8 Ways for Authors to Promote & Launch Their Books – Marquis Williamson | Guest Post

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So you’ve finally put in all the effort to create your masterpiece, now you need an audience to purchase it! This may seem like a daunting task but there are a few ways that it can be made easier. Social media and the online community within your niche is the easiest and most affordable way to do so.

Not sure where to begin?

Here are eight surefire ways to boost exposure and promote your book through social media:

 

1. Embed a social share button in a free chapter of the book

One of the easiest and cheapest ways to boost social sharing for your book is by giving away a free chapter. Besides the fact that a free chapter is the best incentive for collecting emails, it also provides you direct access to the screens of your potential customers. If you include a social share button with the free chapter, this allows your fans to easily and quickly share your work. For free!

 

2. Design a Facebook or Instagram contest

Another easy way to create buzz around your impending book release is to host a contest just before the release. A few weeks to a month before the release date, create a contest on your favorite social media platform. The prize could be a free copy of your book or another product that you personally love.

The entries can be as simple as liking your page on Facebook or as high-level as collecting emails on a landing page. All of this is, once again, free (except for the cost of your prize). A great platform to organize and host contests for free is Gleam. This platform not only allows you to create contests but it also allows multiple people to monitor the contest in the event that you are working with partners for your giveaway.

 

3. Broadcast live videos with experts

Your target market already likes the niche that you fit into, so bringing experts of this niche into your social circle is a strong move. Reach out to experts on the topic or genre of your book and host a live video chat. This is a fun and relaxed way to attract more potential customers to your social media page.

 

4. Add Facebook comments

Facebook allows you to add their commenting feature to virtually any web page, so add it to yours! By doing this, you remove the few steps in between a page visit and an engaged user. When a potential customer comes to your page, he or she is much more likely to comment if all they have to do is simply comment rather than create an account before commenting. By making this as easy as possible for your visitors, you are naturally boosting engagement on your website.

 

5. Organize a top bloggers promotion

Bloggers are basically the modern day press, spreading ideas to everyone immediately and authentically. If you want your idea to spread quickly through the help of a top blogger, reach out to bloggers within your niche and offer to send them your book for a review. People like free things, so the chances are that a few will agree to do so. Work into the agreement that they will only write a positive review so that way you get free positive press.

 

6. Make a great profile

Your primary skill may be writing but don’t forget to bring some of your talents to your online profile. This is often the very first impression that your potential market will ever see. So be sure to use qualities pictures, targeted keywords, and relevant links on your social media profiles. This will help potential fans who are on the fence about following your page take a leap and subscribe to your social media feed.

 

7. Create a video book trailer

Videos are the number one trend for the year 2018 and so it would be wise to jump on that trend. Pull together a few videos that highlight your book, whether it is a behind the scenes video or a professional trailer. If you are not very technically savvy, you can easily and cheaply hire a freelancer to do it for you on websites like Upwork or Fiverr.

 

8. Don’t forget to engage with your audience

We get it. You’ve got a lot on your plate already. All this posting, writing, editing, and publishing has already sucked up your time and energy. Even so, do not forget to respond to comments, likes, and shares as they come in. Your fanbase wants to know that there is a real person behind this book and they want to get to know you!

Engaging within your niche is also the easiest way to attract new followers. Simply by liking and following people within your target market, you can easily and quickly grow your followers on Instagram. One automation tool that helps you do this is Growr, which simply likes and follows users within your target niche around the clock so that you don’t have to.

 

Conclusion

Self-promotion can be exhausting but it definitely doesn’t need to be. With a few strategic efforts you can boost your exposure, increase your fan base, and get those sales when your book is released. What other tips do you have for the author on the cusp of a book release? Share in the comments below!

 

MarquisBIO 

Marquis Williamson is a writer, social media manager and SEO content marketer. She currently lives on the coast of Ecuador, working remotely as a freelancer. Her primary focus is on building online visibility of new, up and coming brand, particularly brands that promote health and wellness. She lives a nomadic lifestyle, though is originally from California.

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