20 Book Marketing Ideas That Take 10 Minutes Or Less
If there is one common thread that runs through every author it’s this: we don’t have enough time!
Sometimes when we see a huge task ahead of us, like book marketing, we tend to focus on it as a whole. And that can be overwhelming - which can make many of us put it off for another day, or just give up on it all together.
But when we break it down a bit, there is actually a lot we can get done in just a few minutes a day.
So I thought I would share some tasks that take 10 minutes or less that will vastly improve your book marketing.
These are tasks that can be done quickly during your lunch break, while you’re waiting in line to pick up your kids from school, or even during commercials breaks while watching your favorite show. It helps you get things done - and each task usually takes less time than you thought.
Research hashtags. Think about keywords your ideal reader would use to find your book. For example, #ya, #mysterybooks or #novels. When you search that hashtag, more suggestions will be offered. Keep a running list of those hashtags and start using them in your posts or start liking and commenting on posts that use those hashtags as well. Your engagement and audience will grow!
Fill in your social media profiles. Your profile is the first impression people have of you. So make sure your about section tells people why they should follow you, that you’re using keywords in your bio, that your links are correct, etc. Remove any guesswork and make sure your information is easy to understand and find.
Create your 30 second elevator pitch. When someone asks what your book or writing is about and you say, “Well, it’s kind of complicated…” you’re missing an opportunity. You aren’t reinventing the wheel. Include some similar authors or genres as a touchstone so readers can relate to it. Focus on a few keywords and craft your pitch around that.
Think about the person you’re writing for. If you could create the perfect person to buy, read, and love your book, what would that person look like? What is their age? Where do they live? What are their hobbies? What do they do for a living? This is the beginning of your ideal reader profile. Grab our free Book Marketing Blueprint to get started!
Like and comment on posts. Not your own posts, but other people’s posts. Whether it’s your fellow authors’ posts, your fans, or potential fans that use certain hashtags (see idea #1) simply liking or leaving a short comment on their posts will introduce you to new people and get your name in front of new faces.
Brainstorm newsletter incentive ideas. Creating an incentive for readers to sign up for your newsletter is, hands down, the best way to grow your list. Take 10 minutes to think about what your readers would be interested in.
Take one big marketing idea and break it down into steps. If you have a big idea that feels overwhelming, like creating and building a launch team, break the task down into individual steps. This will create an actionable to-do list so you can get it done a little bit at a time.
Take a look at your website with fresh eyes. Go through and make a list of what needs to be updated (your bio, calendar, images, etc.) and things that you need to change for your new book.
Go through your Amazon reviews (or wherever your book is sold) and find pull quotes. Sharing what other readers thought of your books on your website is a great way to give readers insight into why they should pay attention.
Set goals for the next three to six months. When you have a target to aim at you are able to make a plan to get there. Think about what you could realistically do in the next few months.
Make a plan to accomplish those goals. Take your list of goals and outline a way to achieve or complete them.
Research writers groups on Facebook. Tapping into other writers and creating relationships with them is a fantastic way to get the support you need but also expand your audience. Take some time to look at groups you can join. You can start with The Mixtus Meet-Up!
Look at your website analytics. Don’t let this one scare you because you’re mainly looking for one piece of info: where your traffic is coming from. Is it coming from Facebook? Twitter? Instagram? Pinterest? Google? Knowing where people are coming from lets you know where you should spend more time online. If most of your traffic is coming from Instagram but no one is coming from Twitter - spend more time on Instagram!
Brainstorm blog topics. Think about your ideal reader. What sparks their interest? What details or insight could you share about your new book? Brainstorm topics you could write about. Here’s a list of 100 blog topic ideas to get you started.
Read another author’s blog post and comment/share. Take a few minutes to look at blogs, videos, or podcasts from your fellow authors, comment on the posts that interest you, share them on social media, and tag them in the post. It’s a great way to support your fellow authors and gives variety to the types of posts you share.
Reach out to a reader. If you have a reader that is active on your social media accounts, on your newsletter list, or leaves comments on your blog, reach out to them and thank them for their support. This simple act of kindness goes a long way!
Research keywords. Keywords play a huge role in making your content, book, website, and posts easier for your readers to find online. I have a blog post on how you can easily find a long list of keywords to get your list rolling.
Research what others are doing outside of the book publishing world. We often get so pigeonholed and only look at what other authors are doing online. But I want to encourage you to look at other industries and get ideas and inspiration from them. Designers, mom bloggers, interior designers, musicians, film makers, companies you admire, etc. Take note of what colors or styles you respond to, what kinds of pictures you’re drawn to, etc. It’s a great way to get an idea of what kind of approach you can take online to stand out in the publishing world.
Create a doable to-do list. Outline what you would like to accomplish in the next month, make a to-do list and assign each task to a day and time throughout the month. Schedule it so it gets done!
Update your Amazon Author Page. If you don’t have an author page, create one! And if you have one, make sure the information is current and accurate. Connecting your blog feed, adding a video, and including your website URL in the bio (even though it doesn’t link to it!) is a great way for readers to get to know more about you, your other books, and make a better connection.
You can get a lot done in just a few minutes a day. Put these tasks to work and you’ll see your to-do list whittle down quickly!
If you want to go a step further and get all of the tools, resources, and help that you need to market your book, grow on social media, and sell more books - join The Author Circle membership!
