Six Tips for Socializing on Social Media to Help Sell Your Book

Many authors are turning to social media as a form of advertising to promote their books, build a fan base, and connect with readers in a way not possible in the past. Whether you’re new to social media or already have several active accounts, using sites like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram to market your book makes good sense. But what makes a successful social media platform? Being social!

The more authors post and share content, engage with their readers, and reach out to form new connections, the more buzz they are able to generate about their books. If you want people to sit up and take notice of you — and your book — commit to posting, tweeting, and/or blogging frequently and regularly.

Before you get started, ask yourself, Who is my audience? And where do they hang out? A young adult audience, for example, is more likely to use Twitter and Instagram; cozy mystery fans tend to hang out on Facebook; and LinkedIn is a good place to market a non-fiction business book. Once you’ve targeted the most effective social media sites to promote your book, it’s time to socialize!

Here are the tips, which are applicable across all social media platforms:

1. Check out what other people are doing.
Familiarize yourself with what kinds of things other authors and book lovers post, what gets the most feedback, and what doesn’t work. Then, once you’ve chosen your social media platforms, follow or “friend” lots of people in order to grow your network of potential fans. With any luck, they’ll follow you back and/or share or retweet your posts. Leave friendly, insightful comments wherever possible to up your chances of connection with others.

2. Post good content.
Statistics show that people respond favorably to pictures, funny memes, quotes that resonate, and humor. But you’ll quickly lose followers if you’re constantly flooding your social media with hard-sell tactics to buy your book. A good mixture of fun, entertaining, or informative posts mixed with occasional news about your book will keep your followers engaged. Many authors post pictures of their book’s cover, information that relates to the theme of their book, or teasers about what they can look forward to next.

3. Post regularly.
People will lose interest if they only see posts from you once in a while. For the best results, commit a certain amount of time each week to social media. Some authors use a calendar and plan their posts weeks in advance; others post frequently and spontaneously. Whatever your style, the more you post, the more likely it is that people will retweet or share your posts with others. Feeling uninspired? If you don’t have anything to say, retweet or share other people’s content. Or share links to other authors you admire. They’ll be thankful for the acknowledgment and may even return the favor!

4. Be authentic.
Your readers want to get to know YOU, so don’t try to copy other authors or celebrities — or your readers will sense your inauthenticity. By posting content that reflects who you are, what’s important to you, and what’s relevant to your book’s genre, followers will feel a connection to you — and your book.

5. Match the tone of your tweets to your book.
Is your novel lighthearted and humorous? If so, refrain from posting dark, serious content. If your book is non-fiction and aimed toward professionals, your posts should be professional and credible as well. Is your book historical fiction or a fitness guide? Draw from other sources (historical photographs and events, or tips from your own journey toward fitness) to provide content that is informative and/or entertaining, and — most important — linked to your own book.

6. Engage with your followers.
Show your friends and followers that you’re engaged and grateful for them by responding to their comments. You can also continue the dialogue with questions: What should you name your next Western hero? What weight loss tips have worked for them? What’s the scariest setting for a horror novel? Always be personable, polite, and calm in your responses. And don’t engage with trolls or react to negative comments to avoid coming across as immature or unprofessional.

Remember: Building a strong social media platform takes time. If you’re just starting out, be patient — and be social, even if it goes against your introverted nature. If your book is still in the works, now is the perfect time to start building this platform and generate a little hype. Then, when the big day arrives, you can post across multiple social media sites that your book is published and available to the public!

If you’re unsure how to get started with social media and make connections with your target readers, Outskirts Press can help! Tap into the power of social media with our Social Media Set-Up and Strategy Toolkit. This valuable service is 10% off during the month of June.” Enter promo code soclmedten at checkout to receive the discount.

Save 10% on Your Book Marketing Specialist

In today’s market, it can be tough to know where to focus your efforts in order to effectively market your book and Covid-19 is making that even more challenging nowadays. Don’t worry. We’re here to help!

Right now, Outskirts Press is offering an instant 10% savings off the regular price of $349 when you claim 5 hours of 1-on-1 marketing assistance with a book marketing specialist. This service includes five hours of one-on-one assistance with a marketing professional who can:

  • Develop your personal marketing plan
  • Arrange book signings for you
  • Develop your social media platform
  • And much more!

Log in to your Publishing Center and select Book Marketing Specialist from the Marketing Solutions menu. Enter promo code savetenbms at check out to receive 10% off instantly.

Take advantage of this New Year’s savings before it expires and let’s get your book really out there in 2021.

