The book marketing landscape has changed dramatically since my first book was published in 1995(!). Social media didn’t exist then, so publishers used publicity, advertising, direct mail, word of mouth, and bookstores to tell readers about books.

Today, social networks can be an important part of an author’s book marketing plan. Unlike the more traditional (and still valid) marketing options, social platforms provide an easy way to engage directly with readers.

And there are more and more of them.

Innovation generates more options

Not surprisingly, as technology evolves, innovators create new social networks authors can use for book marketing. Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter/X (despite a decline in users) remain the most popular.

But they have more competition than ever.

Some of the newest platforms are quite niche. Others, though, reach a more general audience and function as alternatives to platforms you’re already familiar with, especially Twitter/X.

Check out these new social networks for book marketing

Here are the four I’m hearing about the most that appear to offer potential for connecting and engaging with readers.

#1. Threads

Because you use your Instagram profile to log in to Threads, the text-centric network launched this July by Meta (Facebook and Instagram) as a Twitter/X alternative gained users quickly.

Simply download the app and use your Instagram login to begin creating your own “threads” – posts. You’ll see posts from people you follow on Instagram, too.

Like, comment, and share just as you do on other social networks.

While you can add images and videos to a thread, that’s really Instagram’s thing. Use Threads in a way that’s more like how you use Twitter/X. For most, that’s posting “here’s where I’m at right now” commentary.

Here’s Business Insider’s guide to getting started with Threads.

Who uses Threads? Most are already Instagram users, but this app skews male right now – 68% male to 32% female. It’s a young group, too. Just over one-third are ages 18-24.

#2. Mastodon

People in my network are buzzing about Mastodon, an ad-free Twitter alternative.

Two features distinguish Mastodon from more established social networks:

• Content from people you follow appears in your network chronologically, as it happens. There are no algorithms deciding what you’ll see and when you’ll see it.
• You personalize your network by joining “servers.” These are fiefdoms within the larger platform created and managed by independent people who create their server’s rules.

Server options range from gaming to art to books to religion.

Here’s Wired’s guide to getting started on Mastodon.

Who uses Mastodon? This one is male-dominated, too. In addition, just under one-third of its users are ages 25 to 34 – a little older than Threads users.

#3. Hive Social

Like Mastodon, Twitter alternative Hive Social uses a chronological feed. That means your posts aren’t hidden from followers, but it also means that if connections aren’t using the app when you post, they’ll need to seek you out to read your commentary.

Hive Social content includes text, images, Q&As, polls, and music. Infuse your profile with more personality without words by adding colors and songs.

It’s mobile only – there’s no desktop app.

Here’s Mashable’s guide to getting started on Hive Social.

Who uses Hive Social? I can’t find much information about this network’s demographics other than that users are mostly Gen Z – ages 11 to 26.

#4. Lemon8

TikTok’s parent company introduced the U.S. and UK to Lemon8 in early 2023, so it’s quite new.

Like Pinterest, this is a lifestyle-focused, image- and video-sharing social network. Some describe it as a combination of TikTok, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Content created with the app’s templates and editing tools is saved and shared on Pinterest-style boards in categories that include:

• Fashion
• Beauty and makeup
• Food
• Wellness
• Home
• Travel

While you can post images without a caption, experts don’t recommend doing so. Because captions have two parts, a headline and body text, they’re more robust than those on similar platforms.

Here’s The Leap’s guide to getting started on Lemon8.

Who uses Lemon8? It’s popular with Gen Z – ages 11 to 26.

Should you start using any of these networks?

Before embracing any of these new options, answer these questions:

1. Does the network reach your ideal readers?
2. Do you have time to learn how to use a new social network effectively?
3. Can you see yourself enjoying using any of them? If not, you’re less likely to become a regular user.

Will the social network be around in a few years?

In addition, consider whether any of these options has longevity.

Remember when people were asking if you’d like an invitation to join the audio-format network Clubhouse?

It was popular with the cool kids when first launched, but fizzled out. Clubhouse is still active, but it’s hardly mainstream.

The same thing could happen to any of these or the other new social networks.

Be realistic about what you can take on

I don’t have a lot of time for social media, so I’m very selective about which platforms I join.

What works for me won’t necessarily line up with your goals or personality. In the interest of helping, though, here’s my very personal take on these:

• Threads: I joined Threads because doing so was easy. I also wanted to see how it compares to other networks. I like how some Threads posts show up in my Instagram feed. That approach pulls me to the app, where I usually start scrolling.
• Mastodon: It requires too much thought for me. There are too many steps to join; each server has its own rules. I just can’t.
• Hive Social: The no-algorithm feed is appealing, but the demographic isn’t a good fit for me personally or professionally.
• Lemon8: I use Pinterest a lot already, so I’ll give this one a try to see how they compare.

