January 2025

Reading the Amazon Advertising Tea Leaves: What Your Metrics Are Saying About Your Books

Reading the Amazon Advertising Tea Leaves: What Your Metrics Say About Your Book

Amazon Advertising can be a goldmine for authors, but if your ads aren’t delivering the results you want, it might not be the ads that are the problem—it could be your book. Your advertising metrics can reveal a lot about what’s working and what needs improvement. Let’s break it down.

Warning: brace yourself. You are probably not going to like any of these conclusions/ recommendations. No one ever likes anything I have to say, mostly because it implies a shit-ton of work that not only

1. Problem # 1: Low Click-Through Rate (CTR)

What’s happening:
People are seeing your ad but aren’t clicking. You will know this because your ad has impressions but no clicks. Like this:

What this says about your book:

Your cover might not be catching their eye.

Your title might not resonate or intrigue them.
Your ad copy might not make them curious enough to click.

How to fix it:

Take a hard look at your cover: Does it match your genre and appeal to readers? If not, it’s time for a redesign.
Tweak your title and subtitle to make them more compelling.
Revamp your ad copy with a stronger hook or clearer benefits.

2. High Click-Through Rate but Low Conversion Rate (CVR)

What’s happening:
People are clicking, but they’re not buying.

What this says about your book:

Your book description might not deliver on the promise of your ad.

The Look Inside feature could be turning readers off due to weak writing or formatting issues.
Your price might not be competitive for your genre.

How to fix it:

Rewrite your book description with a strong hook and a call-to-action that seals the deal.
Polish the opening pages of your book to grab attention right away.
Check your pricing and make sure it aligns with reader expectations.

3. High Ad Spend but Low Return on Investment (ROI)

What’s happening:
You’re spending on ads, but the sales aren’t covering the costs.

What this says about your book:

You might be targeting the wrong audience.

Your book’s cover, description, or reviews might not scream “professional and worth buying.”
Competing books in your genre might be offering more value or appeal.

How to fix it:

Refine your ad targeting to reach readers who are more likely to love your book.
Add some social proof to your page, like reviews or awards, to boost credibility.
Study your competition and see how your book stacks up. Make changes where needed.

4. High Impressions but Low Clicks and Sales

What’s happening:
Your ads are being shown, but readers aren’t engaging with them.

What this says about your book:

Your keywords or categories might be too broad or irrelevant.

Your cover or title might not be grabbing attention.

How to fix it:

Revisit your keywords and categories to ensure they align with your book’s content.

Double-check that your cover and title are both visually striking and genre-appropriate.

5. Poor Overall Sales Despite Good Ad Metrics

What’s happening:
Your ads are doing their job, but your book isn’t closing the deal.

What this says about your book:

Negative reviews or weak content might be hurting word-of-mouth sales.
If it’s part of a series, your book might lack a strong series hook to keep readers coming back.
You might not be capturing readers’ emails to build a loyal audience.

How to fix it:

Address constructive criticism in reviews and improve your book if needed.
Add teasers or bonuses to encourage readers to dive into the next book in your series.

Use a call-to-action to collect emails and start building a long-term connection with readers.

Final Thoughts

Amazon Advertising metrics are like a crystal ball for your book’s success—they show you what’s clicking (literally) and what isn’t. Fixing a cover, refining a description, or polishing your opening pages can turn those lukewarm clicks into loyal readers.

Your ads can only do so much. When your book looks professional and delivers on its promise, those clicks and impressions turn into something far more valuable: fans who keep coming back for more.

So, what are your ads telling you about your book?

Book Marketing

Making Your First Book Free Forever (Permafree): A Strategy That Actually Works

No Comments

Ever wondered why some authors give away their books for free? It might seem counterintuitive, but making your first book permanently free (some call it “permafree” ) can be one of the smartest moves you’ll make as an author. Let me tell you why.

Why Would Anyone Give Away Their Book?

Think about the last time you discovered a new favorite author. Chances are, someone recommended them, or you took a chance on a good deal. That’s exactly what permafree is about – it’s like offering samples at a grocery store. Readers get to try your writing without any risk, and if they love it, they’ll happily pay for more.

