Using the Web to Promote your Book
Internet Marketing Can Be Effective but Time Consuming
Sep 26, 2008
According to writersreaders.com, the average book in the United States sells only 500 copies. Using the web may help improve your sales statistics. Remember, however, that the web is a "social media." There are unspoken rules that must be respected. Building a following takes time, commitment and sincere interest in what others are saying.
Signatures
A simple way to begin your web campaign is by adding a signature to your e-mails. Think of a signature as a miniature advertisement. This signature will automatically appear at the bottom of every e-mail that you generate unless you disable it. You’ll find signature settings in your e-mail preferences.
Blogs
Blogging has become an American pastime. There are several blog sites where one can set up an account for free, like blogger.com, or you can pay for blog space on sites like typepad.com, which costs 4.95 a month. To get your blog read, however, you’ll need to learn to clearly title your work so that search engines can easily pick it up.
Good blogging is an art. You won’t get readers by blabbing about nothing or the baby’s dirty diapers. Not every blog has to deal with your book, either. Study blogs. Find the ones you like and analyze what it is about them that garners your attention. Blogging takes time, and if your blogs don’t get read, it’s a waste of your time.
If you're very short on time, try twitter.com. This site only allows messages up to 140 characters!
Ezines
Ezines have wonderful potential for getting the word out about your publication. Ezine sites, like articledashboard and ezinearticles, are sites where you can post an article that may be picked up by various other websites and then posted on those sites for their customers to read, but you’re given full credit for the article. Over time, your articles can be read in many places. Think of ezines as a platform for launching your book, articles and ideas.
Websites and Domain Names
A website is an excellent idea for a writer. Besides advertising and selling your book(s), you can also post blogs, newsletters, reviews, information about author appearances, photos, etc. Your website is your stage. You are the star. It doesn’t have to be complex or require professional design.
Chat Rooms
Chat rooms can easily rob you of time if you’re not careful. If you enjoy the chat room process, this is not a problem. Talking with other authors or like-minded people can be rewarding, encouraging and, hopefully, profitable. Many people, however, will object if you only join a chat room to promote your work. In fact, most chat rooms have rules specifically forbidding this.
MySpace and FaceBook
Sites like My Space or FaceBook may be a good venue for book promotion. If you’re too aggressive in your promotional campaign, however, people won’t keep you as a “friend.” There are,however, groups within the sites that you can join who are like-minded and who are interested in discussing writing and book publication. Again, these can be sites that consume a great deal of time with little financial benefit.
Book Clubs and Discussion Groups
If you join a book club or book discussion group, remember there will be rules prohibiting you from blatant self-promotion. Don’t join these groups just to promote; join groups to participate.
Start slowly with the web. Find the area where you are most comfortable and spend some time developing your web communication skills. Not all activities on the web are suitable for every person, and the web can be a tremendous time devourer. Start with an email signature and grow from there.
