Create Your Ulitimate Writers Platform – Sell More Books!

Book Marketing Tips: After extensive research, trial, error, and long-time experience, Chick Lit Cafe has discovered the most effective ways to market your books, create an online presence, and connect authors with readers worldwide.

In this article, we provide authors with the very best ways, to implement immediately, to increase book sales, author visibility and build their brand and platform as a published author.  Read on for great author and book marketing tips.

What is a Writers Platform and Why You Must Create a Powerful One

A writers platform is vital for several reasons. If you don’t create a writers platform you will be invisible to readers and in the book and reading community. If publishers discover that a writer/author doesn’t have a platform where they have connected with readers and the book community, the book deal will most certainly fall through. That can’t happen or the final deal won’t go through.

If you self-publish your book and then sit back and wait for sales to come in, they most certainly won’t if you don’t have a writers platform and a marketing plan in place. You are going to want to create a powerful writers platform and where you will connect with readers who will love you and your books and follow you on various social media and literary community websites.

*** indicates a neccessity***

Create a Complete “Author Platform” Which Must Include:

• Your author website ***
• Your blog (have a separate page for your blog and blog regularly)
• Your Amazon author page. ***
• Your Goodreads author page. ***
• Your BookBub author page. ***
• Your social media presence and profiles. Place your social media icons with links to your social media profiles in a conspicuous, easy to find, spot on your website – near the top of the page, so readers can easily click on them, and connect with, and follow you. ***
• Join as many book related sites as possible and create your author profile, such as Bookbub (google “book clubs” and “book sites” to find as many book related sites as possible.) ***
• Google “free author interviews” to find sites that will allow you to do free author interviews with permanent links on their site. (Yes, they are out there)
• Have a book trailer made for all of your books and include them on your website.
• Build an Email list of readers and send them customized Emails featuring and promoting your book. You may use the free email subscription widget and form which comes with wordpress or any other website platform you are using to capture new subscribers.
• Or, Constant Contact has the very best features to customize your emails and they are affordable. We have tired other Email programs, but always come back to Constant Contact. They are the very best and most user friendly. They also have a customization Email sign up pop up box that you can add to your website in order to gain more Email subscribers. For a more cost effective less expensive email program, MailChimp and MailerLite or also both very effective and fairly easy to use.

