We talk a lot on here about how to market and sell your self-published book. Here’s an idea that can help you interact with potential readers without even leaving your house (or your desk chair, for that matter):
Have you ever considered blogging?
Blogs are for anyone and everyone, and cover a wide-range of topics. They are easy to access, and can be very informative when they operate as forums for discussion or instruction.
So how do you go about promoting your book in the blog-o-sphere? Try out some of these tips:
Raise discussion questions on current world issues that also pertain to your book. This will bring more people to your blog than just those looking for your book. When you introduce an important idea, make sure you reiterate that idea in a few keywords that you use throughout the post. That way, search engines like Google can recognize your blog when people search for those terms. You can also do what has been referred to as “seeding.” Make a relevant comment on another blog along with a link to your blog or book information so that people can take a look at your blog, too.
Share excerpts from your work. This is an extremely successful tactic used by a number of authors. Make sure that within each excerpt post, a link exists that will take the reader to a place that he or she can see the actual book (Amazon, the publisher’s site, etc.). And, at the bottom of the post, make sure to note that it is an excerpt from your book. Provide a way for the reader to buy your book (so many folks only read single posts on blogs that they won’t be aware of the full thread).
Keep an up-to-date calendar of events you will be holding for your book. This includes dates, times, and locations of book signings, interviews (or links to recent interviews), and conference presentations.
Allow other bloggers to interact with your page. You should encourage comments and feedback.
Be yourself. Let your individuality shine through. Otherwise, how will readers truly understand who you are, your “personal brand”? It’s not good marketing to lack personality. Sell your book by selling yourself.
Most importantly, keep posting! Three reasons to do so: 1). New content will draw in new readers while also offering something fresh to returning readers. 2). Readers will take more of an interest in your book if you show you are serious about it by posting at steady intervals (not just posting here-and-there on a whim). 3). As long as you want to keep your book “for sale,” you need to keep selling it!
Hans Ostrom, a Dog Ear Publishing author, has a great blog. He keeps it up-to-date, maintains a ton of links to other sites that may be of interest, and shares excerpts from his work—all while throwing in a good dash of humor and personality. It might be helpful to check it out.
Like most things, blogging is usually only effective if you put some time and effort into it. Click here to see what others have to say about promoting your book with a blog.
If you’re a Dog Ear author who has created a blog, let us know! We’d love to see it.
Ready to get started on your blog now? Check out WordPress, a site that offers free blogs.
Filed under: Blogging, Blogging Tips, book marketing, self published, self publishing, Successful Authors | Tagged: Blogging, Blogging Tips, book marketing, self publishing | 3 Comments »
