Engaging with Readers on Goodreads

How to Market Your Book with Instagram Stories

If you’re an author, there’s a good chance you’ve hit that “boost” button on Facebook, shelled out a little (or a lot) of money and hoped for the best. And in recent years, this was a great choice. Facebook marketing has been a cheap, effective way to reach consumers. But, as you know, the world of digital marketing changes as often as a new iPhone comes out. As a social media platform, Facebook is trending downwards.

Don’t Judge a Book by its (Back) Cover

Even if you’re brand new to writing, you’ve probably already given a great deal of thought to your book’s cover art. However, according to marketing consultant Rob Eager, you may need to give equal attention to the back cover copy.

Here is an excerpt from his recent post Write Back Cover Copy That Boost Book Sales:

There’s Still Time to Create a 2019 Marketing Plan

1. Who are your primary audiences?

Everything you say in your content marketing plan, whether it’s in written form or through video or audio, needs to address a very specific set of audiences. Who are they exactly? Can you define them beyond generic demographic categories like age, gender, and income? If you were to prioritize them, which two or three target audiences would you choose to focus on in your communications?

I’m a Writer, Not a Salesperson!

You’re a pastor. Or maybe an elder in your local church. You might be a stay-at-home mom or a teacher. But you’re probably not a professional salesperson. So now that you’ve written a book, it needs to be sold and you’re feeling a little squeamish. Why? Because it’s likely that your initial “customers” will be friends and family, and that feels awkward. You don’t want to be that friend or family member who is selling a product and making everyone feel obligated to buy it. And yet, you need the support and word-of-mouth marketing of your inner circle. So how do you sell your book to those closest to you without it getting all weird? Here are three ways:

Be Confident

More than likely your book is the result of years worth of prayer, reflection, research and sustained effort. You’ve sacrificed time and money to produce the manuscript. You’ve edited, re-edited and re-edited again. You’ve agonized over words, commas and even deleted entire chapters. This book contains your highest thoughts and deepest revelations. It may even be the result of God’s call on your life. If so…be confident. Be proud. Be assured that your writing is amazing and will greatly benefit those who read it. The temptation will be to say something like this,

Uncle Mike, I hate to be pushy, but it would really mean a lot to me if you would buy my book.

Instead, try this,

Social Media: Going Beyond the Basics

It took you a while, but you’ve embraced social media. You’ve taken the plunge and established yourself on Twitter, Facebook and maybe even Instagram. You’re enjoying the feedback and extra exposure it’s giving you, and you’re seeing the value of the online interactions your work is receiving. But now you’re stuck. How do you take it to the next level? Now you’re back to feeling intimidated again. Never fear, we are here to help! Here’s a quick primer on the writer’s Big Three: Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. It doesn’t have to be as intimidating as you think.

Tweet Like a Pro

Twitter is mostly comprised of strangers having conversations. Weird, right? It’s true. So keep that in mind with your posts. Ann Handley, author of Everybody Writes (a book we highly recommend), says,