What do you think of video trailers for books?

[Rachel]

I would love to know what people think of video trailers for books. Are you more likely to buy if you see a trailer, or does it have no impact at all?

And for those of you who have produced trailers, do you think they have had any impact?

I've just done my first trailer (not sure if it's etiquette to link to it here, so I won't), and I'm wondering whether to do more.

Input from readers and writers would be greatly appreciated.

[Marc]

Great fun to make, most look exactly the same and no I don't think they sell many books because video is not linked in people's minds with literature. Philip Roth interview on YouTube has 8000 views, Lady gaga vide has 1.5 million...

There are a couple of threads on Goodreads solely for people to post links to their trailers & people will even comment on them too!

[Anne]

I made a slideshow set to original music to promote my book, Trouble At Toff Towers, which is a comedy novel so quite easy just to have images of characters from the book included. I uploaded it to Youtube and, while it probably hasn't impacted massively on sales, it's a fun thing to Tweet about/post on the Facebook fan page etc. I am planning to do more - luckily I know a great musician. happy to pass on his details if anyone wants them. The slideshow app was about £2.99 to download to my iPad and I already had the images so cost was minimal.

[Rachel]

Thanks for the feedback, Marc and Anne. I'll have to try to find the relevant threads for trailers - I think I've found one, but there is SO MUCH on Goodreads!

A slideshow set to music sounds like a good idea too - that's essentially what mine is, but the software I have allows some movement of the stills too.

I'm not sure that sticking it on YouTube would have the desired effect either, but mine is actually on my book page on Amazon - so I hope that if people go to the page, it might convert a few more potential customers. We shall see!!

Thanks for the quick responses.

[Anne]

Hi Rachel - mine is on Amazon too - and here on Goodreads. I know what you mean about there being so much on the Goodreads site. I really struggle to find the right threads. Could you possibly message me the link or post it here?

If you would like to link up via Twitter I am @FlyingAunt and the heroine of my book is @RigidBones. I find Twitter is a great way to communicate promo activity.

All best. A x

[Michael]

I've made a couple of trailers for my books and found it quite fun to do. I tried to make it so that there was a story/progression of sorts to the video itself, rather than just relying on slideshow type.

They're on YouTube and the few comments I've had have been positive, but they haven't made any difference to sales.

[Marc]

I have mine on GR, YouTube, my Amazon page, Blazing Trailers, Vimeo. I've got about 20 book vids in all. I'm always amazed writers don't give an example of their writing in the book, either in voice over or as typed text.

The trailer is to the book what the music video is to the song - a work of art in its own right, with its own narrative, but still there mainly to promote the book/song.

[Rachel]

Anne wrote: "Hi Rachel - mine is on Amazon too - and here on Goodreads. I know what you mean about there being so much on the Goodreads site. I really struggle to find the right threads. Could you possibly mess..."

Hi Anne - because you requested it, the link to the trailer is here and I hope I haven't broken any rules!

I'll follow you on Twitter too! I am @_RachelAbbott or @Rachel__Abbott (that's a double underscore). I have two because the first one is more geared towards my readers, the second to other indie authors.

Thanks!

Rachel

[Rachel]

Marc wrote: "I have mine on GR, YouTube, my Amazon page, Blazing Trailers, Vimeo. I've got about 20 book vids in all. I'm always amazed writers don't give an example of their writing in the book, either in voic..."

That sounds amazing, Marc. I've never heard of Blazing Trailers, and only marginally of Vimeo - I can see that I need to get a bit more up to date!

[Marc]

Rachel wrote: "Marc wrote: "I have mine on GR, YouTube, my Amazon page, Blazing Trailers, Vimeo. I've got about 20 book vids in all. I'm always amazed writers don't give an example of their writing in the book, e..."

don't stress it, like I say it probably makes no nreal difference to sales. Make them if you enjoy making them is my advice.

Am following the writer incarnation of you on twitter now!

[Katie]

I just discovered Animoto today and made myself a trailer for my new book in less than an hour. You can only have a 30 second trailer if you use the free version, but that's enough to grab attention. It probably doesn't, but it's worth a try! They do all the special effects and you can't stipulate what you want, but it's fun.

[Marc]

Adam wrote: "Rachel wrote: "I would love to know what people think of video trailers for books. Are you more likely to buy if you see a trailer, or does it have no impact at all?
"

As a reader, I would say it ..."

agree 100%, the video trailer really is an art form in its own right

[Marc]

hard to make an art of work about a boy vampire book (apologies to any writers of same).

[Anne]

Katie wrote: "I just discovered Animoto today and made myself a trailer for my new book in less than an hour. You can only have a 30 second trailer if you use the free version, but that's enough to grab attentio..."

That sounds interesting - will Google it! Thanks!

Anne

[Patti (baconater)]

No rules broken as far as I'm concerned.

I never seek out book trailers so if I don't see a link to one here in the group or posted on my Facebook by a friend, I'll never see 'em.

