I love finding useful book marketing ideas for authors, especially when it comes to promoting a new book, which can be a difficult task!
Many authors have the feeling that with each new book release, they are spinning the wheel, which is why I appreciated this post. Let's take a look at some methods for increasing readership and capitalising on each book launch!
Create a "Members Only" page to provide readers with exclusive content.
This is a fantastic idea because readers value exclusive content. And by exclusive stuff, I mean early access to books, sneak peeks at upcoming releases, games, quizzes, and whatever else comes to mind. If this is your first book, however, a "members only" page may be out of reach. I recommend starting with a mailing list, which I'll go over shortly, and then expanding your reader admirers from there.
You can still form a private "group," according to the idea.
While I like the idea of a "members only" page, it requires a lot of website work to implement - but it's a nice goal to strive for. Begin with your newsletter and offer this exclusivity to readers who wish to participate.
Create an Interesting Newsletter
A newsletter is a great way to connect with readers, but you should also include some personal and intriguing content. One suggestion is competition. A contest could include anything from a book raffle to a gift card or other great prizes.
Here's a hint to keep them reading all the way to the end: Tease the contest at the beginning of the message, but announce the winners at the end, forcing visitors to navigate through your content to find out if they won. Allow winning readers five days to respond; if they do not, their award will be forfeited to the next prize drawing.
Focus on Your Previous Books When Promoting a New Book
This is a fantastic idea if you have multiple books out. Authors frequently overlook the use of older books in promotions or the creation of promotion rotations with previous titles. The author of this piece recommended BookBub or All Book Promotion Featured deals, which I enjoy but are difficult to find. So you should definitely try for one of those, but also consider BookBub Advertising, Allbookpromotion, Goodreads promotions, eBook promotions, BookHub promotions, or an Amazon countdown deal. Find three to five easy-to-implement strategies, and then rotate all of your backlist titles in and out of these strategies!
Distribute Excerpts
This approach is fantastic; it definitely helps to whet the reader's appetite! If you're giving out extracts, however, you'll want something in return, such as their email address. So, create a landing page for your website, or if that's too difficult, purchase one from Leads Pages. Although it is not free, Leadpages is an excellent resource for creating a landing page for a new book release, book experts, or other promotions without having to worry about adding extra pages to your website.
Make Personal Contacts
Goodreads research a few years ago discovered that the most important thing readers want to do at the end of a book is connect with the author, so build reader relationships wherever possible. This can be accomplished through your newsletter, social media, or even at events. Developing personal relationships, as well as strategies for doing so, should be among your top priorities. If you have a Facebook or Instagram account, don't post something only to delete it later. Always respond to comments or feedback, even if it's just to say "thank you" - people appreciate it, and it's a great way to build reader trust.