This strategy works especially well if you’ve written a series. You make the first book free, and once readers are hooked on your characters and story, they’re excited to buy the rest of the series. It’s not just about immediate sales either – you’re building a loyal readership who’ll anticipate your future books.

Making It Work For You

Let’s talk about how actually to do this. First, you’ll need to pick the right book. If you’re writing a series, this is pretty straightforward – use your first book. Just make sure it’s your absolute best work. Remember, this is many readers’ first impression of your writing, so it needs to be polished, professionally edited, and have a cover that looks fantastic.

Now, here’s where it gets a bit tricky. Amazon doesn’t actually let you set your price to zero (wouldn’t that be nice?), but there’s a workaround. You’ll need to make your book free on other platforms first – places like Apple Books, Kobo, or Google Play. Then Amazon will usually price-match it. You can use services like Draft2Digital or Smashwords to help distribute your book to multiple platforms at once.

Making The Most of Your Free Book

Your free book needs to work hard for you. At the end, you want readers thinking, “Wow, I need more!” Here’s how to make that happen:

First, make sure your book ends in a way that naturally leads readers to want the next one. Include a preview of your next book – just enough to leave them eager for more. Add links to where they can buy the next book, and consider offering a free bonus story if they join your email list.

You’ll also want to spread the word about your free book. There are websites dedicated to promoting free books, like Freebooksy and BookBub. Social media can be powerful too – people love sharing good deals with their friends. If you’ve got an email list already, definitely let them know about your free book.

Learning From Success Stories

Look at authors like Hugh Howey, who used this strategy with his Wool series. He made the first part free, and readers were so hooked they couldn’t wait to buy the rest. Or take Bella Andre – she’s used free books to build a massive readership in romance fiction, leading to millions of downloads and a very successful career.

Watch Out For These Pitfalls

There are a few things that can trip you up with this strategy. The biggest one? Making sure all your books maintain the same quality. If your free book is amazing but the paid ones disappoint, readers won’t stick around. Also, don’t just make your book free and hope for the best – you need to actively promote it.

Is This Right For You?

Permafree isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme. It’s a long-term strategy that works by building trust with readers. Think of it as an investment in your future readership. You’re trading short-term profits for long-term gains.

The key is patience and consistency. Keep monitoring how many people download your free book and how many go on to buy the next one. Try different approaches to promoting it, and pay attention to what works best for your specific genre and audience.

Remember, the goal isn’t just to give away a free book – it’s to find devoted readers who’ll stick with you throughout your writing career. When done right, a permafree strategy can help you build exactly that kind of loyal, enthusiastic readership.

Book Marketing

Does Amazon Buy Back Books?

No Comments

If you’ve ever looked at your bookshelf and wondered what to do with books you no longer need, you might have considered selling them back to Amazon. But does Amazon actually buy back books? The short answer is yes, but with some conditions. Here’s everything you need to know about Amazon’s book buyback process and alternative options to make the most of your unwanted books.

Amazon’s Textbook Buyback Program (Now Retired)

Amazon used to have a formal textbook buyback program where you could sell back used textbooks in exchange for Amazon gift cards. However, this program was discontinued in 2020. So, if you’re specifically looking to sell textbooks, Amazon no longer has a dedicated program for that purpose.

Can You Still Sell Books on Amazon?

Yes! While Amazon no longer runs a buyback program, you can still sell books directly on their platform. Here’s how:

1. Use Amazon’s Trade-In Program

Amazon still accepts some items, like electronics and video games, through its Trade-In Program, but books are no longer included. However, this might change in the future, so it’s worth keeping an eye on their trade-in policies.

2. Sell Books as an Individual Seller

We actually have a whole article about selling books on Amazon right here. The gist is this:

You can list your books for sale on Amazon’s Marketplace as an individual seller. Here’s how:

Log in to your Amazon account.
Go to the product page of the book you want to sell.
Click the “Sell on Amazon” button.

Set your price and choose your shipping options.

