Many new media marketing tools are available to authors to help them promote their books. Savvy authors reach out to potential book buyers through varied internet sources. It’s important to understand the social media and other tools available to authors that can help you reach readers. Most authors target three to four of these avenues. The following is a list of popular sites used to promote books.
SOCIAL NETWORKING
Twitter is a popular social networking site. Each tweet is a short burst of information in an ultra-limited amount of space. All “tweets” are searchable. This site brings together groups of individuals with varied shared interests. The upside for authors, a large number of people can be reached in a real-time way. The downside is that many authors are tweeting like you. You must find ways to stand out.
Facebook is a social networking site for connecting friends. It brings together groups of individuals who know each other somehow. Facebook is also used for marketing businesses and products (with ads available on the site) and to build brand awareness and loyalty. People “like” the business page of companies whose products they like. Companies can provide their customers and fans with coupons, special offers, news, and a chance to communicate directly with the organization. Authors can leverage this same kind of activity by creating a “Fan” page on Facebook. It helps you build your brand, stay connected to your fans, and keep them up to date on what’s going on with you and your books. Multiple communication avenues are available on this site, including walls, status, notes, photos, instant messaging and pokes. Facebook allows authors to create fan pages to connect directly to readers.
LinkedIn is a networking site for professionals. This site differs from other two in that it has a professional slant rather than a primarily social focus. As an author you may want to create a presence on LinkedIn to help you target specific professional networks (i.e. other writers, editors, agents) or to help you build a reputation as a professional writer. For instance, if you are a freelance writer in addition to creating novels, or if you write non-fiction books based on your professional expertise… you may find a platform here to reach topic specific readers.
BLOGGING
Word Press started off as a blogging tool but it is so much more than that today. It’s a content management system that is so robust you can build an entire website from it. This tool provides easy to use templates for setting up a blog (or website) and the company will host that blog for free (with expanded features and options in fee based models). This system allows for much flexibility in terms of customization. Authors use this tool to create a web presence for their books at no cost. With some study, it is possible to link together various social networking sites to your blog, expanding your reach beyond the blog.
Blogspot is another blog creation site. It offers colorful templates and time-stamped entries. Authors use blogs to create reader community platforms to support their works. Authors can offer content that will enhance their books and also use the space to report on their own events. Many genre authors form blogging communities with other bloggers and the work together to promote one another’s books.
OTHER MEDIA
www.PRnewswire.com is a fee based site for distributing news via press releases. You can target audiences across the globe. This is especially effective for authors because it’s a great way to manage your own press releases. When you have a major upcoming book event or when you are launching your new book… press releases help you get the news out. You can share your news online and increase your search visibility.
Podcasts are a great tool for authors (check out some articles here on the Author Learning Center for more on podcasts). They can be made available on iTunes so listeners (your fans and potential fans) can subscribe to them or you can post them directly on your website. Podcasts help you keep readers up to date with useful information that relates to you and your books. It offers readers an enhanced experience by connecting with readers in a semi-personal way to authors they enjoy.
Videos are a great marketing tool. Hosting sites like YouTube and Vimeo are free online services. You can do fun stuff like recording a book reading or an interview of you… or even go all out and create a videos book trailers (akin to movie trailers). Then, upload the videos to one of these sites and share the link to the videos online through your website, blog, Facebook updates, and tweets. It’s a great way to reach current and potential fans!
Ok…that’s your marketing tools primer. Get out there and market that book. You can do it!
Great information - Thank You! I am a first time writer just having finished my incredible life story: "Naked in the Middle of a Tornado: The True Story of One Family's Unbelievable Fight Against Polycystic kidney Disease (PKD)". I now have a starting point.
Real useful and practical information that almost anyone regardless of their tech savviness can attempt. I plan on incorporating most of these tools and platforms as I get closer to actually publishing. Thanks for the article.