In general, I try to stay open-minded, but realistic, about new tools and resources like these.

Can you promote your book without social media?

I know that many authors don’t like using social media.

I get it. It seems like there’s always something more to learn, doesn’t it?

And while I noted at the beginning of this article that social media can be important to your book marketing, you do have other options.

That’s why I collaborated with Jon Bard at Writing Blueprints to create a course for you, “Book Marketing Without Social Media: How to build a fan base and sell books without wasting countless hours on social media.”

In less than two hours, I teach you:

• Nine ways you can create awareness without using social media, including instructions and examples
• How to determine which of those tactics will help you reach your ideal readers
• Ways to select tactics that leverage your strengths, not your weaknesses
• Strategies for author extroverts and introverts
• The secret weapon book publicists use for their clients
• Which “no social media” tactics will take you the farthest the fastest

And the best part? Because you and I are connected, you get a $10 discount on the already low price. Learn more about Book Marketing Without Social Media here.

What’s your take on these four new social networks for book marketing? Do any of them appeal to you? Please tell us in a comment.

Who are the people who can help you sell more books?

I thought about this after an article source mentioned that his company had acquired a firm that specializes in connecting brands with “influencers” — influential social media personalities.

The companies or brands pay social media influencers to showcase their products to followers. They also advertise on influencer blogs and pay bloggers to write “sponsored” posts about the brand and its products or services, too.

There has to be transparency, of course — the FTC requires influencers to state that they’ve been paid to try and/or write about the brands.

Ethics obligate influencers to disclose their brand relationships, but so do their relationships with their followers. They know that fans count on them to provide information they can trust.

The author connection

What does this have to do with authors?

It illustrates how important key influencers are to good marketing. And good marketing is the difference between a good book that sells and a good book that doesn’t.

Plus, if the big consumer brands are connecting with their audience’s influencers in ways that help them sell more products, shouldn’t you be doing it, too?

The most important reason to identify your reader infuencers, though, is to solicit endorsements. It doesn’t cost you anything, and endorsements carry weight.

Reader influencers play a role with your audience

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 reader influencers who have the most clout and audience respect.

To find your key influencers, you have to be clear on your target audience. It’s essential that you know who is most likely to buy your book. (For more on that, read “The powerful and effective formula for more book sales.“)

When you know your target audience, you can figure out who they listen to and respect.

Fiction vs. nonfiction reader influencers

People who influence fiction readers are usually different from those who influence nonfiction readers.

Novelists, start with the most popular authors in your genre.

A historical romance author, for example, might include Diana Gabaldon and Beverly Jenkins on their list of key influencers.

A novelist’s list might also include BookTokers, BookTubers, genre bloggers, prolific genre readers, and any well-known genre publishing house editors.

Add lesser-known influencers in those categories, too. They are going to be more accessible than those at the top. (But I believe in starting at the top and working my way down.)

Nonfiction influencers are usually industry or topic experts and leaders.

A cookbook author’s target audience can be influenced by any high-profile food personalities, including TikTok chefs and popular Food Network show hosts.

Successful serial entrepreneurs and technology startup founders probably influence the audience for an entrepreneurship book.

How to find your reader influencers

The question for many authors is “How do I figure out who influences my readers?”

You might know the answer already without realizing it: Who influences you?

• If you write fiction, you’re probably influenced by certain novelists or recognize the names of up and comers. Start there.
• If you write nonfiction, who are the topic experts you’re following already?

Expand your search from there.

Tools to help you find influencers

Whether you have a list of influencers already or not, a handful of tools can help you expand your search.

Social media

Use hashtags on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter to find people posting about what you write about. Check follower counts and engagement. Who’s the most popular?

Google

Type what you you’re looking for into the search box; dig into the results.

LinkedIn and Facebook groups

Both social networks offer groups for a wide range of topics. Group founders, leaders, or administrators are often experts on the topic being discussed.

In addition, many group members are also influential experts.

Trade association officers and leaders

Trade and industry association officers and committee chairs — such as the board of directors of the Romance Writers of America — are usually widely respected in their fields.

Conference speakers

This is a great way to identify influencers on their way up. Study the speaker line-up for conferences you’d consider attending if you could.

Followerwonk

Follwerwonk is a multi-layered social media management tool. The free version lets you schedule content across multiple social media platforms.

