dream? Be whomever you want to be, be yourself, share cat pictures, whatever. Draw upon your life experiences or expertise. You’re more than ‘Buy my book!’ and so are your readers. Respect. 

All authors have to have a presence of some sort on social media — from New York Times bestselling authors to the blogger who’s not yet published. Sharing great content will help you establish that fan base, meet great people, and hopefully, sell some books!

 

Agree or disagree? I’d love your input!

 

 

 

 

Related articles

Book Marketing

The Red Room: Social Networking for Authors and Readers

No Comments

The Red Room: Where the Writers AreOne of the best parts of publishing conferences is the people it brings together. Authors, publishers and readers all in one place—exchanging information and learning from one another. But publishing conferences are but a few times a year. (And expensive, to boot.) Where to commune outside of the conference?

The Red Room was designed to virtually bring together writers and readers anytime the mood strikes and as often as possible. Conceived as an online salon for authors and book lovers, The Red Room provides ample opportunity for authors and readers alike to come together. Authors can create a homepage on the site where they can blog, showcase their work, post audio or video, and include past reviews. Plus, each author page has the invitation for readers to message them directly. All of this is included as part of a free membership.

If you’re using The Red Room as a reader, there’s the opportunity to connect with your favorite authors through their blogs through this curated audience. This is an excellent opportunity for book lovers to connect directly with their favorite authors.

Recently, The Red Room launched an online bookstore where you can sell your books at higher profits. With each sale through the site, you get 15% of the book sale back as a royalty. A nice touch is that the customer automatically receives a thank-you note from you (which you can craft yourself), which fosters ongoing relationships with your audience. This gives you the unique opportunity to connect directly with the people who buy your books.

CEO Ivory Madison says, “We’re the only book retailer in the world that shares our profits and our customer relationships with authors. When you participate, you’re creating a future in which being an author means having more power in the marketplace and more time to write.”

In order to sell through the bookstore, you need to purchase a premium membership for $250/year. While free members can build custom author pages, with a premium membership, you can create a custom banner, spotlight news and events, feature quotes, and promote individual books. It’s like a super-charged version of the free homepage.

Plus, you’ll be in good company. Amy Tan, Maya Angelou, Salman Rushdie, Po Bronson and Terry McMillan are all premium members. So while you should still plan to hit annual conferences, make a habit to connect directly with other book lovers and authors through The Red Room and see what kind of connections develop.

Lisa Hazen is a Chicago-based Web Designer specializing in author sites. You can find her on Twitter, Facebook, or the WWW. mailto:[email protected]

 

Book Marketing

The Amazon Book Marketing/ Publishing Graveyard– an Ongoing List of Discontinued Programs (Plus a Brainstorm!)

No Comments

In case you don’t read your Kindle author newsletter (and why would you, really?), Amazon’s Kindle Vella program is about to be ding dong dead.

Amazon has discontinued several programs related to books over the years, and this is our running list of those. These programs often catered to niche audiences or provided specific tools and opportunities for authors and readers.  Some of them failed because they were dumb (like StarMeter), and some failed because Amazon didn’t publicize them enough (like MatchBook, which was and still is a great idea), and some got subsumed into other (hopefully better) programs like Kindle Unlimited.

Here’s an overview of some notable discontinued Amazon book-related programs:

1. Amazon Giveaways
(2015 – 2019)

  • What it Was: Allowed authors and creators to host giveaways for books or other items directly on Amazon.
  • What It Did: It was a way for authors to promote their books and increase visibility by encouraging social shares and participation.
  • Why It Was Discontinued: Amazon retired the program in October 2019, likely due to limited adoption or profitability.
  • The Workaround:  If your readers loved giveaways, keep doing them by using KingSumo, Gleam, or Rafflecopter.  Of course, never do a giveaway without having a solid reader magnet/ email signup in the book you are giving away!  That goes without saying, right?  RIGHT?!

