FANCY Free Advertising…WHY NOT?
Ever since my debut novel Rabbit: Chasing Beth Rider was released, I have submerged myself into the world of Self-Promotion. What amazes me the most about this most noble of endeavors is how many opportunities exist out there to promote and advertise your book for absolutely no monetary investment.
Facebook is a biggie. I shared my book with my old friends and my new acquaintances. They were (and are) a constant source of encouragement and accountability. They allowed me to start up a Fan Group for my novels—something the everyday Joe may not have the chance to do. And they teach me to stay connected everyday and never retreat into the proverbial writer’s abyss.
Next to Facebook, I discovered Goodreads.com. Here, I signed on as a Goodreads Author, and history was born! My book, which previously was not being read by anyone on the site, climbed into the limelight so that within 2 months, 35 people added it to their shelves, 10 people rated 5-stars, and over 700 entered a giveaway to receive a free copy of the my book!
By surfing around another writer’s blog, I discovered Shoutlife.com. This is a Christian social networking site, for regular people AND authors, musicians, and ministries. It is the best! All of the best Christian Fiction (and non-fiction) writers are on here, and they friend you instantly. Because of the way the site is set up, I can blog there, as well as post whatever advertisement or promotion I need to regarding my novels FOR FREE. The best part is that here I have done some of my best networking—finding services I need and sharing my book with people who want to read it.
Eventually, I got pretty good at Twitter.com, GetGlue.com, YouTube.com, Bookcrossing.com, Librarything.com, livingsocial.com, authorsden.com, digg.com, deviantart.com, and technorati.com. All of these sites offer a way to promote and advertise for FREE, as well as make important connections and friends in the process.
But perhaps the most important of all sites to conquer is Amazon.com. I set up my author profile and author page, and keep it updated. And I do as many reviews as I can where I can attach my name and my book to the end of each. With this little marketing secret, my name and my book end up on hundreds of entertainment websites as reviews attached to products they are promoting! What an amazing feat of technology, this internet!
So I am still hooking my cart to more cyber horses to push my books. I suggest you do it too. The literary world is increasingly competitive—why not do all you can to let the world that your ‘baby’ is loose and needs readers!
Ellen C Maze, January 22, 2010 author, Rabbit: Chasing Beth Rider http://www.rabbitnovel.com
this blog looks great. I need to make my blog that advertises the book similiar. I will check out samspn and Kremers books. Going to the library. hopefully they carry them if now will get them at chapters. I added Goodreads. That's a great site. I need to put your book on my list. you are an amazing wealthy of ideas. I love your enegy
ReplyDeleteThank you! I get ideas from other blogs I visit, and am constantly updating and changing it around to make it better... this is on-the-job training!
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