Promoting your new book doesn't have to be a struggle and it doesn't have to cost a fortune. With these five practical tips you can make sure you get your book in front of the right people and make all that hard work pay off.
1. Get a great cover design
They say don’t judge a book by it’s cover, but a recent survey by Cover Matters found that people do not tend to follow this advice. Of the 613 people they asked, a whopping 79% said covers do play a decisive role in their decision to purchase a book. And it makes sense; humans are emotional creatures and an image that can immediately invoke an emotion in us will leave a lasting impression and keep us coming back for more.
So don’t ignore your book's cover art. You can get a quality cover designed with just a little bit of work on your end to find the right designer. Websites like Fiverr and Upwork allow you to hire a cover designer at an extremely affordable price, many of whom will offer you multiple concepts to choose from before settling down on a final design.
2. Strengthen your online presence
As an author, you are more than just an individual, you are a brand. Your name is your biggest marketing tool and, just like any brand name, you need to build it up in a consistent way.
Set up a Facebook Page for yourself as an author, consider setting up an Instagram Creator Page and post about things you think your readers will care about. Remember your author pages on social media are not just a place to post links to your book, they are a tool you can use to build up your own personal brand and engage directly with your readers.
Also, if you haven’t already be sure to join the Goodreads Author Program and set up your profile.
3. Create your own website
Nothing screams “professional” quite like having your own website. It doesn’t have to be overly complex - a single page, mobile-optimised website with a picture of your book and some information about you as the author can do wonders. Read our guide Creating a Website to Sell Your Book to see how quickly you can build a website for free with Loxly.
As well as a homepage, you could also create a blog and write high quality content that will keep your readers coming back.
4. Get reviews for your book
There is a phenomenon psychologists call “Social Proof” that says we are more likely to think positively of something if we witness other people feeling positive about it. How many times have you discovered a new band or artist because one or more of your friends told you about how great they are? Social proof is incredibly powerful, it is one of the reasons having an online presence with all your friends talking about how great your new book is can be so powerful. But social proof also manifests itself in reviews. So go get some reviews. Joanna Penn has an excellent guide on How To Get Reviews For Your Book.
You could also handpick the best reviews you receive and display them on your website.
5. Target your niche
Your “niche” is the small group of people who share the same passion as you. If you write about vampires your niche is fans of the vampire subgenre, if you write about politics your niche will be people who are passionate about political topics. If you write about English football clubs then your niche will be soccer fans, you get the picture. So instead of attempting to take on the entire world at once, focus your efforts on your niche. Where do they hang out online? Which forums do they visit? Do they have facebook groups? YouTube? You need to place yourself where your readers are, engage with them, use your position as a thought leader in your area to help, inspire, befriend, and perhaps shoot them a link to purchase your book.