But the power is in the paid version. Identify potential influencers with the profile search function, which lets you find people through bio keyword searches.

Subscribe for one month for $15 to get everything you need, then cancel. (Or, get hooked on Followerwonk’s analytics and stick around!)

What do you do with your reader influencer list?

Once you’ve created your influencer list, become known to the people on it. Get on their radar.

It’s a slow, subtle, process.

But it’s a simple and easy one:

• Follow them on social media.
• Share their content.
• Comment on their content.

When commenting, be sure to say something that adds to the conversation. There’s nothing wrong with “Nice post,” or “Good point,” but both are generic comments that won’t help you stand out.

And your goal is to stand out in a good way. When you stand out, you get noticed.

The big ask

When your key influencers know who you are, you can ask for their support.

Ask them to “blurb” your book. A blurb — testimonial or endorsement — from a key reader influencer tells readers that your book has been expert- and authority-tested and approved.

If you haven’t done this before and appreciate step-by-step instructions and templates, get my multi-media training program. “Blurbs, Endorsements, and Testimonials: How to Get Experts, Authorities, Celebrities, and Others to Endorse Your Book” has everything you need to know to reach the right people with the right message.

Alternatively, work toward the kind of word-of-mouth recommendation that can help sell books. Send your book with a personal note that suggests that their followers will be interested in it with a brief explanation of why.

If they oblige, be sure to extend the impact by resharing what they’ve posted with your followers.

Got a big marketing budget along with an audience that pays attention to social media influencers? Explore a paid relationship with a less-popular influencer who might be willing to talk up your book for a fee (and disclose that it’s a paid post, of course).

Don’t skip this step

Whether you ask anything of influencers or not, you need to be familiar with the most influential people in your niche, genre, or category. When you don’t…and that becomes clear…readers won’t have faith in your ability to meet their standards.

via GIPHY

You can’t give readers what they expect when you’re so out of touch that you don’t know who represents the best in your genre.

Make connections that are important to your career and build trust with your readers by identifying and connecting with key reader influencers. It’s easy…and it’s free.

Start thinking about your influencers today — now. Who is one of them? Tell us who it is and why in a comment below. 

Editor’s note: This article was first published in February 2017. It has been updated and expanded.)

I don’t know many authors who are 100% satisfied with the number of books they sell.

In most cases, it’s because they don’t know the simple formula for more book sales

When you understand the formula and put it to work, you’ll hit your sales goals sooner because you’ll be reaching the right people where they are with the right messages.

You’ll be wasting less time and become far more effective with your marketing.

Your audience isn’t “everybody”

The formula for more book sales starts with understanding that the audience for your book isn’t “everybody.”

There are few books available that appeal to all readers. A how-to book on healthy eating probably should appeal to “everyone,” but doesn’t. And how many 15-year-old boys do you know reading hen lit?

It’s super important to determine the small subset of “everybody” that will want to read your book. While it’s counterintuitive, fact is, the smaller your audience, the more successful you’ll be.

That’s because of how the formula for more book sales works.

Formula for more book sales

Here’s your formula for more book sales:

Narrow target audience + discoverability = book sales

Why does it work this way? It starts with really, truly knowing who will buy your book.

Narrow target audience

Success starts with a narrow target audience. I realize that sounds limiting. You’re probably thinking that if your audience is smaller, you’ll sell fewer copies than if the audience is “everybody,” right?

Nope.

This idea of “less is more” really does make sense when you think about it.

If you wrote a handbook on accounting for small businesses, would you try to sell it to “everybody,” or would you focus your marketing efforts on small business owners with no in-house accounting staff?

Of course you’d focus on the people who are most likely to buy it – small business owners without that capability in-house. Welders, human resource executives, or engineers who aren’t self-employed don’t need or want it, so why waste your time trying to get your book in front of them?

Some books appeal to more people than others do. Still, even when you dig into a popular category like thrillers, you’ll be able to narrow down your audience. Some thriller readers want domestic stories. Others don’t like graphic violence. Still others prefer political thrillers.

The more specific you can get about your audience, the more likely you are to sell more books because you’ll be going after only the right people. It keeps you from wasting your time while it helps you make the right marketing decisions.

Narrow target audience specifics

To get your book discovered, you want to know your specific target audience’s:

• Demographics
• Psychographics (life stage, lifestyle, culture, religion, etc.)
• Book buying habits or preferences

Nobody presents you with that information, though. You have to do some work to get it.

But once you have that knowledge, you’ll be able to select the book marketing tactics that will help you reach and connect with the readers who will buy your book.