Keep in mind:

Amazon charges selling fees (usually a percentage of the sale price).

You’ll need to ship the book yourself once it sells.

3. Partner with a Third-Party Book Reseller

Some third-party services, like SellBackYourBook.com or BookScouter, work in conjunction with Amazon to help you sell books. These platforms allow you to compare buyback prices from multiple vendors, making it easy to find the best deal.

Tips for Selling Books Successfully

To maximize the value of your books, follow these tips:

Check Condition: Books in excellent condition fetch higher prices. Make sure there are no torn pages, stains, or excessive wear.
Research Market Value: Use tools like BookScouter to compare prices across platforms before listing your book.
Bundle Sets: If you have a series, sell it as a bundle to increase its appeal to buyers.

Take Good Photos: When listing books on Amazon or other platforms, clear and well-lit photos can make a big difference.

TL;DR

While Amazon no longer has a dedicated book buyback program, it still offers avenues to sell books through its Marketplace. Additionally, third-party platforms and local options provide alternatives for selling or donating books. Whether you’re looking to clear shelf space, make a little cash, or support a good cause, there are plenty of ways to give your books a new life.

Book Marketing

Amazon KDP Ads– the keyword ad

No Comments

When to Move to Manual Targeting

After running your Automated Targeting campaign for a few weeks, you’ll have valuable data about:

Keywords that generate clicks and sales.
Which product pages your book performs well on.

Use this information to create a Manual Targeting campaign:

Focus on high-performing keywords identified in your Automated campaign.
Refine your targeting to reach the most engaged readers.

Use the keywords from your keyword research and anything you found on Publisher Rocket.

Go through the same interface as when you started the automated ad, then choose “keyword targeting.”

Both of these types of ads work great, and you can run them both at the same time (you’ll need to start them separately). As with all things Amazon, the more specific you get the better, so make sure you are prepared with a good list of keywords and/ or a list of competitive titles. As with the “Automated Targeting” rant, I will encourage you to never ever take Amazon’s default suggestions. Remember, they are trying to make money for themselves, which they do when they sell advertising clicks, not when you sell books.

Here’s an example of how they are going to try to do that in the “Manual” keyword interface:

This is hilarious. If I click the “Add All” button and start this ad, Amazon is going to advertise this book against the words “Book,” “Cookbook,” “Free Books,” “marketing,” “sap,” “how” and “free,” and is going to charge me up to $1.21 PER CLICK for that privilege.

Again, no thank you, and please get ahold of yourself, Amazon. I would be happy to come in for a meeting if you’d like some feedback.

The way to best use this particular interface (and to harness the magic of the Amazon suggested search algorithm) is to switch over to the “Enter list” tab. Switch to “custom bid” and set the bid for something really low like 10 cents. Also, uncheck “Broad” for match type, because that gets us back into “Amazon wilding out and advertising your book against random words” territory again.

Your screen will look like this:

ok, now enter the topic/ genre/ subject of your book, and hold on to your hat! This part is cool.

Well, will you look at that?! Amazon is actually being insightful and helpful. Most of these suggestions are what my book is actually about. I will just repeat this type of search with phrases like “how to market a book” and “marketing self-published books” until I have a list of about 50 keywords. When you get the hang of this you can go up to 100 keywords per campaign, but for right now let’s stop at 50 and get this thing launched.

Nice! You should have a similar list that is related to your book’s subject matter or genre. You can use the names of other authors, other books, and anything else you think might be relevant or get someone to buy your book. Also, if you never filled out the seven keyword slots when you published your books, take some of these great keywords and fill those out right this minute!

Next up is “Negative Targeting,” and we’re skipping that because this is our first ad and we don’t have that kind of insight yet. I swear we’re almost done!

“Campaign bidding strategy” is after that, and I recommend that you choose “Dynamic bids, down only” because you never want to give Amazon permission to spend MORE of your money than your default bid. “Down only” is a good option because that way, Amazon can LOWER your bid to see if doing so will still yield a click. If/ when it does, great! You’ll know that for the future.

You made it! You’re on the very last choice before you can launch this ad!

