How to Nail Social Media as a New Author

Every author needs a website and a mailing list—these are two essential digital marketing tools, and they’re fairly straightforward to set up. But another important component of an online author platform is social media, and that’s where things get tricky. If you’re on social media, but using it mainly to connect with family and friends, learning to use it professionally is not always an easy or i... keep reading


How to Boost Your Author Platform with Content Marketing

Every new author has the same question: How do I build my audience? The obvious answer is a publicity campaign. But traditional media (ie. TV, newspapers, and print and online publications) may not be the right marketing approach for your book, especially if it has to compete with other major current events. Another way to raise your author platform is through content marketing.

Content marketing is the creation and sharing of content such as blog posts, infographics, social media post... keep reading


How to promote your book offer

Running a pre-order campaign is a great way to spread the word about your book and stimulate advance sales. There are different pre-order strategies to consider and not every one will be suited for your particular book. But whether you choose to give away a free ebook, webinar, or something else, people will need to know your book promotion exists, and it’s up to you to tell them about it.

Here’s a look at two forms of online advertising and how you can leverage them to your advantage:
... keep reading


How to get top endorsements for your nonfiction book

To attract the attention of new readers and booksellers, it helps to have the endorsement of relevant, high-profile people that the reader already knows and trusts. So, how do you get those endorsements? You’re going to reach out to experts, published authors, and influential people in your network to ask them to support your book with what is generally known as a “blurb” or “advance praise” in the book publishing industry. Advance praise can be immensely helpful in attracting instant credibility.

What you’ll do is ask potential endorsers whether they’d be willing to re... keep reading


2 Essential Tools of an Online Author Platform

You might have seen the term “platform” tossed around online, but what does it mean for an author to have one? When publishers talk about an author’s “platform,” what they’re referring to is how visible or widely known the author is, and all the ways in which the author shows up in the world.

Traditionally, an author’s platform is composed of their fan base, media appearances, public events, and sometimes their professional network. Today, a strong online platform is even more critical for authors because of its almost unlimited growth potential. Your online fa... keep reading


How to run a successful book launch media campaign

Media coverage, also called publicity or public relations (PR), is often the first thing that comes to mind when we think of marketing. Publicity is, in essence, the spreading of information. Of course, you hope that readers will enjoy your book so much they’ll spread the word themselves through word-of-mouth. But in the beginning, you’ll need to give that process a jump-start with a media campaign. This is where a team of publicists pitch your book to their contacts in the media to obtain coverage on TV, radio, and podcasts, and in newspapers, magazines, and online publications. Ideall... keep reading


How to Choose the Right Book Publicist

Even in today’s world of digital and guerrilla marketing, publicity is an essential aspect of promoting your book and generating buzz. Media coverage is harder to come by than ever, but it’s still the most effective way to stimulate book sales, especially appearances on national TV.

Unless you are a publicist yourself, do not attempt to do your own publicity. Media outreach is so much more than just sending out a press release—this job is all about relationships that are cultivated over time and built on trust. That’s why it’s worth hiring a professional to run your media c... keep reading


How to Earn Fair Amazon Book Reviews

Nothing feels better than knowing that people are talking about your book, but having your book reviewed can be nerve-wracking, too. What if the reviews are negative, or what if there are no reviews at all? By taking your word-of-mouth buzz—or influencer marketing—into your own hands, you can get your book into more conversations and guarantee yourself a number of fair reviews that will boost your book sales.

Reviews are an essential tool for creating credibility and exposing your book to more people. Of course, a book review in the New York Times is fantastic, but revie... keep reading


Three Killer Book Pre-order Strategies

One of the most important goals in marketing your book is generating pre-orders. But getting those pre-orders can be challenging—not only must consumers be aware of your book well in advance, they must also be excited enough to part with their money, long before they can get their hands on your book. That’s a tough sell for any product. Most consumers, aside from early adopters of new technology, would rather just wait until the item is available, and pick it up then (if they’re still interested). There’s no good reason at all for them to buy it early—unless you give them... keep reading