Last Updated on July 20, 2022 by Dr Sharon Baisil MD
Introduction
Anyone can write a book, but it takes some effort and planning to publish it. In this article, we share 18 tips on promoting your self published book. From finding an agent to building an online presence, these tips will help you get your book in front of the right people and make sure it sells well. So go ahead – start writing that book!
18 Useful Tips For Promoting Your Self-Published Book
Authors consistently complain about marketing being the aspect that gives them the most headaches. To increase your book marketing success, here’s a quick summary of some ideas and tricks you may use.
1 – Get Reviews For Your Book
Approaching reviewers of any of your previous books with a free copy and a polite request is one of the quickest ways to get reviews for your new book. You might look through Amazon’s review leaders and choose those who have evaluated books from your category if you’re a first-time author.
2 – Maintain a Blog/Website
Your author platform and many marketing efforts will likely be built around your blog. This is where you can let people know who you are. You can also direct new readers to this location in your social media and email campaigns.
3 – Increase Your Online Presence
You can improve your online presence in a variety of ways. You can also submit articles to well-known websites to request interviews or guest posts on blogs or sites that your audience is interested in.
4 – Learn From Examples
Learn from the most popular books in your genre — what helps them sell?
What works in your genre may be seen by examining their titles, cover designs, and typography. Pick the ones you like best or don’t like, and consider why you made each conclusion.
5 – Use Social Media
Social media may seem like a time-consuming hassle for some authors—but this is the greatest opportunity to authentically connect with your audience and remain engaged in the conversation!
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Goodreads are just a few of the social sites. It can be not easy at times to feel overwhelmed, and it’s critical to understand that you don’t have to learn about ALL of the social media platforms available. Pick a couple and become great at them.
6 – Use a Professional Cover Design
Would anyone give a book with a cover that is too bright, has jarring colors, or has a typeface that appears unrefined and amateur at a second glance? A book’s saleability relies on a well-designed cover, which can be best achieved with the help of a professional book cover design firm.
7 – Use Book Discounting Sites
Subscribers of Book Gorilla and Bookbub receive a daily email that recommends books from genres or authors they have expressed interest in through the services. You’ll need to make your book available for free or at a steeply discounted rate for a defined period to be suggested.
8 – Do Not Rush!
Your publishing journey is a marathon, not a sprint. There’s no need to rush it! Your book should still be unpublished when you’re promoting it, and early chapters can even help please the editor or your readers if they are critical of something in later chapters.
9 – Promote Before Actual Book Release
By establishing a presence on Amazon and selling his ebooks, the author can drive more traffic to his website, thus increasing sales. Releasing information about books in advance before their actual release date will also help promote recognition for the book.
This is because he would have already built an audience of fans eager to hear something new from him or even buy the book early so as not to be disappointed by waiting until its official release date.
10 – Conduct Giveaways
The giveaway is a way to promote your book by getting the word out, usually in exchange for reviews. The giveaway is not very new — it has been used since books have become an important part of our lives. Today with social media and ebooks, this marketing opportunity has expanded greatly. It can be done on websites such as Goodreads or Amazon Author Central page or through email blasts using MailChimp,Hootsuite, etc.
11 – Gather Mailing List
Gathering a mailing list is the key to success in self-published books. You need people who want the information you provide and willing to listen or read your message.
12 – Write an Attractive Book Blurb
A brief promotional piece of around 100–150 words is a book blurb. Print books with the back cover, as well as online sales pages, feature it.
The ending should pull your reader in. You might introduce a fork in the road or a turning point in the narrative for fiction, whereas you may highlight who should read the book and why for nonfiction.
Begin by using an intriguing opening sentence to hook the reader’s interest and urge them to read on. Depending on your book’s genre, use intriguing phrases such as amazing, incredible, mysterious, powerful, and life-altering to follow that up with a suggestion about your plot and characters (fiction) or the basic concept (nonfiction).
13 – Promote Through Podcasts
By promoting your book, you could create a podcast that is an easy way to promote and make money. For your podcast to succeed, you should develop some good ideas.