I know, that was stupid complicated. I feel your pain.

The very last thing we’re going to do is fill out the “Settings” for the ad. Here’s what mine looks like:

Amazon has now moved this down to the very bottom, which is even more problematic for you because you are likely to be fed up by then and miss this “gotcha” moment. The default for this screen is “No End Date,” but you should actually NEVER start a brand new ad with no end date!! Having no end date is going to make you think you can “set it and forget it,” which you absolutely cannot ever do with paid advertising. “No end date” is just Amazon wanting to stick their hand in your pocket and start taking your money from now on, whether or not your ads are working. They are counting on the fact that you are a right-brained creative ADHD type and you will probably a) forget this ad is running, b) forget to check it regularly, and c) never come back to optimize it. So, whatever they are offering you here is what’s going to happen from now on, and I promise you, you’re not going to like it when you get the bill at the end of the month. Remember, you have to pay Amazon for these ads whether or not they result in book sales.

So— change that date to two weeks from the day you start running the ad. You want to schedule this like everything else in your life that costs money and needs maintenance. You wouldn’t enter into an open-ended, paid agreement with no end date with any other company, so don’t do it here.

The second problem is that you have absolutely no idea what to set your daily budget for, and Amazon’s certainly not going to give you any guidance that might discourage you from getting in over your head. They’ll let you set that sucker to $100 a day and spend every penny! They do not care if you sell no books and end up cash flow negative. They made money, so who cares about you?

I advise people to just set this for $5- $10 dollars per day at the beginning and check it every single day. You will have ample (just, so many!) opportunities to raise your daily budget, so start small and manageable and scale up as you gain more knowledge. There is no need to “go big or go home” at this moment in your career.

Shockingly, YOU ARE NOW DONE with your second ad! Hit that beautiful blue “Launch campaign” button at the bottom.

This button right here!! I made the screenshot huge so we could celebrate this moment together.

As if you haven’t been through enough, this is actually not the end of this Amazon Advertising nonsense. What happens next is that your ad is “submitted” to some kind of internal Amazon KDP advertising bot for “approval.”

This is rather ambiguous and definitely unsatisfying, but we’ll take it. We’re done for now! You will receive an email when your ad is officially running.

Book Promotion

This Just In: Amazon Will Disappoint You

No Comments

If you’re a self-published author who’s uploaded your book to Amazon and waited for the sales to roll in… well, you’re not alone. I’m going to tell you some stuff right now that you’re probably not going to like, and for that I am very sorry.

Here it is: just putting your book on Amazon is not enough, and it has never been enough. Amazon isn’t a magical bookstore fairy that showers visibility and readers upon every new title, and the fact that you used their book publishing service (Kindle Direct Publishing, or KDP) makes zero difference to them. In fact, those are two completely different businesses that rarely talk to each other. Amazon is, at its core, a marketplace—a very big and busy one—and it’s your job to make sure people actually find your book.

Here’s the thing: Amazon doesn’t care if your book sells. I know, it’s harsh. But Amazon is a business, and their priority is making money from whatever products sell well—books, gadgets, even inflatable unicorn pool floats. If your book isn’t already getting traction, they’re not going to step in and help.

So, what can you do after that terrible realization? Let’s break it down.

Amazon Is a Marketplace, Not a Marketing Machine

This is where a lot of authors go wrong. They think, “I’m on Amazon. That’s exposure, right?” Well… not exactly. Being on Amazon is like putting your book on a shelf in the world’s biggest library. Sure, it’s there—but how will anyone find it among the millions of other books unless you point them to it?

Amazon’s algorithm only works for books that are already selling well or have a lot of reviews. If your book doesn’t have traction, it gets buried under the digital pile. The good news? There are ways to give it a boost.

Step One: Nail Your Keywords

Amazon does give you one important tool: keywords. These are your way of telling the algorithm what kind of readers should see your book. For example, if you’ve written a cozy mystery, your keywords might include “amateur sleuth,” “small-town mystery,” or “cat detective.” (Yes, that’s a thing.)

