Every author who publishes a book has worked for a long time on the end result: writing and adapting the manuscript, developing a cover, and determining a sale price. After this long process, the most important step is often forgotten: creating good visibility as an author. Many different books are published daily in all categories. This ensures that self-publishing of a book in many cases does not receive sufficient name recognition. Still, as an author, you deserve that visibility, both online and offline. So take your time for this, because that extra effort pays off in your book sales!
On the Web
The Internet is the primary medium for reaching potential readers. There are several ways to make use of this. Many actions require little time but have a major impact on reaching interested readers.
SEO
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization and is part of online marketing. Various interventions on a website ensure that the web page can be found faster when someone searches online for related search terms in a search engine. An example is that a reader searches Google for a fiction book set in Malaysia such as ‘seo malaysia’. By doing SEO-related interventions on your website, your website will appear higher in the search results in Google and will be clicked on more quickly.
Practical
Good search engine optimization is determined by asking the right question: what is a reader looking for? How can I translate this into an interesting web page? As an author, you should already think about this before creating a website. Write down terms that are important to yourself related to the subject of your book and use them as the basis for writing the content of your website.
Create your own website
Mijnbestseller offers you the opportunity to create your own website for free. You do this by indicating in your profile that you would like to have a personal website. You can easily personalize your website via ‘My profile’. Post an introductory text explaining who you are as an author and how many books you have already published. The published books are automatically added to the website. This way, interested parties can also buy the book immediately. The most important part of the website is writing and publishing blogs. By writing relevant blogs that focus on specific search terms, you increase the chance that your website will be found during a search by a potential reader and buyer.
Writing SEO blogs
Writing search engine optimized blogs is not as difficult as it sounds. First of all, it is important that every blog you write also has a certain objective. It should help readers further. So write blogs about the content of your book, the writing process as an author, why you became a writer, and also refer to other writers and blogs. Linking to another website and, mainly, being linked yourself, also increases the visibility of a website. The ultimate goal of the blog posts is to inform the reader in such a way that he wants to read and buy your book. Keep this in mind as you write.
Reviews
Literature lovers look for quality. They regularly check review websites and have their regular reviewers follow them. Take advantage of this and find a reviewer who reads a lot of books around the theme of your book. Read the blog Promoting Your Book: Helpful Tips, and find the perfect reviewer.
Social media
Social media, in addition to a website, is very important in the marketing process after publishing a book. Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter are the perfect communication tools for connecting with your readers. This helps to create a network of readers and other writers, as well as to keep your readers up to date with the writing process and new publications. Need concrete tips for selling on social media? Read this blog about our post-book marketing tips and become a social media expert!
Put the first pages of the book online
Self-publishing of a book can increasingly count on the attention of the general public. Yet you still have to prove yourself regularly. Be proud of your own work and dare to show it. Publish beautiful excerpts from your book on your website and social media. Readers will appreciate this and will also be more likely to make the move to purchase.
In the physical world
Visibility in your own city and surroundings stimulates online awareness and thus also book sales. Start with a clear plan: which bookstores do you want to approach? Are there book markets nearby? Are reading clubs organized? Do you want to have flyers and business cards printed? Here are some tips on the physical world to publish your books.
- Reading clubs
- Network events
- Book presentation
- Promotional material
- Approach bookstores
- Think out of the box