7 Powerful Book Promotion Ideas for Self-Published Authors

A passion for writing doesn’t always go hand in hand with a desire to monetize your work. However, if you’d like to share your writing gift with the world and still make money, it’s imperative to learn about the best ways to promote your book. It’s important to identify your goals beforehand because successful book promotion requires deliberate planning and execution. 

Promoting your book may seem like a daunting task at first but it doesn’t have to be. It involves communicating with your target audience in ways that make them want to buy your book. In this article, we’re going to cover 7 book promotion ideas that will help you reach your target audience and sell more books. 

1. Create a Blog or Website 

Nowadays, it's impossible to think about marketing without talking about content marketing. It's one of the most effective ways of gaining organic SEO and works for the long term. The same case applies to promoting your book. 

Having a blog that’s tailored to your target audience is a good way to attract readers that would have otherwise not heard about your book had you opted to market it using other methods. You should blog regularly on interesting topics and incorporate insights from your book. 

A blog also avails the opportunity to create a buzz about an upcoming book publishing launch. You can use the opportunity to give away free books or post a few excerpts which will leave the reader yearning for more. If all goes well, they’ll end up buying the book to read more. 

If you don’t know how to go about writing your blog, hire a writer who has specialized in your niche. 

2. Increase your Online Digital Footprint 

There are a few ways to increase your online presence. The first one involves creating accounts on different social media accounts. Social media marketing is one of the most effective methods to reach your target audience and one which won’t cost you any money. 

It's however important to identify which medium resonates with your target audience based on their demography. For example, Instagram is popular among young people while a more mature audience prefers Twitter. 

If you prefer to use over one social media platform, put out unique content instead of copy and paste. 

The second one involves guest posting on high-traffic websites. When guest posting, it's important to include a link that redirects readers to your website. One such site is wow-womenonwriting.com. 

3. Learn From Those Who Have Gone Before you 

"A fool learns from their mistakes while a wise person learns from other peoples’ mistakes” is a common saying but one that carries a lot of weight. Learning from successful publishers who have gone before you will help you avoid making the same mistakes they did. You can benefit from identifying what they are doing right and help you sell more books. 

Reading books from authors in your niche will help you identify the tone and phrases that resonate with readers and by doing so, it will help you sharpen your writing craft. Other things you should look out for is how they are doing their covers and designs and hopefully, this will help you when designing your books. 

4. The Power of Reviews 

Some marketers have termed reviews as the best form of marketing. One advantage of reviews is that they don’t cost you any money. One of the most effective ways to get quality reviews is by using former reviews and sending them a copy of your book. If you’re a new publisher, you can use Amazon’s top reviewers who are in your niche. 

When requesting reviews, patience is key. Sometimes, you'll have to request a referral more than once from the same individual. However, keep your tone friendly to avoid appearing being pushy. 

5. Write an Enticing Book Blurb 

Blurbs are short promotional pieces ranging from 100 to 150 words that go on the back cover of a book. You should use strong words to write the introduction to capture the attention of the reader right away. Follow it up with the core of the book without giving everything away or the readers might end up losing interest in the book. 

Last, the introduction should entice the reader to grab their copy to read more. You can achieve this by addressing who the target audience is and why they should get their copy. 

6. Invest in a Good Cover Designer 

When thinking about how to get a book published, don't forget about the cover! We have only one chance to make a good first impression. It doesn’t matter how good your book is if it’s not attractive to the eye. Investing in a good cover designer is one of the most effective ways to attract readers to buy and read your book. 

7. Maximize your Distribution Channels 

Amazon is one of the most popular distributors of books from traditional book publishing companies. They have also had 2 self-publishing subsidiaries. If you combine Amazon with iBooks, Barnes & Noble’s Nook, and Kobo, you’re bound to benefit from increased book sales. If you identify one is doing better than the other, it’s best to concentrate your effort there. 

If you opt for a traditional book publisher, they will not only publish your book but also promote it. All that’s required of you as the writer is to put out good content. If you’re self-publishing a book, you’ll require targeted promotion methods to capture your target audience. If you read this article and still don’t know where to begin when promoting your book, don’t be afraid to ask for help from someone who has gone before you.