How to Use Social Media to Promote Your Book

Feb 8

You fought the good fight and have finally completed (or are close to completing) your self published book. You've started with a dream. The dream became the idea. And that idea is so close to debuting as your self published book!

But you know you're not finished. Whether your goal is purely sales, lead-gen, or thought leadership, the next leg of your journey involves marketing.

You need a solid marketing plan packed with cutting-edge best practices. Fortunately, Raab & Co is here to help you from ideation to book launch.

Never forget that your readers are your customers, and the best customer experience has to be a personalized one. There are plenty of case studies out there that show a direct correlation between a social author and lots of book sales. That's what we want for you. The following article on promoting your book with social media will give you a concrete action plan that engages your audience, creates loyal brand awareness, and, ultimately, sales,

Create an Engaging Social Media Plan

Yes, your self published book is amazing. You worked with us. How could it not be? But now it's time to stop thinking about your book for a second and refocus on your audience. When promoting a book launch on social media as part of your greater marketing plan, it's important to create engaging content to connect in a more personalized way. Book signings are great, but authors now rely on social media more and more because it's cost-effective, easy on your schedule, and has nearly infinite reach.

Remember, readers (customers) grab a book because they are passionate about what might be inside: tips, adventures, exclusive content, intrigue, and more. So in the spirit of customer service and creating exciting, personalized experiences, consider offering promo products as the first step in your book marketing plan. Here's how:

Have a Social Media Contest On Facebook

Who doesn't love swag? In other words, never underestimate the power of a "freebie" when it comes to creating buzz and brand awareness ahead of your book launch. Keep your promo products relevant to your book. But also make sure they are usable and build hype around your book launch. Things like drinkware, trucker hats, water bottles, office notebooks, kitchen items, desk items, computer bags, or an inscribed copy of your print book are all great ideas.

So how do you have that social media contest, you ask? Sure, you can write the rules out for your audience. But never underestimate the power of video when it comes to offering an engaging content strategy.

Take just a few minutes and record a video of yourself laying out the rules for the contest. Typically, the best contest types use this template:

"Hi, this is [Your Name] introducing my new book titled [the title of your self published book]. Since you've been a loyal follower on my author page, I am looking to give away [number] [promo products] in the next [duration of time]. The first person to respond also gets [best of your promo products]. I can't wait to connect with you all. Good luck!"

A fleshed-out word track for your target audience might sound something like this:

"Hi, this is [Jane Doe] introducing my new book titled [Business Tips for the Self Employed]. Since you've been a loyal follower on my author page, I am looking to give away [ten] [leather-bound office notebooks] in the next [36 hours]. The first person to respond also gets [a branded sport bag that looks great at your desk, poolside lounge chair, and more]. I can't wait to connect with you all. Good luck!"

Pro-tip: Don't forget to collect their name, number, and email address, as this marketing strategy will also help you build your mail list!

Think videos sound like a good idea? Read on!

Lean On LinkedIn for Webinars That Wow

Let's run with the business tips book idea for a second. Your audience is made from owners/operators and entrepreneurs. If you want to create an intimate connection with your readers without doing a live book signing, webinars should be part of your marketing campaign. Engage your audience in real-time where you can demo specific ideas, answer any questions, provide value, and ultimately greater awareness.

Create an event calendar with a few different dates and times for maximum reach. Ask your social network to help you by reposting the webinar's information on their feed. If the graphics for your book cover are ready, be sure to include that to assist with your book's brand identity and recognition.

If you're an introvert or new to hosting a book promotion event like this, fear not! You don't have to be a talking head. Think about creating content like animated slides, infographics, and surveys. Not a designer? Don't sweat it. Plenty of PowerPoint templates and Google Slides templates are pre-built for webinars. They are very easy to modify.

Yes, we know that many indie author types might be reluctant to try a live event, but marketing techniques like this create an experience that will get people talking and promoting your book for you.

Imagine Your Book on Instagram

Instagram is still the home for pictures. This is one of the best social media platforms where images do all the talking. Got those useful infographics? Plan on posting them with consistency. Got an image file of your book cover? That's a critical image to get posted. Wait a sec! Remember your cool promo products? Get pictures of your baseball caps, beanies, coolers, journals, water bottles, or whatever awesome swag you've got.

We'd hate to be the cliche, but an image does say 1,000 words. So if you're wondering how to use social media to promote your book, challenge yourself to think about it in pictures. Better yet, see if you can connect with an influencer that might sport one of your trucker hats and write up a blurb that becomes one of many glowing testimonials.

Come to think of it, if a picture says 1,000 words, a moving picture (e.g., going live, reels, & stories) is worth 1,000,000 words. While Instagram has always been a favorite for photos, videos have tremendous power. Don’t forget to use them! Speaking of videos….

Create a Timely TikTok

A lot depends on your creativity with this one. But the impact of a quick video on TikTok for your book launch is another strategy to consider. Let's say you're funny (or at least you think you are). A TikTok video going viral might work wonders. Remember: if your audience connects with you, they'll ultimately bond with your book.

Running with our fictitious business tips book, consider a string of small video series that are problem/solution oriented. Try to embody a character or business owner as you imagined while writing. They are asleep in the middle of their touristy gift shop. They're surrounded by their beachy sun visors, coolers, and other accouterment collecting just. Boom! They have a copy of your book in their hand. They thumb through it, and the next thing we see is your main character engaging customers with tips learned from your book.

Obviously, this series wouldn't be destined for an Academy Award. But if it becomes viral, your videos will reach new viewers for weeks (or months). This will allow you to sell your book to more people that need it.

Pro tip: If you plan on making a TikTok video, cross-promote on your other social media platforms first. TikTok videos tend to go viral if you can hit about 300 views within the first 30 minutes.