It forces me to do something I need to do more often — study what resonates with you here, then deliver more of it.

I start the two-part process with Google Analytics.

Identifying the top book marketing articles

First, I look at the traffic for all of my content, not just what I created for 2021. There are a few perennial favorites, including one article I wrote in 2012 that continues to rank at the top.

Then I narrow the list down to content created this year. Both exercises help me:

• Identify trends
• Uncover surprises (for example, I thought you’d be really interested in “Should you sell books from your website?” You weren’t.  )
• Guide what I write about in the following year

Here are the articles that interested you the most in 2021. I’m looking forward to delivering more information that helps in 2022.

1. 2021 literary calendar with 137 occasions for book lovers

This month-by-month list of occasions that celebrate all things books during the year we’re leaving behind made it easy to find opportunities you could work into your book marketing plans. It includes information on how to use the 137 special days and holidays for year-round book marketing. (And while this article ran at the end of 2020, the vast majority of traffic it attracted came in early 2021.) And, if you’re looking ahead to 2022, here’s the link to that calendar: https://buildbookbuzz.com/2022-literary-calendar/

2. Who are the best BookTubers?

“BookTube” refers to YouTube video bloggers who talk about books; the book lovers who create those videos are “BookTubers.” This article links to seven lists of the top BookTubers so you don’t have to spend hours and hours wading through searches to find the best and most popular options.

3. 11 free things you can do to buzz your book

If your goal is a high-quality book, you’re going to have to spend money on cover design, editing, and proofreading, for starters. But there are lots of effective tactics you can use to promote your book that cost nothing but time. Learn more about 11 of them in this article.

4. How to give readers a direct Amazon review link

Get more reader reviews by giving fans a link that goes directly to the “write a review” section of your book’s description page on Amazon. This demo video shows where to find that section and how to grab and use the corresponding link.

I’d like to do more of these types of “let me show you how to do that” videos, but struggle to come up with ideas for them. What can I show you how to do?

5. Amazon Verified Purchase reviews: Fact versus fiction

Some authors believe that if you didn’t purchase the book on Amazon so that it’s “verified,” you can’t review it. Others think that reviews that aren’t verified have no value and aren’t worth securing. They’re both wrong. Learn how it works in this article.

6. 3 things you need to stop doing on social media

You see people making mistakes on social media all the time, don’t you? In the early days, it was tweeting “buy my book” nonstop. Today, the faux pas are more sophisticated. Here are three that will put distance between you and your readers.

7. Use Amazon’s embed feature to preview your book anywhere

Guest blogger Walter Rhein introduces us to a little-known Amazon marketing tool that every author with an Amazon listing can use. The “here’s what it looks like” images he provides are especially helpful.

8. 3 book marketing tactics you can ignore

To help you find your focus, I’ve identified three popular tactics that aren’t going to work for most authors. There are exceptions, of course. But for most, you can ignore these activities when you see others using them.

9. 10 Amazon changes authors need to know about

In this guest column, book marketing consultant Rob Eagar outlines the 10 most important Amazon updates for authors. They involve Amazon Advertising, Author Central accounts, and self-publishing with KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing).

10. Kindle Vella: Is it a good fit for you?

Kindle Vella is a new storytelling option from KDP that lets authors self-publish serialized stories, one short episode at a time. This article introduces the concept and links to detailed Kindle Vella summaries and specifics on other sites.

What’s your favorite article from this site this year? Is it on this list, or is it something else? Please tell us in a comment. 

There’s a lot you can do that’s free and effective; I’m listing 10 ideas below. Before acting on them, though, ask yourself these questions:

• Is my book as good as it can be? Does it look and read like anything I’d find in a bookstore or library?
• Is my book’s cover appealing and appropriate for the genre?
• Is my book professionally edited?
• Do I know who will love my book? And do I know as much as possible about those people so I know where I’ll find them both online and offline?

All of this is important because readers are interested in good books. Not so-so books. Not books you rushed through to meet an arbitrary deadline.

And, you need to be marketing to people who read the kinds of books you write. Otherwise, you’re wasting your time.

10 free book promotion tactics

So, presuming you’ve laid the foundation with a solid book, here are 10 free book promotion ideas to try. Implement one, then track what happens. If you see activity that suggests it worked, do more of it.

1. Create a Pinterest board for your book and its topic. Add two pins a week.

Pinterest is a good fit for lifestyle, food, and fashion books targeting women. Be sure to watch the video at “Quick tip for selling more books on Pinterest,” too.

2. Invite a key influencer for your book to guest blog for you.

An influencer is someone who is both active online and respected and followed by your target audience. “Key” refers to the influential people at the very top of your list. They’re the influencers who have the most clout and audience respect.

For more information, read “Who are your key influencers?”

3. Create a group about your book’s topic or genre on Facebook.

Facebook groups are where people gather online to talk about topics they’re interested in. Unlike Facebook pages, groups are designed for engaging and conversing.

To learn how to do it, read “How to create a Facebook group.”

4. Partner with the author of a book on a similar topic to pitch article ideas or talk show segments where you both could be interviewed.

Reporters usually need more than once source for an article. When you pitch an appropriate idea that gives them two sources, rather than one, you increase your odds for success. Similarly, talk show producers like the balance that comes with more than one expert source for an interesting topic.

“Promoting your book: 8 ways to pitch media outlets” explains how to do it.

5. Pitch an adult education center on a workshop based on or related to your book.

Use that experience to refine the workshop before pitching it to conferences or creating an online training program. It’s a great way to get more mileage from your book’s content.

6. Offer to use Skype to do an out-of-town book club appearance.

Book clubs allow you to interact with readers in a way that’s meaningful for both you and them. Learn where to find book clubs and how to work with them in “Authors and book clubs.”

7. Create a tie-in with a nonprofit organization or a charitable event. 

If it’s well-thought-out, the partnership will support the organization while helping to generate book sales.

Make sure there’s a connection between your book and the organization or event, or that it’s a cause you feel strongly about.

8. Collaborate with local authors to plan a “local author day” at a popular bookstore or library.

There’s power in numbers. When all participants promote the event, you all benefit from a larger turnout than any of you can generate on your own.

9. Send a digital copy of your book to five people who read books in your genre and ask them to consider reviewing it.

Authors always need more reviews, and the best way to get them is to give books to the right readers. Sending a PDF file doesn’t cost a thing. To learn how to send a Kindle mobi file as a Facebook Messenger attachment, read “Send review copies through Facebook.”

When you send your book, be sure to include the Build Book Buzz Reader Book Review Form. You want to make it as easy as possible for readers to write those reviews.

10. Post your book announcement press release on free press release distribution sites.

The word “distribution” is a bit disingenuous because these services don’t actually distribute your press release to the media. They host it on their site, where it might be discovered by a journalist. Still, by including a link back to your website in your press release, you’re helping your site’s search engine optimization — SEO.

Learn how to write this essential media relations tool in my e-book, Get Your Book in the News: How to Write a Book Announcement Press Release.

Take action

The tactics you should use will depend on which ones will reach your ideal readers and what you’re comfortable executing. There’s enough variety here to give you solid options, though.

Which of these can you implement today?

What other free book promotion tactics can you recommend? Please share your ideas in a comment.