For example, when you know that your target audience is book-loving females between the ages of 18 and 34, you’ll see that TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat are where it’s happening in social media and that you might reach them on Wattpad. More women than men use Wattpad and 67% of the site’s users are in that age range. 

Need help with that? In my video training program, “Who Will Buy Your Book? How to Figure Out and Find Your Target Audience,” I teach you exactly how to identify your book’s target audience and where to find them so you sell more books.

Discoverability

Discoverability, the second piece of the formula, describes how likely people are to find your book when they’re not specifically looking for it.

Maybe they ask Facebook friends to recommend a cozy mystery with a little romance thrown in.

They might use Amazon’s search box to find books on a nonfiction topic and yours shows ups in the search results.

Or they see the title and a description in Entertainment Weekly’s “top summer beach reads” article.

You already know that your target audience won’t discover your book if you aren’t promoting it. And, unless you know your narrow target audience and where to find them online and offline, you won’t be promoting your book in the right places.

That’s why “narrow audience” improves your “discoverability.”

Look for your niches

When you go from “everybody” to a more niche, narrow target audience, you make smarter marketing choices. You waste less time, energy, and money while you do more of the right things that lead to book sales.

That formula again is:

Narrow target audience (the people most likely to buy your book) +

discoverability (promoting your book in the right places) =

book sales

Applying the formula for more book sales

Set aside time to work on your formula. Write down:

• Your description of the single person most likely to love your book
• Why they will love it
• Where you will find that person online and offline
• The book marketing tactics you can use to reach them in those places
• The book marketing messages that will resonate with your narrow target audience

Record this information in your book marketing plan, then take action. You’ll find that you’re far more focused and less overwhelmed.

And you’ll probably move forward faster, too.

Remember: Narrow target audience + discoverabilty = book sales.

Do you know your book’s target audience? What is it?

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

“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.)

What self-published author (including this one) doesn’t want to write more powerful and intriguing book descriptions?

With that in mind, I bought Brian Meek’s 2019 book, Mastering Amazon Descriptions: An Author’s Guide, to help both you and me.

Book descriptions are super important, so you really want to get yours right.

Will this book help you? Here’s what you need to know.

More powerful and intriguing book descriptions convert

Meeks, who writes both fiction and nonfiction, explains that a book description that resonates with readers will help you convert more “looks” to “buys.”

You see the value in that, of course, especially if you’re paying for advertising.

If you’re running Amazon ads, you’ll spend less to get people to buy when your description convinces them to do so. If you’re not advertising, you’re selling more books than you would with a lackluster description.

Instruction is brief

The first few chapters explain the importance of a compelling description.

The true “here’s how to write more powerful and intriguing book descriptions” instruction is just a few pages long, starting with Chapter 4 and concluding at the end of Chapter 7. There isn’t a lot there, but there doesn’t need to be.

What’s in those few chapters is helpful. I would have liked to have seen a formula or template to go with it, but you can use what’s there to create your own.

Sample book descriptions and re-writes

The bulk of Mastering Amazon Descriptions is 40 before-and-after book descriptions. Meeks shares the original description, a short critique, and his re-write. “Read them all,” he advises, rather than flipping through to find those in your genre.

I read maybe the first 10, all for fiction. Then I started skimming to find nonfiction examples.

I found one.

One.

One nonfiction book description out of 40.

That doesn’t mean that nonfiction authors can’t learn from the instruction and the descriptions for novels – they can.

But it does mean that Meeks should include that detail in this book’s description because it’s important. If I bought this as a nonfiction author rather than as someone working to help authors identify helpful resources, I would have been disappointed. (And maybe even annoyed.)

Table of contents doesn’t help

Why didn’t I just check the table of contents to find the nonfiction examples, you ask?

I did.

But the chapters are numbered without titles. Not much help there, ya know?

And without chapter titles in the table of contents, you can’t identify the padding – and there’s a lot of it – without continuing to turn the page as you move through the book.

More fluff than a Rice Krispies treat

Speaking of fluff … I take notes when reading books I plan to review on this site. Here’s what I wrote for a couple of chapters:

• Chapter 29: Bizarre
• Chapter 37: What the what?
• Chapter 44: Huh?

I realized by the end of Chapter 29 that it was originally either a long Facebook group post or a blog post written while Meeks was attending an authors’ conference. It has nothing to do with writing compelling book descriptions.

Here’s a sample from the chapter: “To those who are not here in Las Vegas this week, we shall miss you.” It concludes with another sentence referencing “tonight.”

I think you can understand my confusion.

