Why Do I Do Book Trailers?

I am an avid music lover, so it just makes sense to have a book trailer for each title I release. Television commercials are used nonstop for different products, so why not books? We are a very visual society. I say that based on the power of the book cover (which is another post by itself). However, once I found out the going price of a professional trailer, I quickly realized it wasn't in my budget. I then did some research. (If I can't climb the mountain, I'll go around it thinking!) I watched some tutorials, learned the basics, and downloaded video creator software on my laptop.

To this day, I have created six trailers and I'm hooked. I love the idea of presenting my books, in my own way, to the reader. Should trailers be your only avenue for marketing? Absolutely not! It takes a mix of old and new to reach today's reader, but trailers allow me another way to express myself and my books. I see my stories as exciting, action-packed, and full of romance, so that's how I want them to come across.

Here's a few tips I've learned along the way: There are plenty of free image as well as video segment download sites, trailers shouldn't be longer than two minutes or you run the chance of losing your watcher/reader's interest, and music has copyright/licensing rules just like anything else, so be very careful. You don't want to be a bestseller only to have a portion of your royalties seized by a music artist. This goes for any product you are trying to sell. Most video software comes with several music selections for a reason, so use them. There are also royalty-free music sites to find that perfect tune!

I do not use voice overs in my trailers. Although I have no problem with them, I made the decision based on who I'm trying to reach, or my audience-the romance reader. The key word in the previous sentence is "reader." A professional voice also costs more money!

These are just a few tips I've learned along the way in the creation process. I find the end result highly satisfying and it has become a regular part of my marketing campaign for each book. I cannot say if book trailers increase sales, but they have increased interest. I've also received some positive feedback because of them. I am by no way an expert on book trailers, but I'm learning as I go, and wanted to share the things I've learned. Good luck if you decide to go for it and please share any tips!

Here's my YouTube link if you're curious! My trailers are also here on Goodreads.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1Cw...