 

Listen to this! Audiobooks are BOOMING

According to Forbes Magazine, United States audiobook sales reached nearly $1 billion in 2018 (final 2019 figures aren’t in yet), which continues a 7-year double-digit growth since 2012. One can only assume the sales will be even higher in 2019, and now in 2020, even higher still.

Is your book an audiobook yet? If it’s not, it should be, especially if your book falls into one of the following categories, which, according to Amazon, are the top-10 best-selling audiobook genres:

  1. Mystery & Suspense — narrators are particularly good at being spooky!
  2. Anything on the bestsellers list — surprise surprise!
  3. Science Fiction & Fantasy — during these pandemic times, is this really a surprise?
  4. History & Biographies — narrators have a knack for sounding knowledgeable
  5. Business & Self-Improvement — who has time to better themselves? Oh, yeah! I have a 1-hour commute!
  6. Children & Young Adult — who knew children like having books read to them?
  7. Inspiration & Religion — now your listeners can join those who hear God speak to them
  8. Erotica & Romance — is this really a surprise to anyone?
  9. Sports — now people can play fantasy football while they watch football AND listen to football!
  10. Westerns — Giddy-up! Listen, cowboys and cowgirls, it’s time to publish YOUR audiobook right now

 

Author Frank Schaeffer Shares Why He Chooses Self-Publishing Over Mainstream

If you think paying for self-publishing is crazy, think again! Celebrated author Frank Schaeffer, who has penned more than a dozen fiction and non-fiction books for publishers like Macmillan and Avalon, shared his thoughts about why he was happy to ditch his traditional publishers for the freedom of self-publishing.

Schaeffer released his first self-published book, “And God Said, “Billy! with Outskirts Press after years of traditional, mainstream publishing. The laugh-out-loud novel drags readers into the tilted mind of a Charismatic-Evangelical who essentially sells his soul for a shot at a step up in Hollywood. He loses all — his family, his film career and his faith — only to come to a “miraculous” reversal in the most unexpected of ways.

And God Said, "Billy!"And God Said, “Billy!” is a book some 17 years in the making, and one Schaeffer might never have seen in print without the support of a publisher that shared his enthusiasm and vision for its potential. Here are several reasons why Schaeffer dumped his publisher and partnered with Outskirts Press — and how you can benefit from doing the same:

  • Escape the limbo land of traditional publishing. When one too many of his editors and publishers were bought and sold by impersonal publishing giants, Schaeffer lost the one-on-one attention he once got from people with whom he had built valuable, productive relationships. Only when he hopped to Outskirts Press did he rediscover that.
  • Benefit from a publisher that understands new media. With his traditional publisher, Schaeffer found himself doing all the heavy lifting when it came to marketing his book in any venue besides a few newspapers. Now, he can take on only what he feels he can handle and invest only as much money as he deems necessary to enlist marketing help — from self-publishing experts who are familiar with modern marketing venues and techniques.
  • Keep more of your profits. Traditional publishers have finally discovered the convenience of print-on-demand. But this doesn’t prevent them from keeping same lion’s share of the profits that they demanded when they still ran large pre-prints and warehoused the hardcopies. With self-publishing, you can print on demand and keep your hard-earned profits to yourself.
  • Get the exposure of Amazon. No one’s more tuned-in to ebooks than self-publishers, who continue to gain ground in the book publishing market, particularly in the ebook arena.
  • Set your own pace. Self-publishing neither requires you to wait many, many months to see your creation in print, nor rushes you to publish by an arbitrary deadline. Whether you’re a prolific author or a procrastinator, you determine your own publishing schedule.

Schaeffer says that his partnership with Outskirts Press has so far worked out well. “They’ve been more responsive than some traditional publishers,” he says. “Outskirts Press people actually get back to me when I have a question, and they’re setting up the online platforms (like Kindle) for a one-time fee, then directing all income direct to me from Amazon, iBook and Nook. They pay my share of the income from the print edition of the book quarterly.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Frank Schaeffer

Frank Schaeffer is a survivor of both polio and an evangelical/fundamentalist childhood and an acclaimed author of more than a dozen books, including the semi-autobiographical Calvin Becker Trilogy: Portofino, Zermatt and Saving Grandma, and the highly acclaimed Crazy For God and Baby Jack. He overcame severe dyslexia to become a home-schooled and self-taught documentary movie director, a feature film director and producer of four low-budget Hollywood features, which Frank has described as “pretty terrible.” Schaeffer’s non-fiction includes Keeping Faith: A Father-Son Story About Love and the United States Marine Corps and AWOL: The Unexcused Absence of America’s Upper Classes from Military Service and How It Hurts Our Country.

