Social media can be confusing, but book marketing from the couch is easy once you learn how. Discover how to grow your Facebook author page from zero to thousands of followers. Learn how to reach readers on Instagram and Twitter. Have fun connecting with your audience from the privacy of your own home!
Start a Facebook Page
Here’s how.
Post a couple of times a day.
Be brief and witty.
Provide entertainment and encouragement.
Don’t constantly sell yourself or your book.
Only do a “buy my book post” once every twentieth post.
Respond to every comment.
See my article in SCWBI: Tips for Building up your Facebook Author Page.
Read my article for Adventures in YA Publishing Facebook Rules are a Must Read for Authors.
Join the Bookstagram Community on Instagram
Heart as many posts as possible.
Leave as many comments as possible.
When a new account follows you, give that person lots of hearts.
Tag your location in every picture.
Watch for new hashtag trends.
Don’t share another account’s photo without permission!!!!!!!!
Read my article for Adventures in YA Publishing: Great tips for writers using Instagram.
Subscribe to the app Crowdfire to find out who isn’t following you back.
Talk with #BookNerds on Twitter
People love it when you retweet.
Only use two or three hashtags.
Organize your followers in lists.
Uses lists to engage with targeted audiences.
Snobby ratios are a thing.
Use Manage Flitter to unfollow people who don’t follow you back.
Build a Newsletter Mailing List
Have a sign up form on your website.
Include a sign up at the back of your book.
Run a Rafflecopter to encourage subscribers.
Use a hosting service such as MailChimp or Mailer Lite.
Shoot for a 50% open rate.
Learn From the Experts
Book Marketing is Dead: Book Promotion Secrets You MUST Know BEFORE You Publish Your Book
Don’t make “Old School” marketing mistakes that will sabotage your efforts!
This book will help you to…
- Avoid the common mistakes that kill book sales
- Set up an author platform quickly that will triple your results
- Use Social Media (like an expert) without being annoying
- Advertise for maximum impact (at the lowest cost)
- Make powerful friends online who can move thousands of books
For Love or Money talks about writing for love (and how to sell that) as well as writing for money (and how to love it). It contains serious strategies about making money with your books, living the freedom of indie publishing, and stretching yourself creatively in your career. For authors willing to take a hard look at themselves and the market, this book will lay out the necessary steps to create your dream writing career.
Jennifer Bardsley 