Attempting to market your book on the Internet without any guidance is like attempting to become a master chef after one cooking class. However, with a little guidance and a little practice, anyone can get started marketing their book online.
We know it can be difficult to market your self-published book online by yourself, so we created this reference guide of resources, helpful Web sites and other tips to make your marketing efforts a little smoother.
1. Buy a domain name for your Web site. Even if you aren’t quite ready to build a Web site, buying the domain means no one else can buy it before you. Providers such as godaddy.com allow you to buy a domain name for as low as $10.99 per year. Your book title or your name (provided neither is too long or hard to spell) are good domain names.
2. If you don’t already have a blog, start one. Using a platform such as WordPress will give you a professional and easy to maintain blog. If you’re unsure of what to write about on your blog, start by reading the blogs of other authors to see what they blog about. Your blog can also become a place where you talk about your book, share excerpts, announce upcoming events and give special offers to your blog readers. The best way to spread the news about your blog is to start commenting on other people’s blogs and linking to blogs from your blog.
3. Share your expertise on Yahoo! Answers. Yahoo! Answers is a site where users can post questions and other people answer them. Yahoo! Answers is a highly trafficked site and at any point in time there are thousands of open questions. Search by category to find questions users are asking in your area of expertise. Answer questions, and then post a link to your Web site to draw users to your site for more information.
4. Use Google Alerts. Google Alerts are e-mail updates you receive based on a topic or keyword you select. Set up a Google Alert for something related to your book or your area of expertise, and if possible comment on the trend or breaking news if it relates to your book. This is an excellent way to position yourself as an “expert” with local or national media.
5. Do a blog tour. Take some time to research blogs that reach your book’s target audience and/or discuss your area of expertise. When you find blogs that match these criteria, take the time to read blog posts and post a comment. Focus on adding to the conversation with information, not taking away from the other comments by only talking about yourself and your book.
6. Submit an online article. Write an article between 500 and 2,000 words about your book’s topic and submit it online to sites such as Isnare, Ezine Articles and Article City. These sites sort articles by categories for users to read and learn from. If you are especially knowledgeable in a certain area, these article sites could be a good option for you.
Beyond this list there are hundreds of other ways you can use the Internet to market your book. It’s up to you to be creative and think outside the box for new marketing ideas. The key you must remember when marketing your self-published book is that you are the one who is responsible for marketing your self-published book. By utilizing the professional marketing services available to you through Pacific Book Review as well as implementing your own tactics, you are sure reach a wide audience for your book.