“How long should I promote my book? Two months? Three months?”

Authors ask me this question all the time.

They’re often surprised by my answer: You should promote your book as long as it’s available for purchase and the content is relevant.

The book launch myth

I’m surprised at how many authors put all their effort into the period around the publication date, then abruptly stop. They abandon the book, even if (or especially if) they’re disappointed with sales results.

That’s often because many, many authors — you, maybe? — mistakenly believe that they can only promote their book when it’s new. That’s the farthest thing from the truth.

But they have this impression because there’s a lot of hoopla and hullabaloo around book launches. You can easily find launch courses and checklists online.

You’ll have to look a little harder, though to find programs like my Book Marketing 101 courses that look at book promotion more wholistically and explain how to support your books over the long term.

Readers don’t care about your publication date

In reality, you can — and should — promote and market your book as long as it’s available for purchase.

Readers don’t care if your book came out last week, last month, or last year. All they care about is that it’s a good book.

Here are five things you can do to promote your fiction and nonfiction books long after the launch has come and gone.

1. Pitch yourself to the press as an expert source.

If you’ve written a book on a topic, you’re an expert. Your expertise doesn’t have an expiration date. Your book is a long-lasting credential. But don’t wait for journalists to find you — go to them.

Note that you don’t have to be a nonfiction author to be an expert source. Novelists typically do a great deal of research around situations, professions, themes, and other specifics for their books. What did you learn more than you ever thought you would while researching your fiction? You can probably talk to the media about it with confidence.

Also read:

• Finding the hidden news hooks in your fiction
• How to be your own book publicist
• Promoting your book: 8 ways to pitch media outlets
• How to get trade journal publicity

2. Speak about your book’s topic.

Whether your ideal readers belong to the Junior League, Rotary International, or the National Society of Accountants, you can identify a topic that will resonate with them.

While this is often thought of as a tactic for nonfiction writers, novelists can also speak about topics related to their book’s content.

Also read:

• 5 real good reasons to be an author who’s a public speaker

3. Do podcast interviews.

Let’s be honest. Authors who hit the bestseller list as soon as their books are released are busy, busy, busy. They don’t have time to be interviewed by every podcast host who wants them as a guest, so they give their time to the most popular shows.

That leaves everyone else to interview everyone else, right?

The best part? Podcast hosts don’t necessarily need you to have a “new book” credential to book you. They just need you to be a good guest with something interesting to say.

Also read:

• 19 cool podcast facts every author needs to know
• Podcasts and authors: Should you be a host or guest?
• 19 of the best podcasts for authors and writers

4. Guest blog.

Blog hosts want interesting, original content for their readers.

Your book doesn’t have to be new for you to provide what blogs need and want. In fact, the longer your book has been out and the more you’ve learned about reader reactions to it, the better able you are to write guest posts that will address reader interests.

Also read:

• The guest blogging audience most novelists don’t know about
• 4 reasons to embrace guest blogging
• Download our free Guest Blogging Cheat Sheet

5. Use social media to keep your book title in front of the right readers.

Not too long ago, I bought a book because the author posted on Instagram that the Kindle version was on sale for three days. I’ve been meaning to buy it, but had forgotten to do so.

Then this $1.99 Kindle deal showed up in my Instagram feed. It was a no-brainer. (When I told my daughters about it, they each bought a copy, too, because they had heard good things about the book.)

You know that you don’t want to smother people with marketing messages and images on social media, but regular, appropriate, and humble posts will help remind people (like me) that your book is out there waiting to be read and loved.

You can also use social media months and months after your book is published to remind people to review it on Amazon, Goodreads, and elsewhere. Encourage them to request it at bookstores and libraries, too.

Also read:

• Want to attract readers? Create social media content that resonates
• Instagram Stories for authors: How to create and use them
• Boost social media success with these 3 image types
• Create book promotion quote graphics
• BookTok for book marketing
• Three keys to selling more books with social media

Don’t forget . . .

There’s a lot more you can do, too. But here’s what’s important to remember:

• You don’t want to merely launch your book and move on. You want to continue to promote it months or even years later so it can educate, entertain, or inform the people you know will love it.
• Readers don’t care if your book is “new.” All they care about is that it’s good.

Want to learn more? Register for the “Book Marketing 101 for Fiction: How to Build Book Buzz” or “Book Marketing 101 for Nonfiction: How to Build Book Buzz” e-course to learn how to do all of these things and more.

