As a self-published author, you are in charge of promoting your work – whether you are a “do it yourselfer” or finding the right team or specialized individual to assist you. In order to attract the media you’ll want to have a solid marketing plan in place. Making the time and investment for your publicity can open up doors for your book like attracting interviews, book reviews, news articles, podcasts and more.

But, where to begin? Knowing where to start can feel a bit daunting to any new author. This does not mean that it is impossible to get your book in front of the right people who have influence. There are a variety of ways to approach your marketing campaigns and generate a buzz.

A lack of publicity could mean that your work does not get the attention it deserves. Think about all of the time and effort you’ve poured into your book project. Neglecting the importance of attracting media attention could mean that you are selling your book short – literally.

In order to be highly visible online, you need a targeted strategy in place. Here are a couple of questions you may be asking yourself, followed by a few ways you can start using now to gain more book publicity.

Do you really need to promote your book?

Think of online marketing as something just as important as the writing process itself. If you want the right readers you need to gain more visibility. And the more targeted people you reach the better. This will help establish your name as a credible author, which in turn could lead to more book sales and networking opportunities.

Can publicity increase your bottom line?

Go beyond just thinking of your book as a published piece of content. It’s far more than that. As an author, you are the CEO of your book, which becomes the voice and calling card for your brand and your work. No matter what changes in the online space, books remain a top way to generate recurring sales. If your book gets on the bestseller list inside of a niche category, this could propel your work beyond publishing and into places like public speaking, online courses, coaching, ect..

Take a look at the benefits of book publicity:

Get seen above the competition

In order to motivate people to want to know more about you and purchase our book, you need to establish your name first. Who are you and why should they care? More exposure online BEFORE you publish can help build your readership and get the right readers in place for your book.

Increase book sales

In order to be successful you’ll want to take a look at what is most popular in your niche, and narrow your focus from there. To stand out from thousands of other authors that are similar to your book, you need to have a unique brand voice approach. The goal is to promote your work in such a way that readers will choose your book over others that are similar. This is where a focused marketing plan can work well for your publication.

You actually wear two hats

Publishing is not just a matter of writing and editing. It is also about promoting your work and letting others know how your book is different. In order to have a successful presence online, you need to have regular and targeted marketing campaigns in place. Do you want to make a difference in people’s lives? Are you in need of attracting the media and influencers for more speaking engagements? Whatever the end goal is, branding is a great starting point.

Shining the spotlight on your brand

Now that you have chosen a specific niche for your book your marketing job begins as you gain more followers on social media, publish regular content on your website, host a webinar or podcast, publish videos, ect. Once you create more of a buzz online you will be able to attract guest post opportunities, webinar invitations, media interviews, and influencer supporters on places on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

The power of influencers

Leaders in your industry can have great sway with others, and communicating with them is essential to attracting the same followers. Leaving helpful comments and promoting what they do can help you build those valuable relationships. As you do this your network will grow, and soon others will be endorsing your name. These people can also provide valuable insights on how to approach your audience. 

In order to gain more momentum after attracting more influencers and followers, it’s time to create a specific book publicity plan for more visibility and sales.

How to Become a Well-Known Author

Even if you are not in the high-visibility stage of publicity yet you can still gain more awareness. The beauty of marketing is that the control is in your hands. An effective publicity campaign will help attract more readers and word-of-mouth when done the correct way.

Here’s how to make the most of your time in order to bring more awareness to your book.

Identify Your Audience

Do you know who your specific target market is and what their pain points are? In order to attract those who are interested in purchasing your book, you need to be as specific as possible. A broader range can be costly as you pay for advertising, create social media campaigns, produce videos, ect.

Identify Your Goals

Once you know who your readers are the next step is to identify step-by-step goals you want to take. Initially, your marketing efforts may just be focused on building your following. This will change as your brand grows online, and the next focus could be on generating more book reviews, and then eventually more sales. In each stage, you will need a well-defined strategy. Create a plan that will work for each phase with deadlines in place that will help you move up to the next level.

Your Desired Outcome

The next area to focus on is the result of your goals. How many books would you like to sell? Which social media platforms work best for your target market? This is the time to have a realistic budget in place along with tools that can help you achieve each step.

Create a Calendar

Don’t start your marketing strategies without a calendar both for planning your tasks AND for starting 3-6 months minimally before your book publishes. You need to know exactly how much time each task will take and when you can finish a specific goal. At this point, you will need to plan out how to generate more publicity, whether this is through YouTube videos, Instagram Reels, your blog, a podcast, or speaking engagements. If possible try to engage in offline events as well and make connections through your local schools, businesses, libraries, and booksellers depending on your niche.

Remember that you’ll want to have both a plan and a budget that will work best for your specific business needs. Stay on course and make adjustments along the way, but always have concrete steps to follow along the way.

Measure Your Progress

As you move forward in promoting your book be sure the track your results at least once a month. During this time you can record what’s working well and what needs to change. This will enable to you adjust your marketing campaigns and become more focused.

The best outcomes come when we acknowledge our mistakes, and don’t allow those moments to become stumbling blocks. Learn from them. You will grow as a person as a result.

At the same time celebrate each milestone in order to stay motivated and inspired on your book publicity journey.

A Few More Ways to Gain Awareness

Those who do not make a plan to promote their work will eventually become discouraged by the lack of sales and fail. Here are some additional tips on how to best market your book.