Skip those chapters.

Still, the fluff is obvious, which makes this book quite skimmable, in fact. You’ll see quickly which chapters are padding and which are relevant.

Kindle price is $9.99

I paid $9.99 for the Kindle version. That seems high for a book with so much filler text, but if it helps me sell more books, it will pay for itself.

For that price, though, I expected more tools and less random content.

And I’ll admit that sometimes I felt like I was being pranked. For example, right up front, Meeks tells us to copy and paste text promoting his book – and with his Amazon Associates link no less – into a Facebook post to see how many more likes we get than we usually do.

I mean, have people actually done that – recommended his book before they’ve even read it just because the author told them to?

Some might see that as clever … others might decide it’s insulting to the reader.

Do I recommend it?

Did I get $10 worth of value from this book?

I did.

Will you?

It will help, especially if you write fiction. You’re likely to see at least one before and after for your genre. If you’re like me, examples help provide clarity.

It will help nonfiction authors, too, but because there’s only one nonfiction example – and examples are the bulk of the book – it’s less useful to them.

This isn’t the wildly enthusiastic review I was hoping to write (especially because I laughed out loud during the first few pages). But I did learn from the book, and for that, I’m grateful.

What book would you like me to review next? Please tell us in a comment.

• Magazine
• Newspaper
• Online media outlet or content site
• Radio station
• TV program
• Blog
• Podcast

It’s more powerful than advertising and other paid-for marketing tactics because it brings with it far more credibility. That’s because when you’re quoted by the press, you get an authority boost.

People are smart enough to know that journalists are selective about who they use as sources. So, if a reporter chose you, you must know what you’re talking about.

What are the easiest and most effective ways to get publicity? Here are my top three.

1. Write and distribute a publicity tip sheet.

A tip sheet is a type of press release that offers tips or advice in a bulleted or numbered format.

Like a press release, it’s written like a news story so that a media outlet or blogger can run it as is. No additional research or writing is necessary.

Media outlets, especially newspapers and magazines, like tip sheets because they can pull out just one or two tips to fill space. They also run them as short articles or use them as a starting point for longer feature stories.

Radio stations like to share the advice in snippets or, like TV talk shows, build author interviews around the tip sheet topic. Bloggers run them as new posts because tip sheets with substance help them deliver useful information to their followers.

Learn how to create one and see an example in “How to create a book publicity tip sheet.”

2. Blog regularly.

When I’m looking for sources for my freelance writing article assignments, I often start with a Google search.

I might type in my article topic, or, when I specifically want to interview an author, I’ll type the topic plus the word “author.”

More often than not, search results take me to blog posts. I contact the blogger via email; if they respond (and sadly, it’s “if,” not “when”), we do an interview … and that expert scores free publicity.

Here’s how you can leverage your blog’s content to get publicity:

• Provide your email address on your “contact” page, not a form that people have to type into. Because I rarely get a response to my form-based inquiries, I try not to use them when I find a source I’d like to interview. If I can use only one of the two experts I’ve found, I’ll start with the one who provides an email address.
• Respond to media inquiries quickly. Most of us move on to the next option quickly when we don’t hear back from someone we’ve contacted within a reasonable amount of time.

3. Subscribe to HARO.

HARO – Help a Reporter Out – is a free service that helps journalists find sources to interview and quote in articles and broadcast segments.

It is one of the easiest – if not the easiest – ways to get book publicity.

HARO is every book publicist’s secret weapon because works. That’s why every time I coach an author who wants media exposure, the first thing I ask is, “Are you using HARO?”

And it’s free.

HARO feeds you requests from journalists

When you create a free HARO account, you’ll get three emails a day. Each of these emails includes a collection of brief messages from journalists who are looking for article or segment sources. We call those messages from journalists “queries.”

I use HARO regularly to find people to interview or quote for my freelance writing assignments, and, sad to say, I rarely hear from authors.

Worse, those I hear from don’t respond in a way that makes it possible for me to interview or quote them.

That’s because there’s a right way and a wrong way to respond, and many sources of all types, not just authors, respond the wrong way.

HARO response secrets

I teach how to use HARO the right way to get publicity for your author career and your book in my course, “Get Quoted: A Journalist’s Strategies for using HARO to Snag Book Publicity.”

Mastering HARO will give you a competitive edge that will not only help you sell more books, it will contribute to the platform you need to get a traditional publishing contract.

And, for those who consult, coach, or speak, it will boost your profile in ways that attract more clients and allow you to charge more for your services.

Get more information on the Get Quoted course description page.