What can you do today to promote your not-so-new book? 

(Editor’s note: This article was first published in August 2018. It has been updated and expanded.)

But I’m an “outlier” in my 55 and older age group.

Only 20% of us in this age category in the U.S. listen to podcasts. (The rest don’t know what they’re missing, including some great true crime stories like Sweet Bobby, the one I listened to on a road trip last weekend.)

Do your readers listen to podcasts?

What matters the most to you as an author, though, is whether your book’s target audience listens to them.

How do you know if they do? That starts with basic research into your category or genre’s demographics. (Learn how to do that with my “Who Will Buy Your Book?” video.)

Then you match your reader demographics with those of people who listen to podcasts.

Who listens to podcasts?

Fortunately, now that podcasts have grown in popularity, it’s not hard to find information about who does and doesn’t listen to them. The challenge is digging through the facts that aren’t relevant to you to find what is.

I’ve done that for you here.

Here are key statistics from Edison Research’s “The Infinite Dial 2022,” the longest-running survey of digital media consumer behavior in the U.S.:

• 79% of Americans — 226 million people — are familiar with podcasting.
• 38% of the U.S. population listened to a podcast in the past month.
• 53% of monthly listeners are male, 46% are female, 1% are nonbinary/other.
• Almost half — 47% — of monthly listeners are between the ages of 12 and 34.
• One-third — 33% — of monthly listeners are between the ages of 35 and 54.
• One-fifth — 20% — are 55 and older.
• 68% use Facebook, 64% use Instagram, 45% use TikTok; of those, Facebook is used most often by monthly listeners.
• Most monthly listeners are white at 68%, followed by African-American, 14%; Hispanic, 10%; Asian, 3%; other, 5%.
• Most — 21% — listened to four or five podcasts in the past week.
• At 59%, most listen to podcasts at home, with only 20% listening in their cars.

And here are global podcast facts from other sources:

• Globally, listenership reached a new high in 2020 with 485 million listeners worldwide. (Statista)
• Norway leads with the highest percentage of frequent listeners, followed by the U.S. and UK. (Statista)
• 27% of Canadian listeners tune in to three episodes a week. (Statista)
• Podcast listenership is growing the most in Chile at 85% followed by Argentina, 55.28%; Peru, 49.1%; Mexico, 47.84%. (MusicOomph)
• In the UK, 12% of the population listens to podcasts weekly. (MusicOomph)

Most popular podcast categories

What are the most popular podcast categories? Edison Research says these are the top 10 during the second quarter of 2022:

1. Comedy
2. News
3. Society and Culture
4. True Crime
5. Sports
6. Business
7. Arts
8. TV and Film
9. Education
10. Religion and Spirituality

Why should you care?

More and more people are listening to podcasts. According to Acumen Research and Consulting, the podcast market is expected to grow 31% yearly between 2022 and 2030.

Insider Intelligence reports that by the end of 2025, more than 144 million people in the U.S. will be listening to podcasts. And, this year, adult listeners will increase the time they spend listening to podcasts daily by 16% to just over 23 minutes.

That means that it’s increasingly likely that being interviewed on podcasts or hosting one yourself can help you build that essential author platform that ensures there’s an audience waiting to buy your book.

There are other options, too. Could you turn your book into a podcast the way Kate Hanley did with her nonfiction book, How to Be a Better Person?

If your book’s content lends itself to a podcast format, consider pitching a podcast series to one of the many organizations creating them, as well.

Use podcast facts as a guide

As you think about what role podcasts might play in your book marketing, keep in mind that statistics never tell the whole story.

For example, while those 55 and older make up the smallest percentage of podcast listeners, there are many retirement wealth and lifestyle podcasts. That tells me that there are podcasts specifically for people in that age range.

Whether or where podcasts fit into your book marketing goals depends on your interests and skills, too. Podcast interviews and hosting aren’t for everyone, even if your readers love them. And that’s okay. But if they are, these podcast facts might just nudge you closer to taking action.

Let’s do a little authors and podcasts research of our own! In the comments: Do you listen to podcasts? Please add your gender and age. Yes/no, age, gender.

(Editor’s note: This article was first published in July 2016. It has been updated and expanded.)

I was surprised by a recent email from someone who provides book marketing advice to authors.

“Do you want to sell more books?” the marketer asked in a message sent to subscribers. “Then create a daily or weekly podcast.”

