You wrote a book or three and you have worked hard to get them published either by traditional means or by small publisher or you have went indie (self published). You have placed your book with Createspace or Lulu and have uploaded the ebook version to Smashwords and Amazon Kindle. You have gotten a blog together or website, joined facebook, linkedin, twitter and hundreds of other social networking sites. You have joined several forums and introduced your spiffy new book. Now what?
You feel I have worked hard and now you should reap the benefits of these hard labors. But I say to you the journey has just begun. Attracting buyers (readers) and marketing your book is a full time job, even for the well known author. You need to keep putting yourself and your book out there for the world to see but you have many many questions.
Where do you post?
What do you post?
How often do you post?
What is a link?
How does a link help?
How do I promote links?
Where can I find some sort of guide?
I can not promise that I will sell you millions, nor can I promise that this will work for everyone. I can not promise it will be easy but I shall do my best to make it doable. Also before we get into posting and linking I am assuming a few things. Your book is finished, you have a website/blog and you are ready for promotion.
If you do not have a website or blog (get one). I like blogs as they are ever changing (hence this one). You can get a free blog on Blogspot and Wordpress. I will talk about website/blog promoting later in this post.
First on the chopping block is where to post. There are several places that you can post in to try and gain readership but there are only a few that I really like and I have seen help with marketing.
A. Forums - Your first line of marketing for your material on a site promoted by others. Your signature should be set to point where your book is for sale. Use the name of your book and author name (this helps search engines with keywords).
For Example I link my wife's book like this
Kindle Boards - Birthright by RJ Palmer
Amazon USBirthright by RJ Palmer Amazon UK
Birthright by RJ Palmer Amazon DE
Nook Boards - Birthright by RJ Palmer
Mobile Reads - Birthright by RJ Palmer on Smashwords
Birthright by RJ Palmer
on Amazon USBirthright by RJ Palmer on Amazon UK
Birthright by RJ Palmer on Amazon DE
Birthright by RJ Palmer on Diesel
Birthright by RJ Palmer on Reader Store(Sony)
Createspace - Birthright by RJ Palmer on Smashwords
Birthright by RJ Palmer
on Amazon USBirthright by RJ Palmer on Amazon UK
Birthright by RJ Palmer on Amazon DE
Birthright by RJ Palmer on Diesel
Birthright by RJ Palmer on Reader Store(Sony)
Amazon Authors - Birthright by RJ Palmer
Amazon Us1. Kindle Boards - This is the mother of all boards to post in. Try to keep posts on topic and do not spam. They have a specific spot for promotion and you can bookmark that post so that you can keep it updated (which you should always do). Devote about 15 minutes a day to this forum. Post on any item you feel you have knowledge about or something to add and remember to set up your signature to point at your book on Amazon.
2. Nook Boards - This is the kid sister of Kindle Boards and should be treated the same. Again make sure you signature points to where your book is for sale on Barnes and Noble. Devote 15 minutes per day.
3. Mobile Reads - This is the best place for indie authors to get to readers outside of Amazon and B&N. You should make sure that you signature points to anywhere that your ebook is for sale. Again do not spam! Devote 10 minutes per day.
4. Createspace Boards - Do not forget this forum. This is where other Indie Authors hang out and this forum is also index fast so post as often as you can and keep on topic. They also have specific marketing forums. Devote 10 minutes a day to this forum.
5. Amazon Authors - This is a must for any author to be able to keep in touch with readers. Make sure you have your signature setup correctly and post away. Make sure to stay on topic and do not over post (made that mistake). Devote 10 minutes per day.
Forums total time per day is 60 minutes.
B. Review/Interview Websites/Blogs - There are several blogs and websites that review book and interview authors on the great vast interwebs. With this in mind I can not possibly list them all so I shall point to some great pre-made lists. Of course I will take this chance to advertise this blog (Free Book Reviews). Devote 25 minutes per day.
