Marketing Books involves more than just publishing the book and letting it float out into the world. If you want to get your message across to as many people as possible, here are eight smart tips on how to market low content books that actually work!
How to Viral Books
There are a few ways that you can go about marketing your book. The first is to have a really, really good book and just hope that people start talking about it. The second is to pay an author platform like Bookbub or have an editor contact one of the bigger blogs out there and ask them if they would be interested in reading your book. The third is to use social media as best you can and hope that people will find your work through those channels. You could also try to get guest posts on websites, which could help with visibility for your work as well. Finally, getting reviews on sites such as Goodreads or Amazon will be key for getting visibility for your work.
The CTA in Your Book
Marketing for low-content books can be tricky. Here are 4 tips for marketing your book:
- Use social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube to share your thoughts on relevant news stories or trends in the business world.
- Join a community of like-minded people through sites like LinkedIn and Facebook groups.
- Create a blog and write short pieces that will drive traffic back to your website and ultimately generate sales.
- Start a podcast with an engaged audience in mind who will want more information from you in order to find out more about the topic you’re discussing on the show–and maybe buy your book as well!
Free Giveaways on Amazon
First, you’ll want to sign up for Amazon’s KDP Select. This will allow you to offer the book for free on a certain day of the month. You can also promote your book through email campaigns, online ads, and social media. If you’re not sure where to start, do some research about what has worked for other authors in your genre. For example: if you’re a romance author, see what other romance authors are doing that’s working well for them and try some of those things too!
Answering Questions About Your Book
- What is the title of your book?
- Why did you write it?
- Who is your target audience?
- What other books are similar to yours on the market or coming out soon, and why do you think they are different from yours?
- Do you have a long-term plan for how you want your readership to grow, and how will this book be integral in helping them reach that goal?
- Are there any particular demographics or interests that would be especially interested in your book, and what specific benefits does it offer these groups of people (i.e., millennials struggling with debt)?
Ask for Reviews from Your Readers
If you’re looking for a way to get your book reviewed, ask your readers! You can send them a copy of the book or have them sign up on NetGalley. Here are some other ways you can get reviews:
- Create an account with Goodreads and Amazon (this will allow readers to see that you are offering copies of your book)
- Consider placing review copies of your book at local libraries
- Review another author’s book and give them a shout out on social media channels like Facebook and Twitter in exchange for the same courtesy from them
Guest Posts About Your Book
Guest posts are a great way to get the word out about your book. If you have any connections, reach out and see if they would be interested in hosting a post for you! You can also use Twitter and LinkedIn to reach people who might not follow your blog. Consider reaching out to influencers or bloggers who might be interested in reading your book. They may even review it or feature it on their site. Guest posts are an excellent way of leveraging the power of others in order to promote your book, especially if you have limited time or funds yourself.
Run a Contest Using Your Book as a Price
Rather than trying to generate traffic through a blog, Facebook page, or YouTube channel, give your book away as a prize. The best way is to run a contest with the giveaway prize being your book. You can set up the contest in two different ways. First, you can offer an incentive for people to enter by promising that they’ll get more entries if they share your page with their friends. Second, you can offer an incentive for people who enter and make it past a certain point in the competition by promising that they’ll get more entries if they leave reviews on Amazon or Goodreads.
Book Review Syndication
Use social media to your advantage. Create a Facebook page, Twitter account and Google+ page for your book. Share it with your friends and family members who might be interested in the topic of your book, as well as with people in similar fields of work or those who are experts in the industry that you are writing about. Develop a newsletter that can be sent out regularly to subscribers who want updates on what is happening with the publication of the book or on upcoming events related to the topic of your book. Encourage people to share their thoughts about the material covered in the newsletter through comments or email responses.
Final Thought
If you are thinking about publishing a book and have only written the first 10 pages, do yourself a favor and stop now. A book that is not complete will disappoint your readers. The best thing you can do for yourself and your potential readers is to ensure that your book is well researched, well edited, and has enough good content to be able to stand on its own. You should also make sure that the title of your book is eye catching and conveys what the reader can expect from reading it. If you want people to read your work then it must be worth their time!