14 – Do Influencer Marketing
If you follow a blogger or an influencer in the book industry and they post about your book, followers will see it. This can generate hype around your work as well.
15 – You Can Go For Beta Readers
In return for a book review, beta readers are readers who promise to read the book before publication. Consider what you’ll gain from the reviews when you give away the book for free.
Your book sales must have a substantial number of reviews for it.
16 – Write An Enticing Description
No one will pick up and read your book unless they know what it’s about. Even if it’s amazing, they won’t do it. That needs to be the most workshopped piece of writing you put out in the world because that’s where the book description shines.
17 – Generate Supporting Content
If you build supporting material to support your book, it will stand a lot taller. The type of material you produce, such as blog entries or webinars, is dependent on the topic you choose. Your platform will inevitably expand if you produce relevant enough, consistent content.
18 – Understand a Media Pitch
A media pitch is a topic for a feature story or article in a magazine or newspaper or a source for expert commentary. A short note (typically an email or letter) explains why you would be ideal as a guest on specific shows. It’s important to have a good pitch that’s brief and direct. Persuasion is the key to everything. Consider what would pique your curiosity in a person if you were an editor or producer.
Which is better: traditional publishing or self-publishing?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the best option for a self-published author may differ from the best option for a traditionally published author. There are a few key benefits to publishing through either route. Traditional publishing typically offers a larger advance and greater exposure for your book, leading to more sales and higher royalties. Self-publishing can be cheaper and allow you to control the entire publishing process, from design and layout to marketing and publicity.
Ultimately, the decision comes down to what you look for in a publishing experience. If you are looking for a Traditional Publishing route, then be sure to research the available options and decide in your best interests. If you are self-publishing, go with a platform that offers you the most control and flexibility.
Conclusion
So, if you’ve been pondering how to promote your self-published book, we’ve got the perfect post! In this article, we’ve shared 18 helpful tips on marketing and selling your books effectively. From developing a marketing plan to social media engagement, these tips will help you get the most out of your book and reach a wider audience. If you’re still not sure where to start, check out our website for more information on promoting your book successfully!
FAQs
How do self-published authors get noticed?
Answer: Getting noticed as a self-published author can be tricky, but it’s not impossible. Here are a few tips that may help:
1. Make sure your book is top quality – Quality books tend to do better than inferior ones, no matter the platform. Make sure your book is well-written, error-free, and formatted correctly for each platform.
2. Put in the effort – If you’re serious about getting your book noticed, you will have to put in the work. Make sure you’re promoting your book consistently on all of the relevant platforms to your genre and target audience.
3. Know your keywords – One of the most important things you can do to get noticed is to know your keywords. Figure out what people are searching for when they look for your genre, and make sure to include those terms in your book’s metadata and ti- Getting involved with community groups, online forums, and other similar resources can help you connect with potential readers and promoters who may be interested in promoting or reviewing your book.
Hopefully, these tips will help you get started on the right foot and reach your publishing goals!
How many copies does the average self-published book sell?
Answer: The answer to this question is tricky, as it depends on a variety of factors, including the genre of the book, the target audience, and the marketing strategies being used. However, according to recent reports, the average self-published book sells around 3,000 copies.
Of course, this figure can vary drastically depending on the book – so make sure to research your market before you start publishing! In any case, 3,000 copies is a decent figure – and if you’re targeting a mainstream audience (i.e., books that are likely to be sold in stores), you might be able to sell a lot more.
Hi, I am a doctor by profession, but I love writing and publishing ebooks. I have self-published 3 ebooks which have sold over 100,000 copies. I am featured in Healthline, Entrepreneur, and in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology blog.
Whether you’re a busy professional or an aspiring author with a day job, there’s no time like now to start publishing your ebook! If you are new to this world or if you are seeking help because your book isn’t selling as well as it should be – don’t worry! You can find here resources, tips, and tricks on what works best and what doesn’t work at all.
In this blog, I will help you to pick up the right tools and resources to make your ebook a best seller.