The key is to think like your reader. What would they type into Amazon when looking for a book like yours? If you’re not sure, use tools like Publisher Rocket or just type keywords into Amazon’s search bar and see what comes up. And don’t be afraid to experiment. If your book isn’t getting found, go back and tweak those keywords. Use Publisher Rocket to help with this. It’s a great asset.

But here’s the thing: even with the perfect keywords, you still need to do more.

Step Two: Drive External Traffic

Amazon loves it when you bring readers to their site. They reward books that generate external traffic because, at the end of the day, more traffic means more sales for them. So how do you get people to click over to your book?

1. Build an Email List

If you don’t already have an email list, start one now. Your email list is like a direct hotline to readers who already love what you do—or who are curious enough to sign up for updates.

One of the best ways to grow your list is by offering a reader magnet. This could be a free short story, a bonus chapter, or even a printable checklist related to your book’s topic. Use a service like MailerLite to set up a sign-up form and start collecting emails. Once you have a list, you can email readers about your new book, sales, or promotions.

2. Use Social Media Strategically

Social media can be a great way to connect with readers—but it works best when you’re consistent. Share behind-the-scenes looks at your writing process, post fun trivia about your book’s genre, or even just engage with readers about things you love.

When it comes time to promote your book, don’t just post a “Buy my book!” link over and over. Create engaging content, like graphics, teasers, or videos, that encourages readers to click.

3. Run Paid Ads

If you don’t have a big audience yet, paid advertising can help. Start small with Amazon Ads to target readers searching for books similar to yours. Facebook and Instagram ads can also work well if you know how to target your ideal audience. Not sure where to start? Try a small budget and test different ad copy and images to see what works.

The Cold Truth About Visibility on Amazon

Amazon is a powerful platform, but it’s not a marketing service. If you upload your book and do nothing else, chances are it’ll just sit there collecting digital dust while you become more frustrated by the day. To succeed, you need to take control of your book’s promotion.

Optimize Your Keywords: This helps Amazon understand where to display your book.
Drive Traffic: Use email lists, social media, and ads to send readers to your book’s page.

Build Momentum: Early reviews and consistent promotion will help your book gain traction.

In Conclusion: It’s On You

Here’s the bottom line: Amazon isn’t going to sell your book for you. That’s your job. But the good news is, you don’t need a giant marketing budget or a huge audience to get started. By focusing on the basics—keywords, traffic, and engagement—you can set your book up for success.

So don’t let your hard work go unnoticed. Take charge of your promotion, and let readers know your book exists. Amazon may not do the heavy lifting for you, but with a little effort, you can make your book stand out in the crowd.

Book Marketing

The Ultimate Book Promotion Checklist

No Comments

ok, I am going to hit you with a whole exhaustive list of every single thing you’ll need to do to promote a book, from formatting it properly to launching it to (I apologize) stopping before you launch it to build an audience.

This list is a work in progress so it is subject to change (and grow). Let me know if you think I missed something!

Pre-Launch Preparation

Complete your manuscript and ensure it’s professionally edited and proofread. A polished manuscript increases your book’s chances of success by delivering a better reading experience.
Format both eBook and paperback/print-on-demand versions properly. Proper formatting ensures your book looks professional and meets retailer requirements. Check out formatting tools like Vellum.
Design a high-quality, genre-appropriate cover. A professional cover is your first chance to make an impression on potential readers. Find cover designers on platforms like 99designs.

Ensure consistent fonts, spacing, and design in your interior formatting. This helps avoid readability issues and ensures your book feels cohesive. Explore formatting templates for Word or InDesign.
Finalize metadata: Include a clear title, subtitle, author name, ISBN, keywords, and categories. Metadata is essential for discoverability and helps retailers recommend your book. Understand Amazon metadata best practices here.
Craft a professional author bio and obtain a high-quality author headshot. A well-written bio introduces readers to you, while a good headshot conveys professionalism. Learn how to craft an engaging author bio.

