25 free or low cost book marketing ideas

It’s well known that word of mouth is the best way to sell books. In fact, it’s the best way to sell anything. To create word of mouth, you and your book need to be visible in as many areas as possible. Some do involve you being on camera but there are ways around that if you absolutely can’t do it.

Create a list of the kinds of activities you do feel comfortable with and then make a four-week plan for implementation. Promotion should be a regular activity if you want your book to do well. Remember that you have written a book, this means you have a ton of content right in front of you that you can repurpose in many ways such as extracts, educational snippets, fun facts and teasers.

1. Create a website. This is your shopfront and the ONLY place you have control over online.
2. Create a YouTube channel to share videos relating to you and your book(s).
3. Create a list of popular hashtags that are relevant to your genre for social media.
4. Search these hashtags on social media and engage in 10-15 posts.
5. Join 2 reader Facebook groups – engage in the group at least once a week.
6. Share posts about your book on social media.
7. Create a trailer for your book (this doesn’t have to be Hollywood quality).
8. Video yourself 9or someone else) reading an excerpt from the book, post it to YouTube and share on social media and your website.
9. Create a giveaway and ask people to share on social media in order to go in the draw.
10. Send an email to your list sharing any of the above.
11. Create a profile on GoodReads.
12. Engage in posts on GoodReads to build your community.
13. Once your book is published, claim your book on GoodReads as the author.
14. Ask people to post reviews for your book on GoodReads.
15. Have a one-week promotion of your book at a lower price.
16. Create a one-page info sheet to send to media, bookstores, libraries.
17. Create some visuals to post on social media that entice people to want to know more about your book.
18. Give away 5 copies of your book in exchange for reviews.
19. Create printed promotional materials such as bookmarks, flyers, posters or a pull-up banner.
20. Start a blog to share your writing process or background information about your book such as characters in fiction or your experience for non-fiction.
21. Look for opportunities to be a guest on a podcasting show.
22. Team up with other writers to cross promote.
23. Contact libraries to offer yourself to do an author talk.
24. Contact your local newspaper with a media release for a profile (they love supporting local authors).
25. Attend an open mic night or business marketing group to share your book and make connections.

Put aside 1-2 hours per week for a list of activities around promotion so you aren’t overwhelmed.

Each month at Busybird Publishing, we have a one-hour Publish for Profit session where we talk about writing, publishing and promotion of books. Feel free to join this free zoom session on the first of each month 8-9pm (AEST).

We also run a monthly open mic night on the third Wednesday of each month, also run via Zoom (7.30-9pm AEST) while we aren’t allowed to meet in person.

Blaise the book chick