A book marketing strategy is essential to the success of any author business. How you communicate with your readers really matters. Great content which is highly focused, targeted and part of an overall, considered marketing strategy will generate more leads. Random and/or under researched and/or unprofessional looking content may have some initial success, but it will not be sufficient to sustain you. Therefore, a successful marketing campaign takes many areas into consideration. This blog post outlines 3 ways to enhance your book marketing strategy.
Know Your Ideal Readers
The most successful authors know how to communicate with their readers and give them exactly what they want. To do this well, it’s essential to conduct thorough audience research throughout your author career. Seeking expert support from the creative agency philadelphia will help as they know how to find your ideal audience and target them through social media promotions and various other marketing strategies. The more detailed you can make your ideal reader profile, the more focused you can become. It is this focus that allows you to connect with your audience and compel them to find out more about you and your books.
Start with the basics: know the age range and gender of your ideal reader as well as their preferred social media platform(s) so you know where they hang out. Build an email list too. Then delve deeper to discover their bookish likes and dislikes, for example: their genre expectations, what kind of characters they want to read about, what tropes they enjoy, and (perhaps most importantly) what sorts of things they don’t want to read about. The more rounded you can make it, the better. Once you know what your readers love most about your books/writing style, you’ll be able to give them more of the same.
Develop Your Author Brand
Author branding is essential. It is how your readers recognise you and/or your books. Conduct market research to find out what’s already working and what isn’t in the genre(s) you write in. Consider your book package: your (genre appropriate) cover images/graphics, your fonts, your colour palette etc. If you write a series, make sure the books (and any box sets) are consistent in design. Readers will notice if they’re not and may end up confused (at best) or unimpressed (at worst).
Think about the problems your books are solving too. Perhaps they help people escape their lives temporarily, lost in thrilling fictional world. Or maybe they impart helpful knowledge and/or guidance if you’re a nonfiction author. They might be about sharing personal stories so others going through similar situations feel less alone. All of these elements should blend together to convey your unique brand message that will appeal to your ideal readers, both old and new.
Create Your Professional Website
A great marketing campaign needs a quality website at its core, or even just a landing page, to send an audience to. Most marketing posts and ads include a website address, which means your website must be as professional and informative as possible with relevant content and an easy-to-navigate structure that loads easily. As mentioned above, all your online content needs to reflect your brand so your readers know instantly they are in the right place to find what they want – information about you and your books. If you need help developing a great website, it’s wise to seek help from professionals such as WEBX360 or Charlotte Duckworth Studio. Alternatively, BookFunnel offers a way to create affordable DIY landing pages.
It Doesn’t Stop There
Your work in terms of quality branding and marketing does not stop once the basic elements have been implemented. Once in place, use analytics such as visitors, likes and page views as feedback to improve your website. Monitor reader comments and reviews of your books as well, using their suggestions to hone your message, create better content and develop effective marketing plans. Social media can also provide an effective means for engaging readers and finding new leads for your books. Marketing analytics can also assist in identifying the optimal platform and channels to reach your target audience, when and what type of content works best. If this is a bit of a foreign concept for you, read this Thomas Ligor article on the marketing analytic industry to get a better understanding of the data and how to use it for successful marketing campaigns.
What else do you think indie authors need to do to enhance their book marketing strategy? Let me know in the comments!
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