2. Kindle Scout/ Kindle Press
(2014 – 2018) 

  • What it Was: A crowdsourcing platform where authors submitted manuscripts, and readers voted on which ones should be published under Kindle Press.
  • What It Did: It gave authors a chance at traditional-like publishing with Amazon’s support, while readers could participate in the selection process.
  • Why It Was Discontinued: Kindle Scout program ended in April 2018. Amazon shifted focus toward other publishing initiatives and Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). For some unknown reason (even thought Amazon is still perfectly capable of offering publishing services), Kindle Press was also discontinued at this time.
  • A Workaround:  The “crowdsourcing” element could be handled by a GoFundMe, I suppose. Joanna Penn covers author GoFundMes in more depth if that interests you.
  • A Word of Caution:  There’s really no workaround for this, as Amazon is just not offering publishing services anymore. However, I do just want to make you aware of a scam in the vanity press industry that developed after this program closed:  the “Amazon Publishing” problem. This is when a vanity press will use the name “Amazon Professional Publishers” or a similar name to give authors the impression that they are working with Amazon. Just for the record, AMAZON DOES NOT OFFER PUBLISHING SERVICES, so do not give your money to any company that represents themselves in this way is trying to scam you. Here is a whole Reddit post where you can read more about some of those.

3. Amazon Author Central Customer Discussions
Discontinued in 2018

  • What it Was: A forum where readers could discuss books with authors through that author’s Author Central page.
  • What It Did: It facilitated direct interaction between authors and readers.
  • Why It Was Discontinued: Amazon removed the feature, citing low engagement and a shift toward more modern methods of author-reader interaction, like social media. I think this is dumb. I feel like they were just sick of dealing with authors bugging them (just my conspiraspeculation).

4. Amazon MatchBook

  • What it Was: Allowed customers to purchase discounted Kindle versions of books they had already purchased in print.
  • Why It Mattered: It was a win-win for readers who wanted both physical and digital copies and for authors seeking more sales.
  • Why It Was Discontinued: Amazon ended the program in 2019, likely due to insufficient usage.
  • The Workaround:  Offer the matching eBook for free to people who buy your print books. It’s a good way to get email subscribers.  I wrote all about that right here.

5. Kindle Worlds

  • What it Was: A platform where authors could write and sell fan fiction based on licensed worlds (e.g., “The Vampire Diaries” or “G.I. Joe”).
  • Why It Mattered: It legitimized fan fiction as a publishing model, allowing authors to earn royalties and reach established fanbases.
  • Why It Was Discontinued: Ended in August 2018 due to declining participation and possibly challenges in managing licensing agreements.

6. CreateSpace

  • What it Was: Amazon’s self-publishing platform for print-on-demand books before it was absorbed into Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP).
  • Why It Mattered: It was a user-friendly way for authors to publish and distribute physical books.
  • Why It Was Discontinued: Merged into KDP in 2018 to streamline Amazon’s self-publishing services.
  • The Workaround:  You don’t really need one because this just got folded into KDP, but some alternatives to Amazon book publishing are:  IngramSpark, Barnes & Noble,

7. Amazon Unlimited Lending Library (for Prime Members)
(2011 – 2014)

  • What it Was: Offered Prime members the ability to borrow one Kindle book per month from a selection of titles.
  • Why It Mattered: Provided an incentive for authors enrolled in KDP Select and allowed readers to discover books without buying them outright.
  • Why It Was Discontinued: Replaced by Kindle Unlimited, a subscription-based service with broader access to titles.
  • The Workaround: Put your book in Kindle Unlimited, but don’t put it in there without a solid reader magnet/ email signup! If you’re going to limit your reach like that, you better get something good in return!

8. Starmeter on Author Central
(R.I.P 2016)

  • What it Was: A ranking system based on an author’s popularity, similar to IMDb’s Starmeter for actors.
  • What It Did: Gave authors insight into their visibility and popularity.
  • Why It Was Discontinued: Removed as part of a broader overhaul of the Author Central platform, and (probably) because it was kind of lame and no one used it.
  • The Workaround:  I mean….. there really isn’t one, aside from social media, I guess?  You don’t need to be a “star author.” You need your books to be bestsellers, so use Publisher Champ to monitor your books’ rankings and sales.

9. Amazon Vine for Self-Published Books
(2007 – 2016)

  • What it Was: Allowed self-published authors to submit books for reviews by Amazon Vine members (trusted reviewers).
  • What It Did: Gave self-published authors access to professional reviews that could boost their book’s credibility.
  • Why It Was Discontinued: Amazon restricted Vine participation to larger publishers and higher-priced products, phasing out books, because why would they want to help indie authors?