[Elle]

im pretty sure we had a thread about this before and the general feedback was most people don't watch them..

[Rosemary (grooving with the Picts)]

I don't ever look at them. It's just an advert and I certainly don't seek ads out with any enthusiasm. It's a book, not a film!

[Marc]

Rosemary wrote: "I don't ever look at them. It's just an advert and I certainly don't seek ads out with any enthusiasm. It's a book, not a film!"

if only the last part of your statement held true and the film industry didn't make movies out of fabulous books that should have been left well alone

[Rosemary (grooving with the Picts)]

With one or two notable exceptions I fear that is true :(

[Tim]

Some of the trailers produced by the "Big Six" seem to be pretty good... (go onto YouTube and search under RandomBooks, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster etc)

As to whether videos are useful (and don't forget, they are more about branding / name recognition than direct sales) depends to an extent on what your target market is - teens & Young Adults for example may be more likely to respond to a YouTube video than 50-something women.

The other issue is getting eyes on. The best video in the world is useless if no one watches it. And I'm sure we'd all love to know how to solve that one...

[Rosen]

I know of one sale that resulted from one of my trailers. And that reader went on to leave a review and buy other titles, and review those.

So, all in all, producing that trailer was a good use of an afternoon.

[Jason]

I've got a bit of video production experience and have some of my own equipment, so I'm doing a trailer where I've actually got two actors to perform a scene from my book, which I think is a bit different than what most people do.

Overall, if they are professionally made and look the part, I really don't see how they can hurt, it's another audience for your book and another way for people to find you. It just depends on how you do it, I imagine.

[Rosen]

I think you can get away with looking amateur if you work with the home made ambience.

One of mine was made using Facebook's graffiti app - not a professional piece of equipment in sight - and I love it.

[Marc]

Tim wrote: "Some of the trailers produced by the "Big Six" seem to be pretty good... (go onto YouTube and search under RandomBooks, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster etc)

As to whether videos are useful (and do...

The other issue is getting eyes on. The best video in the world is useless if no one watches it. And I'm sure we'd all love to know how to solve that one... "

Bit like our books on Amazon then...

[Kath]

I rarely look at trailers. Occasionally I look at one like Rachel's, for a book I've already read. They really wouldn't affect my choice of book.

[Tim]

Marc wrote: "Bit like our books on Amazon then... "

Yup.

[Marc]

how do people feel about author reading videos rather than trailers?

[Katie]

Well, I put my trailer up last night and sold three books overnight...but they were all UK sales, so I'm guessing it was Ignite's review that did it, not the trailer! :D

[Tim]

Marc wrote: "how do people feel about author reading videos rather than trailers?"

Anything's worth a try...

[Kath]

Katie wrote: "Well, I put my trailer up last night and sold three books overnight...but they were all UK sales, so I'm guessing it was Ignite's review that did it, not the trailer! :D"

I wouldn't conclude that Katie. The books are good for YA and that age group is much more influenced by the visual than oldies like me.

[Lance]

Most book trailers I've seen have been interchangeable, largely boring and look like they were put together in a day for $10. The ones that made an impact had professional production values, were interesting and well thought-out. It's one reason I've not made a trailer for my book -- the one I want would probably cost about $500K and take a few months to put together. But man, it would be great.

I may have been spoiled by watching film trailers.

I think the real solution here is to get someone to shoot a $60 million book trailer, call it a movie, and release it worldwide.

[Marc]

Lance wrote: "Most book trailers I've seen have been interchangeable, largely boring and look like they were put together in a day for $10. The ones that made an impact had professional production values, were i..."

My thoughts exactly

[Tim]

Lance wrote: "I think the real solution here is to get someone to shoot a $60 million book trailer, call it a movie, and release it worldwide."

And hope it makes more than £20 in royalties for the £1.99 ebook...

[Sara]

As a reader: I think MOVIE trailers are great because you see a bit of what you will get if you go to the cinema/rent a DVD. If you want to see a bit of what you will get from a book, the 'Look Inside' feature gives you a better idea than a book trailer, I think.

As an author: What??? Do I NEED a book trailer to promote my book??? F******************************k!

[Jim]

The problem of course is getting people to see the trailer ;-(

[Marc]

Adam wrote: "Marc wrote: "how do people feel about author reading videos rather than trailers?"

This could be interesting if the author is a good verbal reader. Like any video, it's all about keeping attention..."

yeah when I read live I put on a show, costume etc. I also perform it like a slam poet, hand gestures etc. So hopefully I've transferred that to video. I'm trying to edit a vid of me reading 11 flash fiction stories and talking about flash in between. But it's eating up so much of my laptop's memory!

[Andrew]

Book trailers are a bit of a gimmick to my mind. I don't watch them, with the single exception of the trailer for Terry Pratchett's Dodger (and even that was rubbish, frankly) and don't know anyone who does.

Having said that... can't hurt, surely?