1. Step by Step Self Publishing - A great list of reviewers and full of information for the Indie Author.
2. Book Reviewers on the Web - Another great list of online book reviewers (some charge),
3. Complete Review - A decent list of resources.
4. You can also check the sidebar of Free Book Reviews as it gets updated weekly with online reviewers. I recommend that you follow the blog to keep updated as i will be making a post that has a more defined list of free reviewers.
C. Social Sites - The most effective way to gain exposure. This can be done throughout the day but total time should not exceed 60 minutes on promotion.
For Example just to name a few
Free Book Reviews on Twitter
Free Book Reviews on Facebook
Albert Robbins on Linkedin
Free Book Reviews on Digg
1. Facebook - You should have an author fan page set up preceding your book being available.
2. Twitter - A must for any author.
3. Linkedin - Another must.
4. Digg - If you have a blog you should be on Digg
5. Technorati - If you have a blog this is a must have.
6. Shelfari, Goodreads - Both are an easy way to communicate with readers.
7. A list of Social Sites can be found here at Wikipedia
Now moving on to what to post. try to keep posts to 400-500 word or less and only make larger post seldom. Devote 25 minutes per day on posting.
A. Topic - always stay on topic when posting in forums, you have a bit more freedom on your blog/website and social sites.
B. Timeline - try to keep from being obtrusive but stay in the forefront, usually 3-4 posts per day per site is good.
C. Spam - DO NOT DO IT
D. Fun - Otherwise have fun and they will follow
Moving on to what is a link, how does it help and how to promote. You should only actively pursue links no more than 60 minutes per day,
A link (also known as a backlink) is a vote for one website by another. Therefore the more links that point to your book/site/blog the more popular it seems to the search engines based on keywords. Some links you have control over and some you do not. You can control for instance the anchor text (keyword) used.
1. Directories - these are just sites that are dedicated to listing sites on the web. Most directory owners make their money off of ads (so show the love and click on one sometimes) that they show on the directory. There are way too many directories to list here so I will list some lists I use.
a. VM Options
b. ADD URL
c. List of Instant Approval
d. List by Alex Ranking
e. Web Directory Mecca
f. LS Blogs
g. RSS Feed Directory
2. Search Engines - you should make it a point to submit to search engines about every 6-9 weeks depending on how often you update your site/blog. Below you will find some places to do just that.
a. Submit Express
b. Free Web Submission
c. BBL Media - Manual Submission
3. Blogs - This is a must as you should take advantage of the traffic that blogs you visit get. You can comment on a post and place a link to your site in the comment or like in this blog you can post with your name and place the link in your name so that if someone clicks your name it goes to your site. DO NOT SPAM!!! Make your comments mean something or at least add to the conversation.
4. Social Sites - Place a link to every post you make in every social site you use. Traffic Traffic Traffic
5. Forums - again you can place a link in your signature and when it is relevant you can place it in your post.
6. Promotion - each time you get a review or give an interview or any post on a blog or website you should place a link to that post wherever you can. So if Free Book Reviews interviewed you, you would first place a post in all your social sites with a short comment and link to that interview. You would then update any promotional forum posts that you have with a short comment and a link to that interview, then you could post a blog post with the first few items of the original post and a link back to the original interview. Doing this will get more traffic to your interview and then to any links that Free Book Reviews would have to you and your book.
And Finally How often should I Blog. Spend no more than 60 minutes per day on Blogging.
A. This is completely up to you but the best of the best update daily at least. Just make relevant and intriguing posts that will keep your followers or potential readers notice. Also make sure your site/blog points to where your book is for sale (everywhere you can buy it)
For Example
RJ Palmer's Blog (My Wife of course)
Timeline
Forums total time 60 Minutes
Submitting for reviews/interviews 25 minutes
Social Sites 60 minutes
What to post (writing the post) 25 minutes
Link Building 60 minutes
Blogging/Posting 60 minutes
Total Promotional Time per day 290 minutes = 4hrs 50 min per day
This is an approximation not a definitive time. Please promote as often as you like. This can be less or it can be more. I have only made this post as a helpful guide not as a you have too guideline. Be more productive and write another book.
If this helps you or is of any use please let me know by commenting and sharing with every author you know.
