How to Promote Books Online

By E J Jolivet

Savvy authors who promote their books online have learned first hand what works and how to do it. They know how to balance low budget offline promotions with targeted online activities to stimulate book sales. There are an estimated 110 million books being sold online and thousands of book sellers. You have to be more than just concerned about how well your books are selling, you need to be proactive.

Build A Web Presence Not Just A Website

I'm sure you've heard that every writer needs an author website that reflects your brand. You also need to have a presence on social media sites, to help your book can stand out in today's crowded marketplace.

Facebook, Twitter, forums, Ning and other social networks are valuable tools for engaging with members of your target audience, that might not find your work during their regular online travels. It's a cost effective way to take your message beyond the streets and to the masses, and not to be used as a cheap way to spam people with your offers for your book.

How To Direct Readers To Your Book On The Internet

To reach book buyers you need to give them a variety of ways to connect with you and your book online. Here are some of the tools that work well for authors who take the time to learn how to use them. Sure, traditional media still works fine, but it's not the only way to stimulate book sales.

Website

Blog posts

Article syndication

Press releases

Book reviews

Online interviews

Social networking

Video interviews

Author pages

Virtual book tours

If you spread enough crumbs from your book using these powerful tools, you can attract new readers and have lots of roadsigns to point people and the media towards your website and places where they can purchase your books online.

Plan Your Work And Work Your Plan

Schedule time for each website update, blog posts, article syndication, press release, book review, radio interview, online interview, social networking, video interview, creating author pages, so they can all work together like a well oiled machine, to keep your books flying off the shelves.

It's enough work to make any author feel overwhelmed. Harness the power of networking, by building positive, powerful, profitable relationships with other like minded professionals. When you give your support to others, book reviewers, authors, booksellers, you open the window of opportunity for someone to lend support to your project.

If you find yourself falling behind or get too busy to put in the time required to reach book buyers online, be resourceful and pull together a team. Get friends, family co-workers or hire professionals to help you. George C. Fraser the networking guru puts it this way in his book "Click," "It takes team work to make the dream work."

EJ Jolivet reviews books online at his blog "Books About Houston," in it he covers Houston authors, books on Houston and what Houston is reading.

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