They make their case for this approach to podcasts and authors by citing statistics about the increasing popularity of podcasts. The numbers are compelling.

But for the majority of you, creating a daily or weekly podcast doesn’t make sense.

Here’s alternative advice: Become a podcast guest.

Let me explain why.

Hosting a podcast is a lot of work

There are two big deterrents to hosting a daily, weekly, or even monthly podcast: time and technology.

Let’s start with time.

One of the biggest complaints I hear about book marketing in general from authors is, “It’s hard to find the time to do it.”

via GIPHY

Many authors have full-time jobs that make it difficult for them to find time to write their books, even. Eking out time for book marketing is equally challenging.

Others struggle to write a weekly blog post, send a monthly email newsletter, or maintain an effective social media presence. “I just don’t have enough time for it,” they say.

Even the authors I coach who are writing in retirement tell me they don’t want to spend all of their time writing and marketing. They need and want time away from a computer screen.

Which leads to the next obstacle for podcasts and authors.

Podcasting requires tech skills.

Any author who needed help setting up their book on Amazon will understand this immediately.

If you haven’t yet embraced email marketing because you’re intimidated by the technology involved, you get it.

Hosting a podcast requires you to be comfortable working with technology. You need to use the right equipment (recording via telephone or your webcam microphone won’t cut it) and edit audio files. You’ll also have to:

• Upload your recordings to multiple podcast platforms so you get the reach you need to make it worth your effort.
• Create and maintain a website that hosts the recordings and show notes.
• Promote your podcast so people know it exists (as with books, this isn’t an “if you build it, they will come” situation).

Which loops us right back to the time issue. If you don’t have enough time to write and market your books, how will you find time to host a daily or weekly podcast?

Become a podcast guest instead

It’s a whole lot easier to be a guest on somebody else’s show than to host your own. That’s why it makes sense for you to take advantage of the growing interest in podcasts by becoming a guest, not a host.

via GIPHY

The numbers support that strategy. A recent survey of 2,000 monthly podcast listeners by podcast platform Acast revealed that:

• 52 percent say they increased the amount of time they spent listening to podcasts in the previous six months
• 45 percent started listening to podcasts in the past year
• 70 percent enjoy listening to guest interviews
• 65 percent are focused on the show’s content when listening

It only makes sense if your ideal readers are podcast listeners, though. So who’s listening to them? PodcastHosting.org reports that in the U.S.:

• 51 percent of podcast listeners are male, while 49 percent are female
• 48 percent are ages 12-34
• 32 percent are ages 35-54
• 20 percent are ages 55 and older
• 63 percent are white
• 41 percent have household income greater than $75,000
• 25 percent have a four-year college degree

In addition, there are podcasts for nearly all topics and interests, so you’re likely to find shows that can help you connect with your audience.

How to become a podcast guest

Now that you see why becoming a guest rather than a host makes sense, you might be curious about how to do just that.

Here are resources that can help:

• The ULTIMATE Guide to Getting Booked as a Podcast Guest from The Content Factory
• How to Become a Podcast Guest from Digital Marketing Lab
• How to Get Booked as a Guest on a Podcast from The Podcast Host (and be sure to read the site’s guide to being a great podcast guest)

Once you see what your hosts do to schedule and promote your podcast appearances, you’ll have a better sense of the effort required to host your own show.

And . . . you might decide that it’s exactly what you want to do.

Thinking about hosting a podcast?

If you decide that hosting a podcast is a solid book marketing strategy, consider taking a course on how to start a podcast before fully committing to the concept.

Just as you became educated about how to write a book, get it published, and market it, you’ll want to learn how to create and sustain a successful podcast.

I often turn to Udemy for this type of training. A quick search reveals plenty of options. (User ratings and course curriculums can help you make a solid choice.)

Finally, as with all marketing tactics, whether you hope to be a host or a guest, first determine whether the people you want to influence listen to podcasts (the stats above are a good starting point). If they don’t, podcasts don’t belong in your book marketing plan.

Do you host a podcast? Have you been a podcast guest? Please tell us about your experience in a comment.

Whether you’re interested in craft, publishing, or marketing or just want to listen to writers talking about writing, you’ll find a podcast that hits your sweet spot.

And for those who would rather read than listen, some podcasters even offer transcripts.

I’ve compiled this list of 19 of the best as a starting point for you. Try sampling a few; you might even get hooked.

