Marketing basics for authors
A comprehensive guide for authors on what to do when you publish a book.
Being a successful author today takes more than just writing a book. The truth is, as authors, we cannot rely solely on our publishers or readers to carry our books to success. These days, authors need to take a more active role in marketing and visibility. But there’s no need to panic.
There are plenty of simple, effective things you can do to help your book succeed, support your publisher/your publishing, and grow your audience.
Here are some easy things to do that will help you build your career as an author.
Claim your Amazon Author Page and Bio
You’d be surprised how many authors I work with haven’t done this. It’s incredibly simple, and absolutely essential.
Whether you're traditionally or independently published, if your book is available on Amazon, you can (and should) claim your Author Page. Just head to author.amazon.com, sign in, search for your book, and claim your author profile. You can add a bio, link multiple books, and even manage several pen names from one account.
Remind people to follow your Amazon Page
Once you’ve claimed your Amazon page, you need to share it. Add the link to your LinkTree/bios, social posts and newsletter. Ask readers to follow you on Amazon to stay up to date with your latest releases, as Amazon will email your followers automatically whenever:
You publish a new book
A title goes on pre-order
A book is discounted
It’s like having a bonus mailing list, you don’t have to manage it yourself.
You won’t see who follows you, but once you have 20+ followers, you can see how many people are following your page via Amazon Author Central, and it can be incredibly beneficial as you publish more and more.
Build a presence on social media
I used to say that social media wasn’t essential for authors. But in today’s digital landscape, having some online presence is almost non-negotiable. However, don’t have to be on every platform. And if you choose one, it doesn’t have to be TikTok either.
Instead, I recommend picking one channel where your readers are most likely to engage with you and your work and focus on building your presence there. And make it enjoyable. My motto is: first comes heart, then comes hustle. If you don’t enjoy creating content, your audience won’t enjoy consuming it. Keep it authentic, and if you don’t enjoy it, stop doing it and find another way or platform to reach your readers.
Encourage people to share reviews
Reviews matter everywhere. Not just on Amazon, but on Goodreads, Storygraph, Waterstones, NetGalley, and several other platforms.
Make it easy for readers to leave reviews:
Share direct links
Mention it regularly
Start early, especially if you’re using NetGalley for pre-awareness
Keep asking readers to share, even months after publication
Once you have the reviews, don't just let them sit there - use them! I recommend creating reader review assets on Canva to share on socials, and you could even tag the reviewers, if you know who they are. Share the reviews as posts on your social channels, in newsletters, and - if you can - on your Amazon and another retailer page underneath your blurb.
Interact with authors
Whether in person or on social media, interact with your peers. Celebrate and support them - a sale for them is not a sale from you - and it’s a great way to get encouragement back, often when you need it most.
I found that my best relationships with authors have been formed naturally at events rather than online, but dropping into DM’s and commenting on social posts authentically can have a huge impact. If I’ve read a book I love, I always try and contact the author to let them know via a DM or by featuring their book in a TikTok video and tagging them.
We all know how much that would mean for us to hear from other authors, so pay it forward.
Support readers
We often thank readers for sharing our work, but are we supporting theirs? As a content creator, I’m much more likely to champion an author if I feel they’ve previously engaged with me on TikTok or elsewhere authentically. So remember to authentically engage with readers about things other than your books.
Reach out to booksellers and libraries
I’ve been traditionally published twice, but for both books, I reached out directly to booksellers and libraries about events, stock signings and POS, and the results I got were so much fun.
I found the outreach doesn’t have to be done the week of launch or when you have proofs - if you have proofs - you can reach out at any time, even if you have no book upcoming but you’ve been published previously.
Consider offering workshops or talks, especially at indie shops and libraries. And if you visit a bookshop as a reader, share it. One family-run bookshop emailed me after I posted a TikTok about their store. They were over the moon, and it made my day as it’s genuinely one of my favourite bookstores.
Sign up for Pending Library Right (PLR)
If you're in the UK or EU and your books are in libraries (print, ebook, or audio), sign up for PLR so you can get paid for library loans: https://www.bl.uk/plr/
Pitch yourself and put yourself out
Want to be on the radio? In a magazine? On a podcast? Don’t wait to be asked: pitch yourself.
My top tip for pitching yourself, as someone who has worked as a freelance journalist since 2018 and secured features/reviews for my book, think beyond ‘I’ve published a book’ and instead ask yourself: ‘What’s the angle?’
Is there a relevant anniversary I can tie my book to and offer an opinion piece or an interview?
Did I make any unique discoveries during my research that would be of interest to an audience?
Could I talk about a trending theme or share a hot take to raise my profile?
Is this a perennial topic that a magazine or a podcast would enjoy?
Most of my coverage has come from me asking for it. Make sure your pitch includes a hook and makes clear why people should care.
Think outside the bookish sphere
A lot of authors stick within the safe space of the bookish space, but think outside of it.
What if I contact a Substack writer who writes about girlhood and ‘90s movies to feature my romcom?
What if I send a relevant pitch about my swords & sandals novel for a feature in a gaming magazine?
What if I contact a podcaster who does weekly episodes about the BBC’s Merlin to discuss my Arthurian retelling?
What if I ask a Travel Editor to chair and interview at my local library for my memoir about travelling for six months?
Reach a wider audience and find new and exciting ways to talk about my book.
You don’t need to do everything at once. But by taking even a few of these steps, you can drastically increase your visibility and reach.
I hope the above helps, and if you need any other tips and tricks from an author and a publishing professional, subscribe to Market Your Marketing today or reach out via my contact form for personalised author coaching.