Publicity begets publicity

It’s important to use any of these methods or others, including contacting media outlets directly with article or segment ideas, because publicity begets publicity.

Here’s what often happens once you’ve been quoted a couple of times:

• You, your book, and your website show up higher in search engine results when people, including journalists, search for your topic.
• Journalists who see you’ve been quoted already are more likely to contact you for an interview. That’s because another reporter has vetted you, and because it’s clear that you’re willing and able to talk about your topic.

You also earn the right to share media outlet, blog, podcast, and content site logos on your website in an “as seen on” banner.

Don’t wait to pursue publicity. Let this free strategy help you reach more of the right readers.

Have you snagged publicity? Please tell us how you did it in a comment!

10 Amazon changes authors need to know about

By Rob Eagar

Amazon is a company that never sits still. It is constantly experimenting, pioneering, and creating new features for customers to enjoy. Its innovation also applies to authors.

Amazon recently launched numerous updates that benefit authors in the following three areas:

1. Amazon Advertising
2. Author Central account
3. KDP Self-publishing system

Here’s a rundown of the 10 most important updates you need to know.

New features for Amazon Ads

1. The release of Sponsored Brand Ads
Have you seen the special advertising box that appears at the very top of Amazon search results? It’s called a Sponsored Brand Ad, and it represents some of the most coveted and powerful space on their website.

For years, this exclusive ad space was reserved for publishing houses and authors with a vendor account. But, Amazon recently made Sponsored Brand Ads available to authors who self-publish with KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing). This ad feature levels the playing field between self-publishing and traditional publishing.

There is a caveat, though. You must have at least three books published and be willing to pay top dollar for this ad space. But, any author with a reasonable ad budget can promote their books alongside the top publishing houses, including HarperCollins and Penguin Random House.

2. Negative Product keywords
Amazon added another great feature within its advertising system called “Negative Product Targeting.” This option was sorely needed, because Amazon’s “automatic” targeting function sometimes wastes money by showing ads on irrelevant book detail pages.

Fortunately, the addition of Negative Product Targeting gives greater control to limit losses from Amazon’s automatic targeting algorithms. This feature helps improve profitability for author ad campaigns. Nice work, Amazon!

3. Buy international ads in 8 countries
Can you say “Buy my book” in French or Spanish? Amazon makes it possible by offering new ad capabilities on its international websites, including the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Canada, and Australia. More countries will be added soon.

It’s never been easier for authors and publishers to reach readers around the globe. In addition, there’s less competition for ad space on Amazon’s international sites. Those who act quickly can sell more books at a lower advertising cost.

4. KENP reads and royalties results from ads
If you self-published a book using Amazon’s KDP service and enrolled your e-book into KDP Select, now Amazon shows how your ads drive KENP (Kindle edition normalized pages) reads and royalties.

If you’re unfamiliar with KDP Select, it’s the option to sell an e-book exclusively on Amazon in exchange for extra income based on the “page reads.” Amazon currently pays around $.0045 per page. So, an e-book that’s equivalent to a 300-page paperback would yield $1.35 of royalties.

Until now, Amazon’s system didn’t measure the performance of Amazon ads on e-book page reads and royalties. But, the company figured out how to make it happen, which is an impressive feature for KDP Select authors to enjoy.

New features for Author Central

1. Author Central gets a makeover
Every author should create a free Author Central account, regardless if you’re self-published or traditionally published. But, Author Central looked woefully outdated until Amazon released a beautiful redesign last month.

Now, Author Central offers an intuitive interface and easier navigation to find your books, update your author profile, and review helpful reports. If you haven’t visited Author Central, see the new look at: https://authorcentral.amazon.com/

Now, Author Central offers an intuitive interface and easier navigation to find your books, update your author profile, and review helpful reports.Click to tweet2. Easily update multiple formats
The old Author Central version had a major flaw. You couldn’t easily locate every format of your book to update the product descriptions. Amazon addressed this problem by making each book format visually stand out when a title is selected in your account, including Kindle and paperback versions. It’s a much-needed improvement. Nice work, Lord Bezos!

3. Create international author pages
Earlier, I mentioned that Amazon offers multinational advertising in numerous countries. Author Central matched this global update by enabling authors to create “Author Pages” in the US, UK, Germany, France, Japan, and Brazil. Authors can also add bios using multiple foreign languages. Below is my Amazon Author Page in France:

It’s a big world out there. If you’re only focused on selling books in America, Amazon wants to help you think internationally.