10. Kindle Serials
(2012 – 2014)

  • What it Was: A platform for serialized storytelling where readers could purchase a series upfront and receive installments as they were published.
  • What It Did: Encouraged a unique format of storytelling and reader engagement.
  • Why It Was Discontinued: Removed around 2014, as interest in serialized formats diminished.

11. Amazon Storyteller
(2013 – 2015)

  • What it Was: A tool that allowed authors to turn their books into graphic novels using automated technology.
  • Why It Mattered: Made visual storytelling accessible to authors without artistic expertise.
  • Why It Was Discontinued: Amazon stopped supporting the tool, likely due to limited demand.

12. Amazon Write On
(2014 – 2017)

  • What it Was: A writing and reading community similar to Wattpad, where authors could share drafts and receive feedback from readers.
  • Why It Mattered: It created a platform for new authors to test their work with an audience before publishing.
  • Why It Was Discontinued: Shut down in 2017 due to competition from other platforms and lack of user growth. In other words, Wattpad did it better so why compete with them?
  • Workaround:  Wattpad! Especially if you are a

13. Kindle Vella
(2021 – TBD)

  • Dates: Launched in July 2021, discontinuation date TBD (not officially discontinued but has limited adoption).
  • What it Is: A platform for serialized storytelling, where readers unlock episodes using tokens.
  • Alternative/Workaround:
    • Use Radish Fiction, Wattpad, or Substack for serialized storytelling.
    • Offer serialized chapters through Patreon or via an email newsletter.
    • Publish serialized content as shorter eBooks on KDP and later compile them into a single volume.

14. The Amazon Textbook Buyback Program

  • Dates: 2011- 2020
  • What it Is: allowed customers to sell their used textbooks and other eligible books back to Amazon in exchange for Amazon gift cards.
  • Alternative/Workaround:

While these programs no longer exist, they reflect Amazon’s continuous experimentation with ways to support authors and readers. Many of these ideas live on in different forms, such as through KDP, Kindle Unlimited, and Amazon’s ongoing focus on tools for indie authors. For authors, the lesson is clear: keep adapting to the ever-changing publishing landscape.

Book Marketing

How Often Should Authors Post To Social Media?

No Comments
ID-100104469
FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Many authors are unsure not only what to share on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, etc., but also how often. Assuming you’ve identified your keywords and areas of interest, let’s take a look at how often today with a little bit of what thrown in.

There are a number of schools of thought, so let’s review them. I’ll also share exactly what I do, my own formula I’ve devised after having been on social media in many capacities since 2008. Honestly, do what works best for you timing-wise, because let’s be honest, there are too many variables to dictate which way is ‘best.’

Let’s deconstruct.

TWITTER

Promotion: Any tweet that has a link is considered to be promotional, even if it’s not about you or your stuff, even if it’s a retweet (RT), even if it’s a photo. Anything with a link.

Content: Any tweet without a link is considered content. This could be an original tweet, a quote, a reply to someone, a conversation, whatever – no link, it’s content.

80/20: Some folks ascribe to the 80/20 ratio: 20% self-promotion, 80% ‘other’ promotion. Remember that you still need to fit non-linked, content tweets in that mix.

3 to 1: Some people prefer a 3:1 ratio, meaning 3 content tweets for every 1 promo tweet (no matter if that’s for you or someone else), or vice versa.

5 to 1: Meaning 5 content (no links) for every 1 promotional.

My choice: For my author stream @RachelintheOC, I do 3:1 (3 content for every 1 promo), though that varies depending on my activity (i.e., if I’m on Pinterest sharing pix, there will be more links), and on Mondays, because of #MondayBlogs (sharing posts, retweeting others).

Business stream: About the same, though I tend to more informative article and blog links. It’s not really an exact science, but more of a guideline.

Scheduling: I schedule (using Hootsuite but there are any number of programs) on my author stream @RachelintheOC every two hours, starting at 3am through midnight PST.

This may seem like a lot, and it is, but I’m also very interactive, promote others often, share quotes, pictures, videos, etc. You won’t see only links on my stream in other words, and when you do, it’s about my book maybe once every two to four days.

Busiest times: My busiest time has always been around 6pm during the week – it’s dinnertime on the west coast, after bedtime for the kids on the east coast, so people are on in the evening so I make sure to either be on live or sharing content at that time.