For the sake of consistency, each link goes to the podcast’s iTunes page. I did that so you could easily see a list of recent episodes and topics.

Some of the podcasts have “show notes” for each episode; I’ve linked to those when they’re available, too. (At the website, click on the episode title to get the show notes.) Show notes are often an episode recap and links to resources and other specifics mentioned during the show. If there’s a transcript, you’ll find it in the show notes.

Here they are in alphabetical order.

1. 10-Minute Writer’s Workshop

On this program from New Hampshire Public Radio, writers reveal what it really takes to get pen to paper.

2. Authority Self Publishing

Three marketing types discuss Amazon Kindle publishing strategies and offer a variety of marketing tactics you can use to expand your book-based business.

Show notes

3. Books on the Nightstand

Two publishing industry veterans talk all things books —  what’s new, what’s great, and which ones they can’t stop talking about (and why).

4. Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

This extension of the popular Grammar Girl website provides short, friendly tips to improve your writing.

5. Helping Writers Become Authors

Best-selling author K.M. Weiland  offers help with summoning inspiration, crafting solid characters, outlining and structuring novels, and polishing prose.

6. I Should Be Writing

Winner of the Podcast Peer Award and the Parsec Award, this is a show about a writer going from wanna-be to pro. It focuses on the emotional road blocks in a writing career

7. Longform Podcast

Co-produced by Longform and The Atavist, this one’s a  weekly conversation with a non-fiction writer about how they got their start and how they tell stories.

Show notes

8. The New Yorker: Fiction

Deborah Treisman, fiction editor of The New Yorker, invites an author to select and read a piece of fiction published in The New Yorker. The two then discuss the selection.

9. Novel Marketing

Would you rather be writing more fiction than promoting? The goal of this show is to make book promotion fun and easy.

Show notes

10. Real Fast Results Podcast

While not strictly for authors and writers, this podcast focuses on business tasks you need to master, including marketing strategies and list building with an emphasis on little-known but effective tactics. (Listen to my episode about marketing your book without using social media.)

Show notes

11. Publishing Profits Podcast

Author and publisher Tom Corson Knowles interviews  authors who are self , indie , and traditionally published to find out what’s working.

Show notes

12. Self Publishing Formula

A best selling self-published author and a first timer explore the world of self publishing with a focus on actionable tips for new and experienced indie authors.

Show notes

13. Sell More Books Show

Jim Kukral and Bryan Cohen help you discover the latest book marketing and publishing news, tools and strategies.

Show notes

14. The Narrative Breakdown

This  creative writing and screenwriting podcast hosted by Cheryl Klein, James Monohan, and other guest co-hosts. They discuss storytelling tips and techniques of interest to any writer, student, or fan of quality creative writing, screenwriting, playwriting, fan fiction, English literature, and so on.

Show notes

15. The Self Publishing Podcast

Three full-time authors explore everything related to getting your writing published and making money doing it using “authorpreneurial” strategies.

Show notes

16. The Smarty Pants Book Marketing Podcast

This podcast from Chris Syme focuses on how to sell more books and build loyal fans with social media. Chris is joined by bestselling indie author Becca Syme; together they talk to successful self-published authors and book marketing experts every week. (Listen to my episode about how to build buzz for your book.)

Show notes

17. Writer 2.0

Hosted by A.C. Fuller, a former adjunct professor of journalism at NYU, this show uses interviews with authors, journalists, and publishing experts to cover writing, books, and the publishing industry.

18. Writing Excuses

Weekly episodes vary in length from 15 to 25 minutes. The seven hosts’ goal is to help listeners become better writers, whether they write for fun or profit.

Show notes

19. Writing for Children

Bestselling children’s author Katie Davis, director of the Institute of Children’s Literature, focuses on the craft of writing for children: how to write a children’s book, how to write for children’s magazines, how to get paid, and get published.

Show notes

Do you have favorite podcasts for authors and writers? Please provide the names in a comment. Thanks!

Tip of the Month

I always share a “Tip of the Month,” a free resource or tool for authors, on the last Wednesday of the month.

Are you using the “Freebooksy” Author Marketing App on your Facebook author Page yet?

It’s a free add-on that lets you add a one-click “buy now” button so fans can purchase your book from Amazon or any other site you choose. It sits in the left toolbar of your Page; when visitors click on it, they see your author profile, your books, and any signings you have scheduled.

It even lets people join your mailing list or read a free chapter.

Learn more at the Freebooksy website.