Book Promotion Tips: Develop a Marketing Plan

After defining your audience, it's time to develop a book marketing plan. This means that you need to create a clear roadmap with a plan of action for promoting your book. This can include reaching out to influential book bloggers, offering free copies to potential reviewers (this can be done after publication, or before publication, with advance copies), conducting paid advertising, and utilizing social media channels to reach your readers.

Using social media for writers can be a powerful way to do book promotion. Utilize platforms such as Twitter/X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and TikTok to get the word out about your book in a way that’s easy for potential readers to find and engage with. These networks offer a massive audience that can be reached for minimal cost. Be sure to create a dedicated author page and regularly release snippets on social media such as review quotes, excerpts, and trailers for your book. Utilize hashtags to increase your visibility. Taking advantage of platforms such as Google Ads, Meta Ads, or Amazon Ads can help you reach a wider audience than ever before—and put your book in front of people who may never have otherwise found it.

Take time to research what kind of content resonates with readers in order for you create posts that will attract attention—and ultimately drive book sales.

Book Promotion Tips: Networking

Networking is the lifeblood of the publishing industry. Before you are likely to reach readers at large, you will be able to tap your personal and professional network. Book promotion starts with reaching out to other writers, especially those in your category or genre. Join relevant Facebook groups, online writing communities and attend book festivals and writer’s conferences. Check out local writing groups and offer to do an author talk. Think about unconventional locations for presentations to reach new audiences and sell books directly to readers. Make sure to partner with a local independent bookstore that will be willing to order and sell books for you at any event you run.

Book Promotion Tips: Utilize Book Promotion Services

Finally, consider using book promotion services. These are companies, like BookBub, that specialize in book promotion. They can offer a range of services to increase exposure and sales, including listing your book on their website, conducting social media campaigns, submitting your book for review, and even arranging for your book to be featured in prominent local or regional media websites. It's important to conduct research to find reputable book promotion companies to avoid wasting money (unfortunately, there are a lot of publishing scams out there, especially in the book marketing and promotion fields).

Promoting your book is a daunting task, but one that is necessary to ensure its success. A combination of creativity, diligence, and hard work is needed to ensure a successful book promotion campaign. By targeting the correct audience, creating a solid marketing plan, utilizing social media platforms, networking to build communities, and utilizing book promotion services, you can not only sell your published book, but connect with your readers and build your followers and email newsletter list. Remember to persevere as success doesn't happen overnight, but with a consistent and delicate process, book discussions about the story you've created will eventually continue to surface on dinner tables, platforms, and communities.