***Keep Your Website Up-to-Date, Visually Appealing and
User Friendly***

• On your homepage, the first thing readers should see is your books for sale (leave out your book description on this page). Include a picture of your book covers with links to purchase your books that is large and visible. Also link your book cover pictures to your purchase site, as well (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.)
• If you have more than one book, put all of them on the home page. Readers can scroll down to each book and see your awesome covers and be motivated to purchase them. ALWAYS include your purchase link for readers to buy your book immediately. It is best to link your book cover and/or Buy Here words to your purchase page, rather than having an open link – which looks something like this https://amzn.to/46Bui1a
• You can also have a page titled something like “Books” or  “Shop Books.” Many authors today are choosing to sell their books directly to readers from their website, rather than using Amazon. Either way, it is a great idea to have a “Shop Books” page where readers can buy your books either directly from you or from Amazon etc. On this page, you can have a short description next t each book cover. Again link your book cover and “Buy Here” words to your Amazon purchase page.
• Your website domain name should be called your “author name,” not the title of your book or some other made up title. GoDaddy, NameCheap and BlueHost are all easy websites to buy your domain name. Your website designer and host can help you integrate your domain name to your website and get you all set up. Godaddy also has great customer service. If you buy your domain name (websitename. com) through Godaddy, they will help you and do alot of the work to set it up and connect it to your website.
• We recommend that you have your website professionally designed and that authors use wordpress.org not wordpress.com – for a more professional striking website.
  That is our preference for many reasons including very important SEO purposes. Many people have the belief that having a professional create a website for them is expensive. While some website designers may be overly expensive, many are not and many are extremely affordable. Your website designer should be specific to designing themes for authors and displaying books. We highly recommend Pub-Site. They create websites specifically for authors. You can watch a Youtube video about what they do and how they create affordable websites for authors here. They are affordable depending on your choices. Starting at $14.99 a month.  They have templates for fiction and nonfiction. They can customize a website to your exact specifications and desires. They have the most extraordinary designs. Nosegraze is also an inexpensive designer who alos hosts your sote and Ashley the owner is always there for sutomer supposrt. IShe charges $19.99 a month for one of her themes which can be customized. So it can be very inexpensive.
• If you want to go with a DIY website, you are still may have to pay for it. Some are free, but it depends of the level of professionalism, the features you want and the theme you choose.  WordPress.com would be our first choice for DIY websites.
• On your “Homepage,” be sure to have an email sign up box, so readers can subscribe to your website/blog and receive updates about your books, and your creative interesting blog posts. Use your website’s themes email sign up widget. Or you can utilize a paid Email service like Constant Contact or Mail Chimp in order to easily send out mass emails to your readers.
• Be sure to use photos and graphics on your website in your blog section. Blog regularly. You can find blogging ideas by googling “blogging ideas for authors” (Not completely necessary if you don’t have time)
• Have a separate “Author Bio” and page-make it fun, personal and interesting, be sure to add a picture of you or of your very best book cover.***
• On a separate page, show your book covers again, each should include your books synopsis and any great book reviews or review blurbs that you have received. Title your page “Books Reviews”
• Have a separate page for your blog. This is where you will write about your writing, life, books and other interesting topics. Your subscribers will receive your blog entries in their email box. That is why it is important to have an email signup box on your home page in the top right hand sidebar. Title your blog page “Blog.”
• Don’t forget your “Contact Page,” so readers, publishers, industry professionals, etc. can contact you. Use the contact form that comes with your website’s theme.

Note: Do not bog your website/blog down with other authors books or reviews. This will distract from your own particular work and books. The only exception to this rule is if you are collaborating with another author, and sharing your books on one another’s sites.

Try to Participate in Social Media Regularly – Marketing Tips

Social media is good for gaining a following of readers that will look forward to hearing about and buying your books. You can have discussions with them about books and hook them on your books. Twitter , Facebook Instagram  LinkedIn and Pinterest are all social media platforms which authors should promote themselves on. *** Some social media presense is a good thing but it takes time time build up. Don’t stress over it. Take your time and build it as you are able too. ***

• Join book groups within the social media platforms. Readers groups, writers groups and book  clubs are great for promoting your books. (Fairly important as you have time to do so)
• Create a Goodreads profile *** and be sure to include your book covers and all your information,   including your website and social media links. ***
• When using social media, don’t just promote your books. Include interesting, humorous and  fun ways to engage with other users and readers. Post eye-appealing pictures to go along with your posts. Comment and interact with other users.
• Follow readers and they will follow you back! ***
• Set your setting so readers can friend and message you. You must be approachable. ***

 ***Have a Complete Amazon Author Central Page–
Book Promotion Tips***

• Be sure to have a photo of yourself – or if you are shy, use some kind of photo for your profile picture.
• Your author bio
• Add your website address and link to your author bio, at the bottom of your bio. ***
• Make sure that when readers click on your Amazon author profile that all of your books are listed. ***
• For each individual book, each and every format (Kindle, Paperback, Hardcover & Audible) must be on the very same page for that one particular book. Very important. ***
• Utilize the “Editorial Reviews” section for each separate book to highlight the best reviews with a blurb from each one. You can put blurbs from your paid reviews in this section. ***
• -You can add great amazing looking images to your Amazon Editorial section for your book now too.
  The below link here is a perfect example of how to add extra images, or squares with review blurbs. And this page here shows the perfect way to format and add Editorial reviews. They look best if they are in “blurbs” instead of adding an entire review to your Editorial reviews page.  https://amzn.to/3Nlwum6 Scroll down a bit. 
• Make sure to write down and save your Amazon login information, so you can access it to make changes as necessary. ***
• Tracy Traynor has some great artciles and instructions on how to set up your Author Central page and other important articles and self -publishing support like Amazon ads  She has also written an exceptional book that is easy, concise and packed with valuable info on everything an author needs to know and do for a successful career as a writer and self-published author.
  