For my business stream @BadRedheadMedia, I schedule every three to four hours, mostly tips and articles (either from my blog or the array of expert blogs out there including this one), from 3am to 9pm. This is primarily because most of my business readers check in early and it’s pretty quiet by evening.

Live vs. Scheduled: Finally, while I’m a fan of scheduling in some things, I interact live as I can throughout the day. This combo works for me.

FACEBOOK

Facebook, I find, responds well to visuals and quotes, more so than any kind of ‘hard’ promotion (which I don’t suggest doing anyway on your personal page  — where you do the ‘Friend’ thing). Facebook guidelines require that if you’re selling something – a product or service – you have a page (where you receive ‘Likes.’). Personal accounts should be used strictly for personal updates.

So…I find that posting less but with impactful shares brings the most likes, comments, and shares; therefore, I post about every four hours on my personal account and maybe three times per day on my business pages.

I also find that, perhaps because of having more room to comment, Facebook temper tantrums are more common on Facebook than on Twitter (this is only my personal observation). Perhaps this is because people are freer to share their personal views more openly, especially about religion and politics – two topics that can be particularly polarizing for any author.

GOOGLE+

Similar to Facebook above, Google+ has instituted personal accounts and pages, for the same reasons.

I tend to post to my personal account more (because it’s easier to follow – aka circle – people) than with pages. So every 4 hours for personal, maybe two times per day to my page.

 

Why even bother with social media? Well. So many reasons, but the main one is that social media builds relationships. If you focus more on curating and sharing cool content as opposed to being a link automaton, you’ll make friends.

The old sales adage ‘Make a friend, make a sale,’ applies in critical ways to our author platform.

 

What are your thoughts? How often do you post? What do you share?

 

 

 

 

 

Book Marketing

A Book Marketing Plan Template

No Comments

Marketing a book in today’s competitive publishing landscape requires more than just writing a great story—it demands a strategic (laser focused) approach that connects with readers and builds lasting engagement. Whether you’re a debut author or a seasoned writer, implementing a comprehensive marketing strategy can significantly impact your book’s success.

Also, don’t get upset with me if/ when you see things in this plan that you didn’t know you needed!  That’s what we’re here for, right?  If you didn’t have all of this in place for your first book, so be it!  You didn’t know what you didn’t know. Put it all in place now.

Setting the Foundation: Goals and Audience

Before diving into marketing tactics, authors must establish clear, measurable objectives. Are you aiming to sell a specific number of copies, build a robust email list, or establish yourself as an authority in your genre? These goals will serve as your compass throughout the marketing journey.

This is the “get your head on straight” step in any good checklist.

The Non-Negotiable Author Platform

Before you even think about launching your book, you must have three critical elements in place: a professional website, a compelling reader magnet, and an email list setup. This isn’t optional—it’s absolutely essential for success in today’s publishing landscape. Your website serves as your digital headquarters, where readers can learn about you, your books, and your unique voice. A reader magnet—whether it’s a free novella, short story collection, or exclusive content—is your key to building an email list. This valuable freebie entices readers to subscribe to your newsletter, creating a direct line of communication with your audience. Your email list is arguably your most valuable marketing asset; it’s the only platform you truly own and control. Without these three foundational elements in place, you’re essentially launching your book into a void. Take the time to set up these crucial components properly before your launch—your book’s success depends on it.

In case you don’t have any of these things in place and you’re tempted to just skip this section, go ahead, but soon I will prove to you that you have to gave this in place. 🙂

Building Your Author Brand

Your author brand is more than just a logo or website—it’s the complete package that represents you and your work to the world. A professional website serves as your digital home base, featuring your biography, book information, and contact details. Develop a consistent visual identity, including a distinctive color scheme and tagline that aligns with your genre and writing style. Get a great author photo taken (or take one yourself!) and include it across your entire platform. You want to do this as a job, so get your network looking super professional and together!

Pre-Launch Strategy: Creating Buzz

The groundwork for successful book marketing begins long before your publication date. Start by ensuring your book is market-ready with an eye-catching cover, compelling description, and strategic keyword optimization for platforms like Amazon.

