Marketing is essentially about communication. It’s about
- communicating the value of your book to your audience
- making it easily available to your audience
As you get started, many new avenues will open up. You will find and create your own unique paths to get your message across. The list below is, by no means, an exhaustive list as there are countless ways to market – limited only by your creativity and time.
The key, however, is to get started.
These five basic tips should help you with just that … get started and watch the opportunities unfold. Happy Marketing!
1. Research:
Research books in your genre for design, content and what helps them sell. Read their reviews and make note of keywords that connect with your book and your audience. This will help you identify your audience better. It will also give you keywords for metadata for your blog articles and website.
Based on your personal mission and research, define your ‘why’. The why would be defined along different aspects: your mission as well as quantifiable financial goals.
Identify target audience in as much detail as possible. Build customer personas, to help you start with very specific targets for approaching potential buyers. Identify online and offline communities where you can find and interact with these people
2. Build your own blog or website:
The research done in step 1 should guide you on how you want to present yourself. Your blog can be named after your book, after you or something broader and more generic.
The decision will be based on your mission and your ‘why’. It would be wise to think about and invest in defining a brand-look and a logo.
Write and post articles that would surface in your target audience’s organic search results.
Review and provide information on other books in your genre to help attract people to your website. Provide valuable information to your audience.
Plan you book release through engaging contests and giveaways. Be creative/ go crazy. Collaborations with others in your space also helps.
Use your blog or website to build a mailing list
3. Post on other popular websites to increase your online presence
It’s always a good idea to increase your online presence by posting articles and commenting on other popular websites.
Find forums related to your book, and engage with them.
Find blogs and communities related to the subject of your book and offer to be on their blog/ podcast etc.
Request other bloggers, influencers and authors to review your book
4. Use social media
An author or book page on social media is an absolute must. Based on your research and positioning, you can select which social media channels you would like to start with. Instagram, Facebook, you tube, Tiktok, or twitter. You can start on all as well.
Observe other books/ authors in your genre to see what is most effective. Observe the kind of posts that get the most likes, shares, and retweets. Use the information to connect with your audience, drive traffic to your website and drive sales.
5. Book reviews and Distribution channels:
Try to maximize your reach on as many distribution channels as possible, both online and offline.
Connect with local distributors and get your book listed on book review websites. Amazon.com is the biggest retailer of books, both e-books and print books.
While there are some limitations to listing on amazon.com from the UAE, you can list on local retailers Amazon.ae, Noon.com and mumzworld.
Connect with local retailers like Booktopia and Crossword.
Exploring the possibilities within KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) and Create Space would also help.