Updates to KDP Self-Publishing Service

1. New version of KDP Reports
If you’ve self-published a book using Amazon KDP, you’ll love the new beta reporting features. It’s easier than ever to gauge real-time book sales, compare title performance, and estimate monthly royalties. KENP page reads are also included along with an updated payment history section.

To access the beta reports version, click on the “Reports” tab within your KDP account. Then, look for the link that says, “Try the new KDP Reports beta.”

2. Nominate your e-book for a Kindle Deal
KDP added a new section labelled “Marketing” that acts as one-stop-shop for all of the book promotion tools. There are quick links to KDP Select, Amazon Advertising, Author Central, and Price Promotions.

But, KDP also added a new marketing tool in beta version called “Kindle Deal Nomination.” Kindle Deals are limited-time discounts on e-books typically priced at $.99 – $2.99. If Amazon accepts your nomination, your e-book could be featured on its website for a day and even possibly multiple weeks.

You can nominate up to two eligible e-books at a time. If a book nomination isn’t accepted, you can automatically renew it every 90 days. This is a great opportunity to gain prime promotional access to thousands of Amazon shoppers.

3. Create and manage a book series
Writing books in a series is the smartest way to build your author career. But, arranging a series within KDP used to require reaching out to Amazon’s customer service team. Now, you can create and manage a series on your own directly within KDP. This is a great time-saving feature that makes it easier to cross-promote related books to avid readers. Once again, Amazon did authors a huge favor. Bravo!

In my 14 years as a book marketing consultant, I’ve never seen Amazon release so many updates in such a short period. These 10 upgrades are good news for authors, because they provide more control over your success.

Learn more about Amazon

Note from Sandra:

Friends, if you still haven’t made Amazon your top priority for selling books, now is the time to get on board.

Register for a FREE WEBINAR on Thursday, July 15th, at 2:00 pm Eastern, where Rob and I will discuss these Amazon updates and answer your questions. Click the link below to reserve your spot:

Register for Free Webinar

Amazon is leading the way with new innovation. Rob and I are here to help you stay on top of all the changes.

Together, let’s make 2021 the best year ever for you and your books!

Are your books selling well on Amazon? What’s your best tip for succeeding on that retail platform? Please tell us in a comment!

If you’re familiar with Reedsy, you won’t be surprised to know that I think How to Market a Book: Overperform in a Crowded Market by Reedsy co-founder Ricardo Fayet is an excellent book.

It’s not thorough – it doesn’t address many book marketing tactics that are effective – but it doesn’t need to cover all options to offer value.

Fayet’s book focuses primarily on how to understand how Amazon works, then use that knowledge to sell on that platform using email, pricing promotions, and advertising.

It also goes in-depth into how to leverage Apple Books, Google Play, and Kobo. Since most books are purchased on Amazon, though, he spends more time explaining what you need to succeed there.

Who will find this book helpful?

There’s no question that this is a valuable resource for any author who wants to sell books.

While it repeats some of what you might have read on this site already – the importance of writing a great book with a genre-specific cover and knowing as much as possible about your target audience, for example – it also goes into great detail about Amazon algorithms and lists.

We all need to understand as much as possible about how Amazon works.

Still, as I moved through the book, I realized that the ideal reader for this particular book is what I might call a “career author.” Fayet is writing for someone who has the potential to support themselves through book sales.

It doesn’t matter if that doesn’t describe you, though. How to Market a Book is still important to your work as an author, especially with regards to understanding Amazon better.

Note, too, that it skews toward series fiction writers since that’s the best way to become a full-time author. He notes that nonfiction authors can also write series, but his examples tend to be from fiction.

My favorite gems

As Fayet notes in Chapter 1, book marketing is all about getting discovered. It’s not about chasing down readers, it’s about how readers find your book. Everything in Section I, “Mindset and Marketing Fundamentals,” is a must-read for all authors, but I especially appreciated his thinking on “the silent majority” in Chapter 4. These are the people who don’t leave reviews, but could recommend your book to friends.

I discovered a new-to-me concept – book “universes” – in Chapter 7. Fayet describes this as “series of series” – creating a new series that’s related to another series you’ve finished writing. Think TV series spin-offs – for example, NCIS followed by NCIS L.A. and NCIS New Orleans, or all of the Law & Order programs.

Chapter 8 explains read-through rate for series books and explains how to calculate it. Again, if you don’t write series, this isn’t useful. But if you do, you need to understand this.

I especially appreciated Section IV, Amazon Marketing, where Fayet went into great detail on Amazon’s lists and algorithms. How much do you know about Popularity Lists and how they work? You’ll learn even more in Chapter 17.

