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Authors: Tips on Using Social Media to Promote Your Book
Friday, September 30, 2011
Book publicist Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm
Video Clip: Click to Watch
How To Better Utilize Social Media for Book Marketing
By Scott Lorenz Westwind Communications Social media is a great way to market your book, but you already know this. What you may not be aware of is how often social media changes and evolves. It is important, as an author, to always be aware of the changing field of social media and embrace it as a marketing tool for your book. Peter Miller, President of the PMA Literary & Film Management, Inc. in New York suggests, "As the new publishing/marketing model continues to evolve, the key to any author's success in the future will be the expansion of all forms of social media. We must embrace all these changes and learn from them as we evolve in order to safeguard your publishing success and build your brand." A useful way to generate buzz about your book before it's published is to post a free chapter on your website or blog. This way, readers will get a taste of the upcoming book and they will be anxiously waiting the date they can purchase your latest work. In the free chapter, embed a 'Retweet' button so that those on Twitter can quickly and easily help you promote your book to their respective followers. Once the chapter is posted to your book's website or blog, be sure to post a link on both Facebook and Twitter so the reading and promoting can commence. If you have a blog, you're already well aware of the power that bloggers hold. If you can spread the word of your book on various blogs, the publicity you will generate will be vast. A great way to create awareness of your upcoming book is to set up a blog contest. For example, suggest that viewers read the first chapter of your book, plug the free chapter into their own blog, post a comment about the chapter, and they will win a prize. The prize could be anything from an autographed copy of the book to advertising space on your blog or website. In the tech-age, we're able to openly communicate with people across the world in real-time. Writers can use this feature to their advantage when marketing a book. Set up a virtual meeting with a few literary pros, record the session, and post it for the world to watch. You could discuss anything from a chapter from your upcoming book to a brainstorming session about the title. This way, people can see that you have an "in" with the pros, which will make you even more credible in the literary world. Facebook is excellent for spreading the word about your book. Instead of simply updating your status about the book, post photos relating to the book. Photos are more likely to pop up in the mini-feeds of your friends. People like to look at pictures, so post photos of yourself at a book signing, or of people reading your book at the beach, in a tree, on a boat, in a hot air balloon…hey why not? Get a photo of a famous person holding your book like a local celebrity or the mayor of your home town. Inject your book into situations then take a picture, post the photo and let your followers comment. In addition to photos, people also like videos. Get clever with a few videos and post them on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, your blog, and your website. Instead of just a book trailer, post a video that piques the interest of your fans. Video ideas could include: alternate book trailers, bloopers, a scene from the book, or a brainstorming session for the title. Don't just post to YouTube, use a service that can post it to hundreds of sites online at the same time. Get that buzz going! The bottom line: Get creative with your social media marketing and don't be bashful! About Book Publicist Scott Lorenz Book publicist Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that has a special knack for working with authors to help them get all the publicity they deserve and more. Lorenz works with bestselling authors and self-published authors promoting all types of books, whether it's their first book or their 15th book. He's handled publicity for books by CEOs, CIA Officers, Navy SEALS, Homemakers, Fitness Gurus, Doctors, Lawyers and Adventurers. His clients have been featured by Good Morning America, FOX & Friends, CNN, ABC News, New York Times, Nightline, TIME, PBS, LA Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Woman's World, & Howard Stern to name a few. Learn more about Westwind Communications' book marketing approach at http://www.book-marketing-expert.com or contact Lorenz at scottlorenz@westwindcos.com or by phone at 734-667-2090. Follow Lorenz on Twitter @aBookPublicist Scott Lorenz
President
Westwind Communications Book Marketing
Plymouth, MI
734-667-2090
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