Have a Branded Website

Your website is the main hub or calling card for all of your books, events, content, and sales. This is also the place where your loyal followers can come to learn more about what you do and how you can help them. In order to generate sales, you need a professional online presence.

If you want to attract subscribers it’s important to have something that is mobile responsive and provides a way for people to get in touch with you. Your design should represent your brand well and be simple to navigate with easy access to menus. A slow or unattractive website will turn away valuable visitors. Make sure it’s user-friendly and has a way for your to collect email addresses in exchange for a ‘gift’ (we call it a lead magnet).

Once you start gaining more signups through a good call-to-action form you will want to create a regular newsletter or updates for your readers. Provide things like helpful tips, free chapters, book trailers, and more to keep them wanting for more.

Create an Author Biography

When a visitor comes to your website they will want to know more about you as an author right away. It’s important to set up a specific About page, which details your background, interests, and the ‘why’ behind publishing your books.

Here are a few necessary components to an attractive author page:

• A historical background that points to your credentials
• A professional headshot and/or book cover
• Details like the title(s) of your books, any articles written about you, interviews, ect.
• Reader reviews from places like Amazon and Goodreads
• The reason why you became an author and how you want to serve others
• Important links to other online platforms you engage on
• How to best get in touch with you such as email or through social media

A successful page will not only clearly detail who you are and what you have published, but will also acknowledge your audience. In order to gain more publicity, this page will become the main place to review your work and open the doors for opportunities.

Engage in Events

These days many book promotion and signing events take place online, but there are still a few places that allow for you to meet your readers in person. This will allow you to build relationships and lead them to your online hubs – places like a chamber of commerce or local book stores. Online there are community groups on Facebook and LinkedIn where you can communicate with the administrators as to whether you can promote your book.

Once you have an event(s) set up be sure to promote this on your social media outlets at least two weeks in advance in order to invite others and generate excitement. Encourage your followers to share the event as well as make comments afterward.

Your Book Design Matters

The very first thing people notice when looking at an author is not the title of the book, but rather what it looks like. This could potentially make a break a purchase and even affects how many people will want to know more about you. 

A good book cover should not only be attractive, but very clear about the topic. The main title and message of your design should be easy to understand right away.

Generate More Interest Through Promotions and Giveaways

If you are just starting out then giving away a sample chapter or product that goes along with your book can help bring in more interest. Providing a reading sample can greatly improve your overall book sales. If you hook the reader in right away, chances are that they will recommend it to others. This is a valuable tool to use when seeking more book reviews and feedback online.

A promotion should only be set for a specific time frame, and include a deadline. Share this information through your email campaigns, on your website, through social media, and on any broadcast, you may have.

Authentic Book Reviews Are Like Gold

People want to know that your work is genuine and endorsed by others, especially expert reviewers. The more positive feedback is generated the greater chance of sales and word-of-mouth recommendations.

Good reviews can help improve your book publicity in several ways:

• Improves your visibility on social media
• Provides incentive to create more promotions
• Establishes you as a leader in your industry
• Improves your chances of moving up to the bestseller list
• Increases your book sales

Begin by asking anyone you may know to read your book and then leave a verified review. Include these reviews on your website. You may also want to approach editors and other professionals in your field to do the same. Leverage your giveaway campaigns in a way that offers an incentive for leaving a review.

Social Media Cannot Be Ignored

Many authors don’t feel the need to engage themselves online through the main social networks, but unfortunately, this will prevent them from ever gaining the high visibility that they deserve. Social media provides a way to connect with your readers, which builds trust and awareness.

Use these platforms to provide important updates, get feedback, and share valuable tips and information. Videos are great for this and can be most effective when cross-promoting them not only on your website but also on several social media outlets at once.

Don’t Focus On Just One Platform

The main goal of engaging on social media is to attract more interested readers whom you can establish an ongoing relationship with. Chances are your audience isn’t communicating on just one platform, but possibly two or three others. Take the time to find out where they are the most active and focus on those channels.

Make your book available on your website as well as on platforms like Amazon and Barnes and Noble. If you have a local bookstore that you work with be sure to include some information on where people can find you online.

A great way to expand your network is to join specific groups on social media related to your niche. These are places to offer helpful information and comments, and should not be used to directly promote your book.

It’s a Marathon, Not a Sprint

Don’t Give Up. Be patient with the process. Depending on how much time and funds you have available the promotion process could take several months to a year to gain momentum. This is a time to patiently build your presence and following in order to have a successful publicity campaign.

Avoid Becoming Discouraged. Sometimes things don’t turn out the way we planned, especially as trends and other world events directly impact our campaigns. Know that negative comments and reviews may come your way. Keep moving forward. Don’t allow a few naysayers to spoil the entire process. If you remain positive then others will see that and respond the same way.

A Final Word to Ponder

All great promotions start with great content that people will love. Your work will speak for itself, and even though you may not get to the top of the ‘A’ list at first, stay persistent in building a buzz for your brand over time. Eventually, you will arrive if you do not give up, and stay consistent with your efforts.

Think of book publicity as planting a new seed. In order for this to grow you need the proper soil, nutrients, light, and water. It is a process for a plant to start to develop, but once it becomes established it can yield a harvest.

Don’t go into publishing with the expectation that people will notice your work right away. You need to do the work to get it out there to the public and create awareness of what your unique brand has to offer. If you want to stand out from the masses you will need to convey how you are set apart from the competition and can meet the needs of your readers that uniquely address a narrow, niche audience.