  This is the simple yet powerful book we highly recommend for beginners. Click here to buy Don’t Go For Broke: Successful Self-Publishing by TN Traynor 

 Your Goodreads Author Page – Run Plenty of Giveaways 

• Make sure your Goodreads author profile is update, with all of your books listed with their book covers. ***
• Join the Goodreads Author Program Information – Step by Step Instructions ***
• Be sure to have a photo of yourself – or if you are shy, use some kind of photo for your profile picture. ***
• Dont forget to include your website address on your Goodreads author profile page. ***
• You can also add your social media profile links to your Goodreads author profile.
• Give away as many signed “paperback” books as possible to get free book reviews. *** (Important to gain readers, fans and book reviews)
• Include a nice note when sending the paper back to the winner’s, kindly asking them to please leave Amazon and Goodreads reviews for your book.

***Your BookBub Author Profile – A Vital Free Resource ***

BookBub has millions of email subscribers who are avid readers of all genres. It is free to create and manage your BookBub author profile and add your books. Reach readers worldwide with this prominent book and reader website and community.

• BookBub – Instructions for authors & everything you need to know.
• Sign up  for a free BookBub account.

Reach Out to Book Clubs: Offer to Speak and Share about Your Book

• Speak at local book clubs and associations, book stores and various businesses.
• Gain notoriety locally.

Get as Many Great Reviews For Your Book as Possible

Excellent quality book reviews are important for your author and book credibility and to selling more books. Utilize free and paid reviewers to maximize your efforts and receive the best quality professional and marketable book reviews that will increase your book sales substantially. When you receive a great review, always ask your book reviewer to kindly post their review on Amazon and Goodreads. Sometimes free book reviews are not always the best way to go because they can be negative.

 Enter as Many Book Award Contests that Are Available

• This will help your author credibility substantially.
• Display Your Awards on a separate page on your website entitled “Book Awards & Recognition’s.”
• Google top book contests to find the top contests to enter.

 Top Book Marketing Companies

Marketing and promoting your book is one of the most difficult parts of increasing your book sales and author visibility.

We recommend that authors should hire a book marketing professional to achieve the best results to substantially increase book sales, and connect with readers and the book industry professionals worldwide.

To increase your book sales and author visibility, submit your book to   Artisan Book Reviews & Promotion for all genres  or Kids Lit Book Cafe  for all your children’s, middle grade, teen and young adult books. Both have a large readership base with hundreds of thousands of followers across the board. They review and promote numerous books and authors of all genres. They utilize many readers and book related websites, book news magazines and media sites to market qualified authors books on. Chick Lit Book Cafe for all genres, is also an award winning literary website that helps bothor promote their books and helps readers discover exceptional books, and novels, in fiction and nonfiction. CLC will get your book out there, and it will be well worth the cost effective price. They get results. Be sure to read CLC’s amazing, proven and successful Author Testimonials.

For a full list of where you can enter book contests, find free and paid book reviews, free author interviews, and find book marketers, please contact us through our “contact form” to request your free list of resources for authors.

Yes, creating an author platform takes time and work. But, in the end you will definitely reap the benefits by becoming visible as a published author, spotlighting yourself and your books and ultimately selling more.

Note: This article is for the sole purpose of helping authors to promote themselves and their books and to achieve success in their writing careers. We are not affiliated with any of the above websites or companies and do not make a profit for recommending them.

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About the author:
Article Contributed by Janie Alouette
Book Marketing Specialist
California State University – Long Beach
Degree Field of Study: (M.A,) in Marketing, Business, Sales

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