Enjoy total publishing freedom — and keep 100% of your profits — through self-publishing!
Click here to browse your publishing options.

Holiday Book Marketing Now? Yes, and Here’s Why …

Believe it or not, this is the time when many high-profile magazines and trade publications — who work months ahead of time — are already filling editorial and advertising space for holiday editions. That means the earlier you get started on holiday book marketing, the better chance you have of getting in front of more potential readers.

Outskirts Press is offering our annual Holiday Marketing Bundle, including a coveted spot in the New York Times Book Review Holiday Co-op Advertisement that goes out to over one million readers in time for holiday shopping! Your New York Times advertisement is bundled with:

  • A feature spotlight posting on the Self-Publishing News blog
  • Your own book trailer video
  • Annual Book Distribution Fee waived for 2021
  • Amazon Listing Optimization to capture potential sales
  • A custom graphic featuring you and your book cover to use in your holiday marketing efforts (click for an example)
  • 5 hours with a Book Marketing Specialist

But hurry — there are only 6 spots available for this special offer, and spots are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

 

How Local Media Marketing Can Make Your Book Skyrocket (even while self-isolating)

If you’ve done any sort of local media marketing yourself, you know it is often easier said than done. Success typically comes down to perseverance. But success also depends upon contacting the right people at the right time.

Every city has its share of radio stations, and each of those radio stations have on-air personalities for designated blocks of time. Some radio programs are geared exclusively to music. Others, exclusively to news. And still others exclusively to a mash-up of music, entertainment, and listener engagement. Media marketing involves identifying the appropriate people to contact and making those in-roads.

Since you’re a local author in their area, they’re exponentially more likely to be interested than if you send an unsolicited pitch to a national or global program.

Other than radio, every major city also has its fair share of local newscasts and entertainment programs on television. These program producers are constantly on the prowl for unique, original programming featuring someone, or something, of local interest. In much the same manner you located and pitched the radio stations, you’ll identify and pitch the television producers, too.

Do you want more than radio and television exposure? How about city-wide newspapers and/or community leaflets or fliers. Almost all commercial areas from the suburbs to the major cities harbor newsletters, newspapers, coupon periodicals, and the like. And what do you think the chances are that your local community newspaper will write an article about a local author with a published book? We’re betting pretty good! In fact, your local community newspapers should also be one of your very first steps on the road to marketing, but the success rate is so high.

If you’re thinking this sounds like a lot of work, you’re right. But the results can make it worthwhile if you have the patience to do it right. And nowadays, much (if not all of this) can be done remotely via email, chat, and the telephone, making it an effective and safe method of marketing your book, even during COVID-19.

Want even more good news? Outskirts Press offers a Media Marketing Blitz option that does all this for you, and more. Throughout August our authors can receive an instant 10% savings with promo code: mediamarket

 

Amazon Featured Book of the Week

Now available on Amazon.com!


Full Circle

by Richard Ellis Shaw

(5 Stars – 1 Customer Review)

Price: $14.95

Richard Ellis Shaw’s “Full Circle.” Magic happens when talented Maggie and dedicated Pike meet at Bolton College. Through all their ups and downs, they know they love each other…until an unforgivable betrayal rips them apart right before graduation. Follow Pike and Maggie’s tender, heartbreaking, deeply real romance and watch as they learn about wisdom, healing, and how to come to terms with the past, until their different paths bring them back where they started: Full Circle.

 Learn More 

 

Please note that product prices and availability are subject to change. Prices and availability were accurate at the time of this posting; however, they may differ from those you see when you visit Amazon.com.© Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Amazon, Amazon.com, the Amazon.com logo, and 1-Click are registered trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Amazon.com, 410 Terry Avenue N., Seattle, WA 98109-5210.

 

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Got Knee Pain? Where is Your Tibia? by William J. Ruch, D.C

Author William Ruch is taking his latest book Got Knee Pain? Where is Your Tibia? on tour — a Virtual Book Tour, that is, with Outskirts Press! Technology has created a wide variety of ways to reach audiences all over the world. All it takes is a little thinking outside the box, and nowadays you can market a self-published book in a variety of affordable and impactful ways. Virtual book tours, for example, are a great way to connect with readers from all corners of the globe, all from the comfort of your own home. Join William Ruch and Got Knee Pain? as they appear in features and interviews (such as the one below) in the weeks and months ahead!


Luckily for us, William was kind enough to answer a few questions as the tour was getting started so that we can give you a sneak peek into the mind of the creator of https://outskirtspress.com/gotkneepain.

OP: Tell us a little bit about Got Knee Pain?: Where is Your Tibia?. What is it about?

