There are so many unknowns and so much to learn after you self-publish a book. Constant questions come up and answers are illusive in the beginning, especially if it’s your first attempt. What are the best sites for book promotion? How do I get more followers to my Facebook Fan Page? How can I find the best connections on Twitter? Authors want to write, but we have to understand that marketing is just as important. Fortunately, there is a wealth of information on the internet. After I published my book last fall, I searched these topics, clicked on links to blogs or discussions, read and followed their advice. Slowly, over time, I gained knowledge and my frustrations faded. Here are my best tips for indie authors when it comes to book promotion, gaining Twitter followers and acquiring Facebook FanPage “Likes.”
Promotions: Hands down, I obtain the greatest number of sales from a BookBub promotion. A recent campaign in April, 2013 propelled French Illusions to 98 on Amazon’s “Best Seller’s in Kindle Store” list. It’s pricy and they require you to have a quality product, but the results are amazing. This rise in sales rank creates behind-the-scenes connections at Amazon, linking your book to others and increasing sales for weeks to come. Another great promotion site I’ve used is EReader News Today.
Twitter Followers: I search Amazon for books similar to mine and then I look to see if the author is on Twitter. If they are, I peruse their followers and invite them to connect with me as well. I also utilize the search option on Twitter to find people who might be interested in my book topic. In my case, I search using words like “France,” “French,” and “Travel.” These searches lead me people interested in my book topic. I am able to pick and choose people that might be interested in French Illusions and I sell a few books. Friend or Follow, helps me “unfollow” people who don’t reciprocate. Except in rare occasions, I’m not that interested in people who won’t follow me back. I like to keep my number of Twitter “followers” in proportion to the “people I follow.”
Facebook Fanpage “Likes”: I use the web to find threads where authors exchange “Likes.” Kindleboards.com and Goodreads.com are two great options for this. Once I find a thread, I click over to an author’s Facebook Fan Page, “Like” it and ask them to return the favor. For their convenience, I always leave a link back to my page.
I’d love to hear from other authors out there. What are your favorite book promotions?
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