Book Marketing 101: Tips for New Self-Published Authors

It’s clear from my blog that I give equal, if not more, space to review indie and self-published authors. For them, marketing is something they need to do on their own. A traditionally published author has so many more options available to them, with the backing of a specialized team via their publisher, that is qualified to do just that.

In this scenario, a trad published author would be at an advantage compared to a self-published author. However, you needn’t worry, because there are so many ways that an indie author can focus on marketing efforts even while running a one-man show. For self-published authors, this is a blessing in disguise because they’ll be able to learn the ropes and figure out what works and what doesn’t for their niche.

In the future, if they crack a deal with a traditional publishing house, they’ll be more aware of the entire book production process and will be able to contribute suggestions and ideas, helping the future of their book.

Let’s see a few amazing book marketing and promotion ideas for self-published authors:

1. Create a mailing list – This is the number one tool in the self-published author’s marketing arsenal. It is really simple to create a mailing list – where authors often stumble is knowing what to share in their newsletter. You need to build a rapport with your readers. You could give them special pre-release deals, and make sure they’re the first to know about your new books. Give them little perks, tidbits, and insights into your life or process, and they’ll be super loyal fans.

2. Create a writer website – This is a very important yet often overlooked part of the authorship process. A website can help a lot in terms of reader engagement, building a mailing list, and incentivizing readers to return to your work (you can achieve this by pushing new releases to your email list). Without a writer website, you’d be dependent on other people for promotion, and will be forced to leverage their platforms. This is great when used in addition to your own website, not instead of.

3. Book information on online retailers – This is something authors need to pay special attention to, because this is a one-time thing that doesn’t take very long, yet it is important to get it right. On whatever platform you are publishing your book, you need to add your blurb, title, author name, and descriptions correctly. You can also add meta descriptions, keywords, and place your work in appropriate categories. Optimize these for maximum benefits.

4. Reach out to book bloggers – Getting book reviews from book bloggers/booktubers/bookstagrammers is super important and beneficial, specially to an indie or self-published author. You need to start outreach much before your book is actually set to launch. Provide free ARCs, preferably digital copies, to reviewers, and reach out to as many as possible. Set up your book pages on platforms like Goodreads so that these reviewers can add early pre-launch reviews – in addition to reviewing them on their blog or social media, building clout for your book.

5. Use social media – Social media is really helpful to both attract and interact with readers. When those book bloggers we spoke about review your books, they’ll very likely also share their opinions on their social media platform of choice – be it Instagram, Twitter, Youtube or even a podcast! When they share info about your book, they’ll tag you if you’re easy to find, which will help their followers discover you too! It’s really important to interact with fans and stay approachable.

That’s it for now, and we’ll be back with more marketing tips and author resources in the future! If you want us to help you market your book, contact us via email or check out our Author Services page.