You are someone who was always inspired to be a writer. you finally took time out of your job or your studies and with immense focus, and you began writing your first book. It took your heart, soul and countless all-nighters to finally complete this creative piece you were so focused on finishing off. Now you are ready to reveal your story to millions of people around the world, but wait! You don’t have millions of followers on social media sites or have the backing of a huge publishing company, so what should you do? Now you are supposed to turn this challenging situation into a blessing, you can do so by understanding the ways to promote a self-published book to millions of people around the world, using the methods mentioned down below.
Ways on how to promote your Self-Published Book
1. Leveraging Social Media
Social media is the most powerful in this modern era and to have an online presence is the first step you should take to promote your work. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and TikTok allow authors to make compelling content and engage with the audience through posts, live sessions and targeted ads.
As an author, you can make TikTok or Instagram reels where you can share snippets of the content of your book, have behind-the-scene content showing your day-to-day hard work put into this book of yours and you can also do Live Q&A sessions to interact with the audience and take up there questions which will foster a sense of community. Joining same-genre groups on places such as Reddit and promoting your work would surely attract a niche-focused audience. You can also run Paid Promotions on applications such as Facebook or Instagram through ads. Developing a strong community or a fan base would allow you to market your book even further. Social media builds visibility and also strengthens your brand.
2. Online Blogs and Author’s Website
Creating your own author’s website is the best way to make yourself a brand and market yourself to people, this allows for personal branding and having online recognition linked with your work. You can easily create a website through online resources such as WordPress, Weebly and Squarespace. This website would provide important insights into the book, give a background of your past and how you got into writing and present a way to let the world see your creative side in a different style. You can also make a discussion page that will allow your audience to talk about your book, and its content and discuss amongst themselves creating a communistic atmosphere.
Moreover, you should also post blogs and content about your books, it could be on your website or other platforms like Medium or Good Reads. Maintaining a blog related to the genre of the book or theme would attract people with similar interests and increase traffic to your website. Blogging helps you to maintain your authority and provides a platform to keep your audience updated.
3. Utilising Email Marketing
Email Marketing is a professional tool for authors to promote their books, allowing direct communication with the readers. Building up an email list could be easily done by having a newsletter section on your website, or by offering a free chapter or exclusive content by signing up through your email in your blog or social media sites. Regular newsletters can include book updates, promotional deals & discount codes, author’s insights and behind-the-scenes content. Sending out personalised emails can build a connection with your readers and can also make them feel valued, increasing engagement. You will have a marketing channel targeted to your most loyal followers once your email list begins to expand.
However, if you reside in regions such as Iran or UAE where English is not a common language and you are unsure of how to promote and market your work, you can always search for marketing services. For example, a writer in Sharjah faces this issue and could easily search for book marketing services in UAE and get help from the desired marketing company.
4. Engaging in Podcast Interviews
Podcasts are a trendy and emerging platform that can be heard worldwide and have all kinds of genres. As an author, you can sit down. With a fellow podcaster who covers the same genre and discusses the book in detail with a niche audience. Many podcasts focus on literature, self-publishing and genre-specific discussion. Authors can offer to be guests and promote their work by sharing their insights into their writing journey, book theme and what makes it unique.
5. Creating a Trailer
A book trailer is a short, engaging video that visually captures the book’s essence, helping attract potential readers. This should showcase the book’s concept, storyline, and distinctive features using compelling images, background music, and a short yet captivating narration. Authors can upload these trailers on platforms such as YouTube, Instagram Reel, TikTok and Facebook, using these platforms as ways to promote their work to a wider audience. They can also add keywords and captions to their videos and also add links to their website to increase engagement and also add a purchasable link to their books.
6. Hosting A Virtual Book Webinar
Authors can host virtual events and webinars to promote their self-published books and to engage with their readers. Writers can utilise platforms such as Zoom, Google Meets, Facebook Live, and Instagram Live to conduct live reading sessions, Q&A sessions and discussions about the book theme. This will allow your viewers to engage and have interactive sessions which will develop a personal connection with the audience.