Create excitement through a multi-faceted pre-launch campaign:

  • Distribute Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs) to influential reviewers and bloggers and to your own ARC team (which you created by segmenting your email list)
  • Share strategic social media content, including behind-the-scenes glimpses and countdown teasers
  • Create a dedicated landing page for pre-orders and book information, then email your list about that to spark some momentum in the Amazon Sales Ranks. BookFunnel is a good tool to use for this kind of thing.
  • If you have absolutely no followers / fans/ people on your email list, I’m sorry, but the only things to do are the “follower funnel method” that no one likes, or the “launch with zero, then pay” method.  Pick one and go with it! Don’t get upset!

SEE!  It literally took two paragraphs before we got to something where you absolutely need an email list. This is exactly why I will never shut up about that reader magnet/ email signup, guys!

Launch Time: Maximizing Impact

Your book’s launch window presents a crucial opportunity for building momentum. Host engaging virtual events like livestream Q&As or book readings to connect directly with readers. Leverage targeted advertising on platforms where your audience spends time, whether that’s Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest. Don’t overlook traditional media outreach—a well-crafted press release can open doors to valuable coverage.

Sustaining Success: Post-Launch Strategies

The work doesn’t end once your book hits the shelves. Maintain engagement through:

  • Regular reader interactions via book club discussions and virtual meet-ups
  • Content marketing initiatives that showcase your expertise and book’s themes
  • Active collection and showcase of reader reviews and testimonials
  • Strategic promotional campaigns, including limited-time discounts or special bundles

Measuring and Adapting

Success in book marketing requires continuous monitoring and adjustment. Track key metrics including sales figures, website traffic, social media engagement, and advertising performance. Use this data to refine your approach, doubling down on effective strategies while revising or replacing underperforming tactics.

Putting It All Together: A Real-World Example

Consider this scenario: You’re launching a fantasy novel with a goal of selling 1,000 copies in six months. Your research shows your target audience consists of fantasy readers aged 18-34 who are active on Instagram and Goodreads. You develop a dark, mysterious brand aesthetic with the tagline “Unraveling worlds one page at a time.”

Your marketing plan might include:

  • A pre-order campaign featuring exclusive bonus content
  • Targeted Instagram advertising to reach fantasy enthusiasts
  • Strategic ARC distribution to social media influencers, genre bloggers, and your own ARC list
  • An interactive virtual launch event
  • Regular blog content focused on fantasy world-building

The Path to Success

Book marketing is both an art and a science, requiring creativity, strategic thinking, and consistent effort. By approaching it systematically—from setting clear goals to monitoring results—you create a solid foundation for your book’s success. Remember that marketing is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor; adapt these strategies to align with your unique voice, audience, and objectives.

As you implement your marketing plan, stay flexible and ready to adapt to changing market conditions and reader responses. With dedication and strategic execution, you can create a marketing campaign that not only drives book sales but also builds a lasting connection with your readers.

Book Marketing

Should Authors Ever Pay For Reviews? It Depends.

No Comments

Should an author ever pay for a review?

There’s been an ongoing discussion on my Facebook lately about this subject — tempers flared, sparks flew, and people seem to be adamantly on the NO side or the YES side. In my opinion, it depends on the type of review we’re talking about.

Let’s deconstruct.

KIRKUS, INDIE READER, MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW 

How it works:

This is just a small sampling of companies who charge a review fee (ranging from $50 upwards of $200). What does the author receive in exchange for paying for the review? Each company has its own rules, but for the most part you will receive a review of your work plus feedback on the book, and the choice to see the review in print and to use it in promotional materials.

The money you pay insures a qualified reviewer will read your entire book, create feedback, and follow set guidelines for the review (this is a far cry from Amazon where anyone can leave any type of review).

There’s NO GUARANTEE the review will be positive. This makes ethical sense to me — it’s a crapshoot. They may love or hate your book, but either way, you will know. Most companies then give you the option of publishing the review or abstaining (depending on your choice), or as is the case with the San Francisco Book Review, you can instead choose to advertise on the site instead of printing the review if you’re unhappy with it.

These companies carry weight because of the reviewers they hire (and make no mistake, these people can be worth their weight in gold). You are paying for their professional expertise. You may not like or agree with the review, and you as the author have to accept that fact going in.

Most companies accept both indie and traditionally published books. Check each site for details.

BOOK BLOGGERS, BOOK REVIEWERS

There are many individuals who review books — many are avid readers who just love books and don’t charge a cent to review and even sometimes feature your book (or their review of it) on their blog. Most book bloggers and book reviewers don’t charge for this service, but if someone does, it’s generally a minor admin fee. If you’re comfortable with that, go for it. Generally, it’s better to NOT pay for a review if you don’t have to — but remember, many avid reviewers carry a lot of influence in the industry and with readers.

