Selling as a Self-Published Author: 4 Simple Ways to Effectively Market your Book

For authors, the hard work and strain don’t just end when they finish publishing their book. In fact, that’s when the real challenge begins. The most important task an author has to see through is whether their book is selling. And this is where effective marketing comes in.

Why is marketing important?

If you’re a self-published author, you already know that publishing your work is only the first step to being a successful writer. You are now the owner, brand manager, and marketer for your book, and it is up to you to ensure that you appeal to your audience.

It is integral to market your book in the right way and through a variety of online and offline channels. The right promotional strategies will make or break your success as a published author. Some of the most integral goals for marketing are:

• Building the right fanbase for your work
• Establishing yourself as a credible writer
• Selling your books to a wider audience

Effective marketing involves a lot of work, but it can foster great results if done in the right way. Shortlisted below are 4 ways in which you, as a self-published author, can effectively promote your book and meet your targets.

Create an author website

In today’s world, a reader will look your book up online before reading it. This is why it is absolutely essential for you to have an established website that reflects the quality of your published work.

Through a website, you can provide your readers with important information about the book you’ve published, and about yourself as the author. Readers are often anxious to know how credible the author is, and a website allows you to control your content completely, and establish yourself as a professional writer in the eyes of your audience.

The internet has a variety of free, do-it-yourself options for website creation that you can utilize without adding too much to your costs. R. L. Stine is a famous author whose website mirrors the theme of his horror-themed children’s books. The matched aesthetic adds to the reliability of the author and generates more traffic toward his other works.

Make sure you to have a theme to convey to your readers through your online presence. To develop your authenticity as an established author, learn how to build an effective website here.

Tap into Twitter and Tumblr

Social media is the perfect platform to establish a presence and to get a conversation started. As an author, you need to have an active presence on social media to ensure that you’re part of the community you’re reaching out to.

Twitter and Tumblr are known for being discussion-based platforms, with communities dedicated to fanbases. The concept of headcanon culture i.e. fan-made beliefs about a particular story or character is quite a famous conversation starter within the literary community. Fans are known for using these social media platforms to begin conversations on story plots and character tropes.

Some authors have remained relevant even years after their final releases because they continue to engage themselves with their fanbase on such platforms. Cassandra Clare keeps herself active on Twitter by responding to fan tweets regarding their opinions on her characters. Similarly, John Greene has been applauded by fans for going on Tumblr under an alias to casually engage with conversations regarding his books and further discussions.

Embed Tweet:

Hey guys! There’s a contest going on over on my Instagram for #GetCaughtReading month! Go check it out! pic.twitter.com/2lisLz0F40

— Cassandra Clare (@cassieclare) May 7, 2021

Such actions allow an author to connect directly with their readers and thus provides a strong marketing channel. Tap into these sites to begin a conversation about your book, and to engage directly with your readers on their thoughts and opinions.

You don’t just have to settle for verbal discussions. Visuals are also a significant part of maintaining a social media presence.

Free online design tools like PosterMyWall allow you to make easily customizable social media ad templates to go with your tweets so you can optimize your feed and sell your book in style.

List your book on Goodreads

Social media helps you engage yourself with a general audience. But it is integral for you to be more specific with your marketing techniques and target the platforms that will connect you with your primary audience.

Online platforms like Goodreads connect authors and readers to each other through the establishment of a reading-intensive community. Create an author account on Goodreads without paying extra, and list your book on there to grow your own fanbase. Simply sign up on the site as an author to get free access. You can set up your own account on Goodreads in just 4 simple steps:

• Create a Goodreads account by signing up on the Goodreads website.
• Find your book by searching for it, or add the title yourself.
• Find your author page, which is connected to your book title, and click on “Is this you?” to claim it as your own.
• Customize your author page by adding a biography, a suitable photo, and much more to engage your readers.

Famous authors like Stephen King and Dan Brown can be found on Goodreads and have a significant following due to their engagement with their readers and positive reviews.

You too can strengthen your presence as an author by listing your book on these platforms and allowing your readers to get greater access to you and your work.

Get reviews for your book

A positive review is the best tool in an author’s marketing toolbox. Renowned websites like Amazon and Barnes and Noble are highly credible platforms followed by readers from around the globe. A read-worthy review on one of these sites would add great value to your reputation as an author.

There are several ways to get quality reviews. The keyword to note is quality. Make sure that your work is not subject to a biased review or fake compliments. Reach out to known reliable bloggers with a free copy and ask them for an honest review. Have people you know to leave their authentic opinions on Amazon for the world to see.

A popular platform to reach out to for blogger reviews is The Indie View. Similar blogs exist for a variety of genres. Remember to get reviews from relevant people who are well versed in the genre you are writing. Such reviews will bring credibility to your name as a quality writer and will help you gain more traction.

As a self-published author, it can be difficult to manage the marketing and sales of your own work without breaking your bank. The ideas above will help you market your book effectively without adding to your costs and will give you the push you need to be known as a credible author.