Build or optimize your author website. A professional website serves as your online hub for books, updates, and audience engagement. Check out author website examples.
Select and configure a newsletter service: Options include MailerLite, ConvertKit, or EmailOctopus. Your newsletter is a direct line to readers and critical for long-term engagement. Compare email marketing services here.
Develop and distribute a Reader Magnet. Offer a freebie (short story, bonus chapter, etc.) in exchange for email sign-ups to build your mailing list. Use tools like BookFunnel to distribute reader magnets.

Set up or optimize your social media profiles. Focus on platforms where your target readers are most active and keep branding consistent. Find tips for authors on Instagram here.
Create a book landing page featuring: The cover, summary, reviews, purchase links, and an opt-in for your reader magnet. A well-designed landing page can significantly boost conversions. Learn how to create effective landing pages.
Identify your niche and target audience. Research where your ideal readers spend time online and what they enjoy. Discover tools for audience research.

Choose a primary social platform and focus on building a following. Consistency and authenticity are key to attracting readers. Check out guides for authors on TikTok.
Post engaging content relevant to your audience. Share a mix of personal insights, teasers, and interactive content to keep your followers engaged. Learn what content works for authors.
Promote your Reader Magnet to convert followers into email subscribers. Highlight the benefits of your freebie in posts and profile bios. Find reader magnet ideas here.

Interact consistently with followers to build community and recognition. Respond to comments, engage in discussions, and establish your presence. Learn social media engagement tips.
Set a realistic launch date, allowing time for pre-launch activities. Consider factors like editing, ARC distribution, and promotional buildup. Find a book launch timeline template.
Define your goals (e.g., sales, reviews, newsletter growth) and budget. This helps you stay focused and avoid overspending. Calculate your publishing budget.

Assemble a launch team (e.g., beta readers, ARC reviewers, and a street team). These supporters help spread the word and provide critical early reviews. Learn how to build a street team.
Create a detailed marketing calendar, including social media posts, emails, and interviews. A plan ensures consistent outreach and prevents last-minute stress. Download a free marketing calendar template.

If you have no audience at all, this is where you will need to pause and focus on employing the Follower Funnel Method for six months to a year (or more). Building a foundational audience is critical to ensuring your book has an engaged group of readers ready to support its release. The follower funnel method includes identifying your niche, consistently engaging on one or two social media platforms, creating valuable content, and converting followers into email subscribers via a compelling reader magnet. While this step takes time, it is essential for long-term success. Learn more about audience-building strategies here.

Advance Review & Buzz Building

Distribute ARCs via trusted reviewers, BookFunnel, NetGalley, or BookSprout. Early reviews build credibility and help attract more readers to your book. Discover how to distribute ARCs effectively.

Provide clear review instructions for platforms like Goodreads and Amazon. Simplify the process to make it easier for reviewers to leave feedback. Learn how to request reviews professionally.
Use ARC feedback to generate social proof and collect blurbs for marketing. Positive quotes from early readers can be used in ads and promotional materials. Get tips on leveraging reviews for marketing.
Set up pre-order pages on platforms like Amazon, Apple Books, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble. Pre-orders help create momentum and boost visibility on launch day. Learn how to set up pre-orders.

Announce pre-orders via newsletters, social media, and your website. Include an enticing call to action and exclusive offers to encourage early purchases. Find pre-order marketing strategies here.
Offer incentives (e.g., exclusive content or early-bird pricing) to encourage pre-orders. Make the deal irresistible to build excitement and boost sales. See examples of pre-order bonuses.
Post a cover reveal to generate excitement. Use social media or email to share your cover and ask for feedback or engagement. Learn how to plan a cover reveal.

Share sneak peeks, excerpts, and behind-the-scenes content. These small previews keep your audience intrigued and looking forward to your book’s release. Discover creative teaser ideas.
Countdown to launch day with engaging posts or quizzes. Include fun facts, polls, or interactive elements to maintain interest. Find countdown post examples here.

Launch Week Activities

Craft a compelling book description and refine metadata. A strong blurb and optimized keywords improve discoverability and conversion rates. Read about writing effective book descriptions.
Claim and optimize your Amazon Author Central profile. Add your bio, photos, and book details to make it easy for readers to find your work. Learn how to set up your Author Central page.
Use engaging subject lines and include a launch announcement in your email newsletter. Share purchase links, bonus content, and a request for reviews. Get examples of effective email subject lines.

