promoting your book3
TRANSCRIPT
Traditional, Self Published, Ebooks, and More
Timeline
Make Preliminary Promotional Materials Before PublicationBusiness CardsBookmarks or PostcardsSell SheetsAuthor Website or BlogMedia Kit
Author Site or Blog The top page should be attractive and easy to navigate Keywords are also important—I write a paragraph that describes the site and put it
on the page. I also choose my site’s title and description with care. At minimum, every writer should have a page on each book or series containing a
hook, synopsis, cover art, links to purchase, and links to reviews, articles, and interviews. You also need an About the Author page with a contact form or email link.
Other logical things to put on your site: Media Kit Links to your Facebook , Twitter, or other social media page Guestbook Blog or link to Blog Articles on related subjects to attract visitors Bibliography of all you’ve published, with buying links. FAQ Recommended reading list of books in your subject area List of upcoming conferences or author appearances Photos, videos, or audio of you at events Reading guide and discussion questions Freebees related to your subject—I put links to Harry Potter games, fonts, sites, and more. Anything to attract your target audience
Media KitLeft pocket of folder:List of publications or Curriculum VitaeContact sheetBio PageSell SheetPress Release
Right pocket of folder:Interviews, Reviews, Endorsements, Awards, and Articles about the book
Online Media KitHigh Resolution Book ImageHigh Resolution Author PhotoAuthor BioEndorsementsSell SheetReviewsAwardsPress ReleaseNews ArticlesInterviewFAQSynopsisSample ChaptersTable of ContentsFlyerContact Information
Getting ReviewedRecommended Magazineshttp://www.midwestbookreview.com/get_rev.htmhttp://rambles.nethttp://www.novelcritic.com/reviews/contacthttp://indiereader.com Social Media GroupsGoodreads groups— post your request for reviewers in “self promotion” groups or “author” and “reviewer” groupsShelfari and Librarything groups Facebook groups, like https://www.facebook.com/groups/reviewseekers Lists of Review Magazines http://TheCompleteReview.com http://dir.yahoo.com/Arts/Humanities/Literature/Reviews/ http://www.selfpublishingreview.com/http://www.stepbystepselfpublishing.net/reviewer-list.html http://robinmizell.wordpress.com/book-reviewers/http://karinafabian.com/index.php?name=Content&pid=28
Other Places to Get ReviewedBook Review BlogsTrade reviews with fellow authorsSend messages to Amazon top reviewers
Other Places to Get Reviewed
Promoting in PersonPartiesCraft and Holiday FairsConferences and EventsRegional groups like California Writers Club Genre groups like The Society of Children’s Book
Writers and Illustrators or Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America
Minority groups like The Women’s National Book Association
Bookstores and Libraries
Promoting Online: Amazon Amazon to do List:Make sure all the book’s details are correct.Make an Amazon Author Page at Author Central. Set up Search Inside the BookTag the page with the best tags in your opinionCheck the ebook’s page and tag it as wellGather reviews and tagsCreate Amazon Listmania, So You’d Like to…Try Amazon Kindle Select ProgramCheck other sites like Amazon.co.uk and .eu Amazon Author CentralSet up a profile if you haven’t at https://authorcentral.amazon.com “Add” all your books. Post the best snippets in “Editorial reviews” as you get themPost an author bio, photo, book trailers, and author events. Link the page to your twitter, website, and blog.
You Need Events!Book’s ReleaseKDP Free Days or Sales (ask your publisher)Goodreads GiveawayHolidays: Mother’s Day, Talk like a Pirate
Day, historical event, December, Cyber Monday, Superhero Saturday, Free Comic Book Day, (#mothersday, #FCBD)
Television season, movie release (built in hashtags)
Social Media HashtagsTwitter, Instagram, and Tumblr do hashtags so you can
advertise to the world. Follow me on @valeriefrankel and watch
Then ask for reposts – send messages to fan groups.
How #GameofThrones Will End #audiobook #sale $1.95 #kindle sale $3.82 http://www.amazon.com/How-Game-Thrones-Will-End/dp/B00S6T5FIO/ #GameOfThronesSeason5 #GoTSeason5 #HBO
#free #giveaway Empowered The Symbolism Feminism & Superheroism of #WonderWoman https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/135700-empowered-the-symbolism-feminism-and-superheroism-of-wonder-woman #superheroes #SuperHeroSaturday
The #Avengers Face Their Dark Sides: All the #eastereggs & analysis #FreeKindle http://www.amazon.com/Avengers-Face-Their-Dark-Sides-ebook/dp/B00WCLEGDW … #StarWarsDay #Maythe4thBeWithYou #kdp #AvengersAgeOfUltron
Here's a list of FIFTY #eastereggs in #Avengers #AgeOfUltron #AgeOfUltronSpoilers https://valeriefrankel.wordpress.com/2015/05/01/30 #FreeComicBookDay #FCBD2015 #ya
Social Media GroupsFacebook and Google Plus do groups and
fanpages – can you find preexisting ones? Author Promo groupsFree stuff groupsTheme groups – steampunk, fantasy, fans of __
Repost and repost: Celebrate Avengers: Age of Ultron weekend plus Free Comic Book Day! My book The Avengers
Face Their Dark Sides: Mastering the Myth-Making behind the Marvel Superheroes will be FREE on KINDLE from TODAY-Mon. http://www.amazon.com/Avengers-Face-T...
Ask friends to repost here too.
Promoting Online: Goodreads (also Shelfari and LibraryThing) Make your profile Add some friends off Facebook, email, or other social media Add all your books with covers, tags, and detailed info Add your book to appropriate lists like, in my case, “What to read after The
Hunger Games.” Ask reviewers to post their reviews on Goodreads—many do anyway. Link Goodreads to your Facebook page and “like” the book there. Post the ebook and make the first 20% free to read Add your video trailer to your profile page Search for and join “self promotion” groups or “author” “like on Amazon” “Tag
on Amazon.” and “reviewer” groups and post your announcement, request for reviewers, and any giveaways or events. Make sure to follow the directions.
Search for and join target audience groups like YA readers or horror novel fans. Post your announcement or join in discussions.
Post a few chapters in the “Writing” section Link your blog to the page so it shows up on Goodreads Do a giveaway and post it to social media Post a signing or other public event Make a quiz on your topic
Promoting Online: More to TryBlog and Guest BlogPost on Forums and ChatroomsMany book sites will let you post a link, chapters,
trailer, and so forth, or add tags and ratings to your book.
Send free press releasesSell copies on Ebay (keywords are everything!)Twitter, Facebook, etc: Basically you should post
book releases, giveaways, contests, awards, promotions, happy moments, and everything else in appropriate groups/hashtags and on your page.
For these tips and more, try my free ebook,
Free Guide to Self-Publishing and Book Promotion:
Inside Secrets from an Author Whose Self-Published Books Sold in Thousands
by Valerie Estelle Frankelat
Smashwords.comor
Vefrankel.com