FRIENDS AND FAMILY 

Just, don’t.

OPTIONS 

Book Bloggers:

There are plenty of free review options if you adamantly feel that an author should NEVER pay for a review. Check out the Book Blogger List for bloggers and reviewers broken out by genre by veteran reviewer Barb Drozdowich wrote a great book geared toward authors to teach us specifically how to focus on book bloggers — The Author’s Guide To Working With Book Bloggers (Building Blocks to Author Success Series) — worth the $2.99.

Book Reviewers: 

As Barb discusses in her book, too many folks make the mistake of blanketing their Twitter feed, Facebook, and even email with requests for reviews. This is pretty much a waste of time — it’s like the proverbial slush pile, except instead of sending your book to decision makers, you’re sending it to Joe, the ice-cream maker. Sure, he MAY be interested in reading and reviewing your book, but what are the odds if you’ve never engaged with him before? Pretty slim.

Book Tours: 

Some book tour companies offer reviews. You pay an admin fee to the tour company — not for the reviews. The admin fee covers things like graphics, post distribution, promotional efforts (many have paid staff), etc. Again, you aren’t paying for reviews — you are paying an admin fee for the other stuff. If you’ve not comfortable with that, don’t do it.

Do reviews matter? Yes, very much. At a basic level, we want to know that ‘the berry is safe’ (as my author friend Amber Scott explains it). The more reviews, the greater the odds others will feel more comfortable purchasing it. All this assumes that your book doesn’t suck.

But that’s a whole other post.

 

Related articles

Book Marketing

Spread the Word this Holiday Season: Give Books

No Comments

Give Books PledgeThe holidays are almost every industry’s busiest time, and publishing is no exception. As a way to connect their holiday sales with a philanthropic message, San Francisco’s Chronicle Books is spearheading a campaign to get people to pledge to give books this holiday season. For every #GiveBooks Tweet, pin, and online pledge, Chronicle Books will donate a book to a child in need through First Book.

Their goal is 10,000 books, and as of this week, they are halfway there. Help them make their goal by first visiting the Give Books site, and signing the pledge. Then follow up with a pin, Tweet, or more. While it’s always hard to compete with the hottest toys or electronics, there’s also nothing like a book under the tree. Looking for recommendations of great gift books? Check these suggestions from these independent booksellers. (We don’t need to tell you that this is a great way to support the independents.)

Lisa Hazen is a Chicago-based Web Designer specializing in author sites. You can find her on Twitter, Facebook, or the WWW. mailto:[email protected]

Book Marketing

Marketing Ideas: LinkedIn, Your List, New Social Media, and More!

No Comments

blank pageToday I’m going to throw out some marketing ideas I’ve been talking to authors about over the past couple of months.  These are the ones that have floated to the top as having gotten excellent results.  Try one of them to shake up your marketing plan!

LinkedIn:  This is one that even I was skeptical about because I’m not on LinkedIn that much, but it really worked.  Earlier this year I took a course on LinkedIn (just to brush up) and noticed that they’ve added a “publications” section to profiles.   This is something you should definitely go over and fill out, especially if you write non-fiction.    I mentioned this to a friend of mine, she put her brand-new eBook into the publications section, and she ended up getting a multi-thousand dollar consulting gig out of it.  Pretty great, especially for the five minutes it took to fill that space out.    You also will definitely want to syndicate whatever social media you’re doing through LinkedIn’s now-enhanced feed.   You can do that through HootSuite or manually.  LinkedIn Groups are also a totally underutilized tool for non-fiction authors, in my opinion.   Open up your LinkedIn profile today and make some updates!

Your List:  We’ve discussed the absolute vital need for you to have a mailing list ad infinitum, but it occurred to me over the weekend that many of you are probably not emailing your lists regularly because a) you don’t know what to say to them/ don’t want to bother them, b) don’t feel like you have enough material for a “newsletter,” or c) have never emailed them so you just feel awkward about the whole thing.  I feel your pain, but this is something that is so essential to your success as an author, I would urge you to make an effort to get over that hurdle sooner rather than later.    If it helps, stop using the word “newsletter.”  Most “newsletters” are too long anyway, and we never end up reading all the content.  Try penning a short letter to your list, just about what you’re working on, something that might be helpful to them, or an interesting factoid you learned recently (like about deep fried turkeys, for instance).  Those people signed up for your list because they want to hear from you.  They know not everything you have to say is Hemingway-like.   Just talk to them!