Share launch-related updates daily, varying content types. Include posts like “Thank you” messages, launch day videos, or live sessions. See social media ideas for book launches.
Host a live event (e.g., Q&A or a virtual book party). Live interaction adds a personal touch and builds stronger connections with your audience. Learn how to host a virtual book event.
Run ads on Amazon, Facebook, Instagram, or BookBub. Start with small budgets to test what works best for your audience. Explore guides for book advertising.

Adjust bids and creatives based on performance. Monitor ad metrics to identify which campaigns are generating the best ROI. Learn how to analyze ad results.
Run a Goodreads giveaway or host contests on social media. Giveaways attract readers and can increase your book’s visibility. Find out how to run a Goodreads giveaway.
Partner with other authors for cross-promotions. Teaming up with authors in your genre can expand your reach and introduce your book to a new audience. Discover strategies for author collaborations.

Ongoing Promotion & Visibility

Encourage early readers to leave reviews. Reviews provide social proof and help improve your book’s ranking in search results. Learn how to ask for reviews effectively.
Reach out to book bloggers and influencers. These partnerships can introduce your book to their established audiences. Find tips for working with book influencers.

Pitch yourself to podcasts, blogs, or local media. Sharing your story and expertise helps build your author brand and expand your reach. Check out tips for media pitching.
Engage with online and local book clubs. Offer to host discussions or provide group discounts to attract bulk purchases. Learn how to connect with book clubs.
Donate books to libraries and offer to host events. Libraries are a great way to increase visibility and reach new readers. Discover how to get your book into libraries.

Use retargeting ads on platforms like Facebook. Retargeting allows you to reach people who showed interest in your book but didn’t purchase. Find out how retargeting works.
Run seasonal campaigns (e.g., holiday promotions). Tie your book promotions to relevant holidays or seasonal events to boost interest. Get seasonal promotion ideas here.

Events & Appearances

Host webinars, virtual signings, or online workshops. These events allow you to connect directly with readers and showcase your expertise. Learn how to host virtual events.
Speak at online conferences in your genre. Sharing your knowledge or insights can position you as an expert and attract a wider audience. Explore speaking opportunities for authors.
Arrange book signings and workshops. In-person events are great for connecting with readers and building a local fanbase. Check out tips for successful book signings.

Participate in book fairs or festivals. These events provide networking opportunities with other authors and publishers. Find a list of book fairs and festivals.
Join joint signings, cross-promotions, or themed bundles. Collaborating with other authors expands your reach and attracts new readers. Discover collaborative marketing ideas.

Long-Term Strategy

Maintain an author blog and post updates regularly. Blogs help improve SEO, engage readers, and showcase your expertise. Learn how to create a successful author blog.
Send engaging newsletters to your mailing list. Share updates, exclusive content, and promotions to keep readers interested. Explore email newsletter ideas here.
Develop consistent branding and network with other authors. Branding helps readers identify your work, while networking opens up collaborative opportunities. Read about building an author brand.

Monitor sales, review trends, and engagement metrics. Use analytics tools to refine your marketing strategies and identify what works best. Check out tools for tracking book sales.
Adjust marketing strategies based on data insights. Experiment with different approaches to maximize ROI. Find strategies for optimizing campaigns.
Work on your next book or spin-offs to maintain momentum. A growing backlist helps sustain long-term income and reader interest. Explore tips for writing sequels.

Use your current audience as a launchpad for new releases. Encourage them to spread the word and engage with your latest work. Discover reader engagement tips.

Bonus Tips & Reminders

Stay organized with tools like Trello or Asana. Keeping track of tasks helps streamline your publishing process. Check out productivity tools for authors.

Experiment with different tactics and track results. Be open to trying new strategies and adjust based on what resonates with your audience. Find marketing experiment ideas here.
Celebrate milestones to maintain motivation. Acknowledge small wins like your first review or hitting a sales target. Learn about setting milestones for success.