7. Collaboration with Influencers & Book Bloggers
Collaboration with book bloggers and influencers is a fantastic strategy to promote a self-published book. This is a really powerful way to promote your book, as influencers already have a well-developed community and fan base allowing you to reach a wider audience. You can also request book bloggers, Youtubers and Instagram reviewers to request honest reviews about your books. This will ensure increased credibility and exposure, also you can promote your online webinars and events through these collaborations.
However, writers who generated a bit of revenue through some online ventures and promotions, can also now search for the best book publishing companies near them to have a proper publisher, as their work has now gained the proper audience and they have to keep up with their reputation.
8. Network with Other Authors
As an author, you should start networking with other authors as this strategic approach will allow you to build valuable connections and help you to promote your self-published book. Engaging with writers of different genres allows for cross-promotion, shared audience and collaborative opportunities. Authors join writing groups, attend book fairs and participate in online forums to build relationships. Co-writing articles, co-hosting events or bundling books together can attract new readers. Fellow authors support each other through reviews and recommendations, which creates a supportive network that enhances credibility and exposure.
9. Run A Contest Or Giveaway.
Running a giveaway or contest is a great way to generate excitement and attract readers to a self-published book. Authors can offer free copies, exclusive merchandise and signed limited editions to the prize winners. Entering this contest can include sharing posts, tagging friends, a lucky draw or answering book-related questions. Hosting giveaways on social media sites such as Instagram, Facebook and even Good reads increases visibility. This strategy helps to increase engagement, encourage word-of-mouth marketing and help build a loyal reading fan base.
10. Offer Free-limited Digital Copies
Giving away free digital copies for a limited time can create hype and buzz around your book, leading to increased traffic which would encourage readers to leave a review as they are done reading. Platforms like Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, allow authors to offer limited-time free promotions. This strategy will help to develop an initial base of readership, as people are most likely to read a new book by a new author who has no financial risk.
11. Offer Discounts and Bundle Deals
Offering limited discounts or bundling the books with related products can attract readers to make a purchase. You can also promote discounted E-books on Amazon Kindle and Smash Word, which leads to an increase in visibility and higher ranking in the best-sellers list.
12. Utilising Paid Advertising
Paid advertising can improve the visibility and engagement of self-published books. Traditional platforms such as newspapers, TV ads, and Billboards are used as well as platforms such as Facebook Ads, Amazon Ads, and Google Ads, which allow you to target a specific niche of the audience. A well-designed ad should feature eye-catching images, graphic texts, compelling copy, and a clear call to action such as “Buy Now” or “Read a sample”. Using the metrics and analytics, you can optimise your budget and target accordingly.
A writer who is on the journey of developing a credible community or fan base of readers should reach out to printing companies to have books properly printed that you can sell to potential customers. Writers residing in Gulf countries, especially the UAE, have to do a bit of research on finding book printing services in UAE, as they are not widely available and mostly would need a big pre-order to start printing books.
Is it necessary to have a professional book cover for self-publishing?
Yes, your books should have a well-designed cover that attracts readers and enhances credibility.
Can I self-publish books without spending money?
Yes, platforms such as Amazon KDP and Social media marketing can help, but investing in front cover and editing is recommended.
Should I have an ISBN for my self-published book?
Yes, having an ISBN helps to catalogue and distribute your book professionally, making it easier for libraries and retailers to stock it.
Wrapping things up
As a self-published book author, you not only need to have exceptional writing skills for your book but also know how to use different ways to promote your work to people and build an audience from scratch. Utilising methods such as email marketing, Social Media, collaboration with influencers, and running giveaways to generate buzz around your work is the way to go with your promotional campaigns. Some methods might take time, but combining all these efforts would enable you to boost your book’s visibility and develop an audience.