William: Knee pain and how to evaluate and then treat your own knee injury.

OP: Why did you decide to write this story?

William: Because of the bad treatment that people receive after they have injured their knee.

OP: What types of readers would be interested in this story?

William: Anyone with a knee injury.

OP: What is special about your book?

William: Knee pain can be very debilitating. This book could lead a person to decrease their pain but regain mobility.

OP: What differentiates it from other books in the same category?

William: I am unaware of any book like this.

OP: Have you published any other books? Do you plan to publish more?

William: Yes and yes.

OP: How can someone learn more about your book or purchase it?

William: Got Knee Pain? is available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and Outskirts Press.

OP: Thanks for your time, William! We look forward to learning more about you as you visit other bloggers!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dr. William Ruch has a successful chiropractic practice for over 30 years, in Oakland, California. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of San Francisco in 1975. He graduated Cum Laude from Life Chiropractic College West in Hayward, California in September of 1986. In the Spring of 1987, he returned to his alma mater as adjunct faculty, where he has been teaching till this day. Dr. Ruch authored numerous scientific articles on spinal and pelvic pathophysiology including cadaver dissection study, radiograph photography which appeared in chiropractic journals. In addition, he has written chapters on the autonomic neuroanatomy of the vertebral subluxation/misalignment complex, and published several cadaver specimens, radiology and photographs in other textbooks. Through the Life Chiropractic College West, he published the 2nd edition textbook: “Atlas of Common Subluxation of the Human Spine and Pelvis,” which is a part of his curriculum. He also published a textbook on adjusting called “Advanced Adjusting Techniques,” which has the pelvic protocols included in this book. Currently, Dr. Ruch is also conducting seminars for post graduate education and relicensing. Dr. Ruch has made it his mission to teach the chiropractic community the importance of understanding human anatomy, and why it is possible to achieve the patient desired results, without unnecessary procedures, stress, anxiety and pain. Please visit our websites at: WilliamRuchDC.com, ReliefGlove.com or just stop by for the experience of relief.

For more information or to contact the author, visit https://www.outskirtspress.com/gotkneepain

This author purchased the Media Marketing Blitz marketing option, which allows self-publishing authors to connect with bloggers and harness the power of the blogosphere by taking their book on the “virtual road.” Learn more about this service by visiting your Publishing Center and reviewing the available marketing options.

Are you an author looking for help to market your self-published book?

Learn More

 

Amazon Featured Book of the Week

Now available on Amazon.com!


The Senators’ Suitcase

by Mitch Engel

(5 Stars – 19 Customer Reviews)

Price: $22.95

Mitch Engel’s “The Senators’ Suitcase.” Intriguing and satirical, this thought-provoking book is about Senator Beth Davenport, a revered statesperson with a spotless reputation. As the nation mourns her passing, Troy, her son, finds a suitcase among her belongings. Curious, he opens it and finds millions of dollars in cash. He now questions whether his mother was just another dirty politician. He wants answers as he tries to reconcile her public persona with her private one. The Senator’s Suitcase weaves contemporary themes with timeless values and an unexpected conclusion.

 Learn More 

 

Please note that product prices and availability are subject to change. Prices and availability were accurate at the time of this posting; however, they may differ from those you see when you visit Amazon.com.© Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Amazon, Amazon.com, the Amazon.com logo, and 1-Click are registered trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Amazon.com, 410 Terry Avenue N., Seattle, WA 98109-5210.

 

Would you like your book featured here? Buy Now

 

Free Shipping (and a Social-Distancing Book Marketing Guide) for Outskirts Press Authors

Book marketing may have changed, but it doesn’t have to stop. These are tragic times to be certain, but as everything from home-based Saturday Night Live sketches to Taylor Swift donations demonstrate, the human spirit prevails, and with it comes one undeniable fact: Human beings survive, adapt, evolve, and excel. They seek human connections, and they live to bring peace, joy, education, and entertainment to one another. Books have been doing exactly that for centuries.

And throughout May, published Outskirts Press authors can add one more item to their home-shopping/home delivery list : author’s copies and free shipping!*

*That’s right, with every 50+ book order in the same format, not only can you enjoy free shipping within the continental United States, but you will also receive our definitive guide to book marketing during the coronavirus pandemic:  10 Social Distancing Book Promotion Ideas

covidcover

Free shipping on 50 (or more) copies and 10 ways to market them! The more you order, the more you save on author’s copies (discounts begin at just 100) AND free shipping! Click here to order your author’s copies now and get a head-start on virtual book marketing this summer. No promotion code is necessary.