Find a Social Media Site That Fits You:  Authors feel like if they’re not into GoodReads, Facebook, or Twitter, they’re never going to get anywhere.  So not true!  If you try Pinterest and discover that you TOTALLY LOVE IT, then use Pinterest to market your books.  The key is to find you something you can live with every day that lets you be your best self, and if you haven’t found that yet, don’t give up!   This year saw the introduction of super-short videos (shown on Vine and Instagram),  but check Namchk.com for a list of over 150 of them.  Keep browsing until you find something you like!

Book Marketing

4 Tips To Curating Great Content

No Comments
ID-100111544
freedigitalphotos.net

I attended the Self-Publishing Book Expo in NYC recently, and one of the questions that came up on a social media panel was: how do I find enough stuff to talk about? I’m not that interesting!

We all had a good laugh, but when the panelists were asked this specifically, they really didn’t answer beyond ‘be yourself,’ or ‘share some visuals’ — both good tips, by the way. But I didn’t really feel they addressed the question.

Let’s deconstruct.

CONTENT CURATION VS. CONTENT CREATION

Being the bossy girl I am, I approached the panelists after (and one of the attendees who asked the question) and suggested that they ‘curate content’ in addition to ‘content creation’ (not in opposition to — we need to do both). What does that mean exactly?

‘Content Curation is the act of discovering, gathering, and presenting digital content that surrounds specific subject matter. Though it is still considered a “buzz word” by many in the content world, content curation is now becoming a marketing staple for a successful online presence.

Content curation does not include generating content, but instead, amassing content from a variety of sources, and delivering it in an organized fashion.’ (Source: eContent, 2011)

Panelist response: ‘well, I’m not going to steal content and call it my own.’ And I so agree! That is not content curation at all — that’s stealing. The point of curating content is that you find great stuff to share (pictures, vines, stories, tips, quotes) and, if they fit your keywords or topics of interest, share them — always with attribution.

One of the original ways to share content on Twitter was the RT (retweet). You read something you liked, you shared it. Easy. Same with the Facebook share, Google+, or Pinterest.

We are not endless fonts of cool, interesting stuff — we are humans, with lives and work and families. The Internet is ablaze daily with superior information, news stories, how-to’s, pictures, graphics, infographics, and more. Curating simply means sharing! Surely you can do that, right?

WHAT TO SHARE?

This goes back to branding. What are your interests, keywords, genre? That’s a great place to start. We are intuitively drawn to subjects that interest us, and so are others — sharing content that’s ‘other-centric’ creates a bond between you and the reader — one people who only spam links and don’t interact will never have.

Does this mean that you should never share you ‘own’ stuff? Not at all. I often share quotes, blog posts, and even a link to my books (though to be honest, I prefer to direct people to my bio if they want to click on it and learn about my book, they can). The point is making it a good mix.

HOW DO I FIND CONTENT?

I recommend using Google Chrome and/or Hootsuite — they have an extension, called a Hootlet (works for any browser), which allows you to share content from anywhere with your various social media sites.

For example, say I find a great article about social media on Mashable. I don’t have to copy/paste the URL (like in the olden days), I just click on the extension in my toolbar and schedule a share. Couldn’t be easier! And the attribution is embedded.

HOW TO SHARE

I use Pluggio and Hootsuite to find content that fits into my keywords. Both have free options, so you can use them also. You can live tweet/post or schedule. I prefer a combo of both — all scheduled appears bot-like, so don’t get caught up in scheduling everything. Some of the best conversations happen when I’m on Twitter or Facebook live.

If you’re a ‘live-only or die’ person, fine. You can still use the extensions to share live. I personally prefer spreading out tweets and shares to no more than once every few hours, which I why I schedule in tweets and posts. If you only live interact, your timeline is flooded for say, fifteen minutes, and then silent for hours. Consistency is key. If you schedule in three tweets per day, stick to it.

Does this clear it up for you? If not, please ask below!

 

 

« Previous Page — Next Page »

Terms and Conditions - Privacy Policy