Promotions help connect books to their target readers. Thanks to the Internet, marketing is made more manageable. Whether you’re working with a publisher or not, below are ten ways you can promote your books online.
1. Take advantage of online communities.
It’s easy to find Facebook groups for people who like fiction books or books in general. Aside from that site, you can also look for similar communities on Discord and Reddit. Visit Discord Servers to narrow down your search on the said online hangout.
Be imaginative when hunting down online communities. Instead of just looking for groups or servers for YA or fantasy novels, try using the names of similar books or well-known characters when searching.
Once you’ve joined the communities where your target readers are, warm up to them first by introducing yourself and participating in the discussions. Get to know how they discover new reads, what they like about their favorite authors, and all other things that may help you in promoting your book.
2. Contribute on blogs that have the same audience that you’re targeting for your book.
If you wrote a cookbook, consider guest posting on lifestyle, fitness, and food websites. If you have a fiction novel, you might want to submit articles on literary sites or sections of news aggregator sites. There are plenty of websites and blogs that will let you contribute and get your name out there.
You can then promote your book in the author’s bio that’s published under your guest post. That’s what some writers do on Huffington Post and BBC News Magazine. You may even attach a link to your mailing list.
3. Get promotional services from book summary sites.
Book summary sites have an audience who are avid readers. These sites generate revenue by selling summaries and by offering subscriptions to organizations and individuals. They also provide promotional services for up-and-coming releases, especially non-fiction ones.
By getting such services, you can provide them a copy in advance so they can create summaries. Then, they’ll plan ad placements and schedules. Aside from the websites, they may also feature your book on their newsletters. You’re allowed to add your author bio and a link to your mailing lists.
Start with smaller summary sites like Wired For Youth, which has traffic but also is much easier to land than larger summary sites that have a lot more competition.
4. Reach out to the local press.
These days, they’re just an email away. You can pay for ad space in their newspapers or websites. You can also ask if they’re interested to feature your work and interview you.
5. Use Facebook ads.
In terms of targeted ads, nothing can beat Google and Facebook. You can limit the reach of your ads by the age, geographical location, and interests of users.
To use Facebook ads, set up a page, and explore the advertising options therein. Make sure you include links to your website, other social media channels, and sales pages of your books. You can also offer giveaways or upload book teasers therein.
6. Cross-promote with another writer.
Get in touch with another writer who has an audience similar to your target market. You can give a shoutout to each other on social media. You can also plan conversations or live chats. Another option is to post photos or reviews of each other’s books on your respective channels. Don’t forget to feature links to your mailing lists.
7. Make a deal with an influencer.
With the right influencer, your book could get on the radar of your intended readers. You don’t have to hire those with over a million followers. Even those with just 10,000 to 100,000 followers can already work wonders on your book promotions.
To find a suitable influencer, go to Facebook or Instagram. Search using keywords that your target readers are likely to use when finding books similar to your work. For instance, if you’re selling a book on productivity, keywords like motivation and inspirational books may help you. You can also use the names of well-known authors in your field and titles of similar books as keywords.
8. Collaborate with a fiction podcaster.
Established podcasters do not usually talk about books for free. However, those who are just starting may do so. With the latter, you can contact them if they’d like to interview you. You can also send them a copy of your book and let them mention it in their podcasts.
If you have the budget, consider getting a podcast ad from those with bigger audiences. Your ad may be mentioned at the beginning of the podcast (a.k.a. pre-roll) or in the middle of it (a.k.a. mid-roll).
9. If you’re releasing a fiction book, create and upload multimedia promotional content.
Don’t just rely on texts when marketing online. Use images, audios, and videos, too. If you’re going to upload snippets of your fiction novel on Commaful, consider adding photos, GIFs, and animations.
You can also hire video production services for book teasers and trailers. You can post these on your author website, social media channels, and the sales pages of your books.
10. Sell in bundles.
Head to Goodreads and Facebook groups to find budding writers like yourself. Strike a deal about bundling up your books and then offering them at reduced prices.
Conclusion
With so many ways to promote your book online, you can surely find a strategy or two that match your budget and marketing needs. If your chosen strategies don’t yield your intended results, consider changing them and/or editing your book cover, title, and content.
Author Bio:– Hayley Zelda is a writer and marketer at heart. She’s written on all the major writing platforms and worked with a number of self-published authors on marketing books to the YA audience.