You’ll get good basics on e-mail marketing in the section on mailing lists. If that’s something you want to get better at, though, read my review of the excellent Newsletter Ninja: How to Become an Author Mailing List Expert. (Then buy that book.)

There’s an incredible amount of information on advertising in Section VIII because this book focuses on paid marketing tactics.

Finally, one of my favorite gems in Chapter 50 on audiobook marketing details how to get an audio clip from your book to share on your website. If you’ve got books available in audio format, you’ll appreciate this chapter.

As is often the case, there was a chapter or two that could have had more substance, including the one on editorial reviews. Still, How to Market a Book includes enough links to tools that will improve your marketing to make up for that.

Five stars

Read this book, which you can download on Amazon for free. It will get you on the right track, especially on Amazon.

And let’s face it: No matter how you feel about Amazon, you can’t avoid it if you want to sell books.

I highly recommend reading it, whether yours is a stand-alone book you want discovered or you’re a series writer who plans to make a living from royalties.

Have you read this book? What did you think about it? Tell us in a comment.

5 reasons to turn your book into an audiobook

By Derek Doepker

Audiobook sales are booming.

In fact, Written Word Media said that audiobooks are the number one publishing trend of 2020. With this increase in audiobook popularity, savvy indie authors can reach a whole new audience of readers by creating audiobooks.

Just about every indie author can benefit from having audiobooks. There are a few exceptions, of course, including cookbooks and technical manuals. However, most genres make great audiobooks. This includes fiction, nonfiction, and children’s narrative books.

If you’re in one of these categories, read on to discover five reasons why you’ll want to tap into the audiobook market.

1. You can increase your royalties

I produced a short audiobook for one of my books in about three hours. This audiobook has now made thousands of sales. Imagine generating thousands of new sales by only investing a few hours to create an audiobook.

This is why I’m so passionate about encouraging authors to create audiobooks. What I discovered is, the moment you have an audiobook, you open up a whole new world of potential book buyers. These are people who may never otherwise purchase your books, especially people who are visually impaired and are “audio-only” readers.

It just makes sense to have your book available in different formats to maximize sales.

2. You’ll get into a growing market early

The audiobook market has grown more than 30 percent consistently each year recently. Today, more people consume books while driving, exercising, and doing housework than ever before.

Chances are, as people get busier and busier, audiobook sales will continue to increase.  And during COVID-19, e-book and audiobook sales jumped.

Unlike trends that come and go in a matter of months, the investment you make today to create an audiobook can pay off for years to come. This means audiobooks are likely a “safe bet.” In fact, some authors may find themselves left behind in the coming years if they don’t have their book available in audio format.

3. You can stand out from the competition

Look at the Kindle marketplace. There are approximately one million books published every year. It’s hard to stand out from all of them, isn’t it?

However, audiobooks have significantly less competition. Right now, you have an opportunity to get into a thriving market without as many competitors.

This means that relative to the Kindle market, you may have an easier time getting discovered by new readers.

4. You’ll have a compelling bonus to motivate readers

As long as you own the rights to distribute your audiobook anywhere, you could offer your audiobook as a bonus for people to:

• Sign up for your email list
• Purchase your e-book during the launch
• Fill out a book feedback form to gather testimonials
• Share your book on social media
• Get the next book in a series

This means even if you never sell a single copy of your audiobook, it can still be worth having as an asset to grow your author business overall.

5. You can create audiobooks on any budget

Some authors don’t pursue audiobooks because of the financial investment. For some, it’s because they don’t have the technical know-how. Fortunately, there are strategies that help almost any author create audiobooks on any budget.

One money-saving strategy is to record it yourself. With a step-by-step, hold-your-hand process, even the most technophobic authors can create audiobooks themselves.

In terms of investment, you can get the equipment you need for less than $150. Then, not only will you be able to record your own audiobooks, you’ll have a setup you can use for podcasts, videos, and any other audio work you do.

Plus, some authors even earn additional income by recording audiobooks for other authors.

Learn how to turn your book into an audiobook

Think recording an audiobook is for you? My course, Audiobooks Made Easy, walks you through the process step-by-step.

You’ll learn everything from the equipment you need to editing and producing your book in the right format for audiobook retailers. And the good news is, I offer a no-risk, 30-day moneyback guarantee if this detailed training program that includes access to me isn’t what you need.

Get the details and purchase the on-demand training at the Build Book Buzz compensated affiliate link for Audiobooks Made Easy.

Did you record your own audiobook? What was your biggest challenge? Please tell us in a comment.