Marketing for Your Self Published Book

Laurel O'Donnell - Author

Marketing for traditional publishing is important, but it is so much more important for the indie author.  How do you get your name out there?  How do you let readers know you have a new book out?

There are some relatively easy ways to do this.  A website is a must.  A good website.  Attractive and reader friendly.  You should post something at least once a week, twice is even better.  Blog hops are a good way to get readers to visit your website.  You can join these at many sites, including:

http://carrieannbloghops.blogspot.com/

Blog Tours are another way to get your name and book out there.  Here’s a list of some sites that will set up Blog Tours for you for a price:

http://www.goddessfish.com/tours.htm

http://www.bewitchingbooktours.blogspot.com/

http://www.clpblogtours.com/

http://chicklitplus.com/category/clpblogtours/

http://parajunkee.com/

http://www.virtualbooktourcafe.com

http://cblspromotions.blogspot.com/

http://www.blackliontours.com/#!tourpackages/cpu6

http://supagurltours.blogspot.com/p/tour-info-sign-up.html

Make sure you have a Facebook page.  www.facebook.com  Some authors have a personal page for family and friends and a professional page.

Twitter is important.  You can use Hootsuite to manage your tweets.  http://hootsuite.com/

Many authors will be willing to host you on their site.  I have a First Kiss Friday feature where I host the first kiss from author’s novels.  Here’s a simple list, there’s many more out there:

www.laurel-odonnell.com

http://writerwonderland.weebly.com/

http://juliekenner.com/2013/02/hump-day-books-from-terese-ramin-maryann-miller-maggie-marr-karen-mccullough-doranna-durgin-tawny-weber-danelle-harmon-and-melanie-jackson/

http://theloglineblog.blogspot.co.at/p/blog-submissions.html

http://storyfinds.com/

Get your books reviewed!  There are sites that will do honest book reviews.  There’s no better marketing then someone who likes your book!  There are a lot of sites out there.  Just make sure that they review the genre of your book.

http://blithelybookish.blogspot.com/p/review-request-guidelines.html

http://www.stormgoddessbookreviews.blogspot.com/p/request-review.html?zx=255ffb354fc3ebd9

http://badbarbsreviews.blogspot.com/?zx=fbc3faa9e6797845

http://mariereadsandreviews.blogspot.co.uk/

You can always take out ads on sites.  But make sure they are sites for readers.  Find out who their target audience is, if you can, and make sure it’s the same as yours.  Here’s some popular sites right now:

http://www.bookbub.com/home/overview.php

http://www.bookgorilla.com/

http://www.romancebooks4us.com/

http://ebookimpresario.com/advertise/

http://theindiechicks.com/advertising-and-collaborations/

http://www.longandshortreviews.com/advertising/

The biggest problem with marketing your book is that what works for one author, may not work for you.  So, continue to change up your marketing plan, and continue to try different things.

There are other ways, such as blogging at other sites.  But nothing is more important than that next book!  So…GET TO WORK!  And good luck!

Laurel O'Donnell - Author - Medieval Romance Novels, Paranormal Romance Novels and Urban Fantasy