Book marketing consists of finding new answers to the same question over and over again: how do I reach a new audience who will be engaged with my subject matter?
At first, this question seems easy. The default answers are, “Get the book in the library, get the book in bookstores, talk about it on my social media, have my friends and family talk about it on their social media.” But after you’ve done that for a month, you may wonder what other things you can try. After all, we’ve all been on the receiving end of seeing the same product so many times we become blind to it.
So first, change up what you post on your social media. If you only post your book, people will scroll past. So change it up. Don’t stop posting about your book entirely, but mix in 2-3 posts about something else people can relate to before you post another photo of your book.
Some of the items on this list do require a price drop for your ebook, which can be a highly effective way to draw new readers. Everyone loves a deal!
And then, when you’re ready to spend some of your marketing budget, try one of these:
Goodreads Giveaways
For $119 plus shipping, you can give away copies of your book to interested, dedicated readers on Goodreads. In order to enter the giveaway, readers must add the book to their Want to Read shelf on Goodreads, a system that lets users keep track of their reading list and allows Goodreads to email them whenever the book has an update (such as a new giveaway, or if their friends have started reading it).
Pros: Goodreads giveaways almost always result in 1000+ new Want to Read shelvings and entries, so this is a fantastic way to build buzz on Goodreads.
Cons: This is best viewed as an opportunity to get a lot of exposure, in comparison to a way to drive downloads, reviews, or sales. There is no requirement that the book be read or reviewed. But the more people who have your book on their Want to Read shelf, the more likely they are to come back to it again and again.
Add-on option: Goodreads offers two giveaways, the Standard $119 Giveaway or the Premium Giveaway for $599. The premium giveaway offers a premium listing on the Goodreads Giveaway page and allows you to personalize an email sent to everyone who didn’t win.
Learn more about Goodreads Giveaways.
BookBub Featured Deals
BookBub has long been leading the charge in discounted ebook email blast marketing, and as one of Goodreads largest competitors as an online gathering place for readers, their reach is substantial. Where that reach excels best is in the BookBub Featured Deals (different from ads, New Releases for Less, and Preorder Alerts).
In all my years of being a book marketer, I’ve never seen an author fail to, at minimum, break even on these featured deals*. This is especially impressive when you consider the cost for some of these categories. If they accept your submission and you can swing it, the BookBub Featured Deal is absolutely worth the cost.
To engage with all the benefits of Featured Deals, ads, or anything else BookBub has to offer, you’ll need to join their Partner Program.
Fussy Librarian
When it comes to more budget friendly alternatives to the BookBub featured deal, there are a few major competitors. The Fussy Librarian is the first of these. With prices ranging from $16-30 per email blast, this is a much more accessible email list for emerging authors without a large marketing budget.
Another major benefit of The Fussy Librarian and other competitors is that there is a minimal submission process. They check for quality control and allow you to sign up for dates with openings, so you’re not likely to be rejected in the mailing due to availability.
Bargain Booksy
Similar to The Fussy Librarian, Bargain Booksy (and their counterpart, Free Booksy) by Written Word Media offers dependable, more budget-friendly email blast opportunities. With their own lists and multiple partners, it’s easy to find a listing for your genre and your price point. These tend to range from $20 for a single email blast to $500+ for a promo stack.
Learn more about Bargain Booksy
Written Word Media Promo Stacks
Written Word Media offers many ways to market books, but one of the most effective is their Promo Stacks which allow you to organize a massive email blast with multiple companies for the same day or week, skyrocketing your reach for that promotional period. Most of these listings require the ebook to be $0.99 or free, but they do drive sales (even if they haven’t yet matched BookBub’s incredible impact).
Check out the Promo Stack Options
Each promo mentioned in these stacks can also easily be entered individually. Those companies typically range from $10-$75 depending on your genre:
- eReader News Today
- eReaderIQ
- I really like this one, because it also shows users how often your book’s price drops and tracks your book’s discounts over time. It also allows readers to follow your book and wait for the next discount so they don’t lose track of the books that interest them.
- Hello Books
- Book Adrenaline – Thriller and Mystery books only
- Red Feather Romance – Romance genre only
- Book Barbarian – Fantasy and Sci Fi only
BookRaid
BookRaid offers a pay-per-click email blast system, combining all the things we love about PPC ads with the effectiveness of email marketing. Their maximum cost to you is $60, and they only charge if your campaign is successful. This is a fantastic beginning point if you’re looking to grow your readership and are operating on a tight budget.
CraveBooks
If you’re looking for another one-stop shop that will allow you to promote full-priced ebooks as well as discounts, you’ll want to check out CraveBooks. They offer list-building giveaways, email blasts, and custom landing pages for each book.
To list your book on their site requires the free Silver plan, but to gain followers and engage in more the site has to offer, you’ll need to upgrade to either their Gold ($120 annually) or Platinum ($240 annually) plans with billing available either monthly or annually.
BookSweeps Giveaways
BookSweeps offers a simple platform for authors to list their books in a collaborative, genre-focused giveaway in exchange for either BookBub followers or email list subscriber growth. Starting around $45 for one giveaway, this is another budget-friendly way to grow your platform with your book as a draw.
BookBub Ads
As another branch of the BookBub Partner program, their ad platform utilizes either a CPC (cost per click) or CPM (cost per 1000 impressions) bid model that allows you to reach their genre-sorted user base with web and bottom of email custom ads. These can be as cheap or as expensive as you’d choose to run, though it is difficult to have a functional ad with less than $100 to start out in the budget.
Facebook Ads
Similar to BookBub ads, these are ads you run through your Meta business account. You control the budget, the targeting, the direction, the goal, and the appearance of these ads. These can be highly effective for a wide variety of goals—growing your Facebook following, growing your email list, advertising your book, getting new blog readers, advertising local author events, etc. These have more flexibility in how you set them up, and can be more budget friendly.
Other Memberships and Systems
The Independent Book Publisher’s Association (IBPA)
If you are an independently published author, you can join IBPA and gain access to awards, literary conferences, discounts on various software, access to business partners (like editors, book designers, and distributors).
IBPA is a non-profit organization working to help even the playing field in publishing to support independent publishers and authors. Their annual membership fee gives you access to many of the same things small presses and traditional, non-corporate (so not the Big 5) houses have access to.
Book Award Pro
Book Award Pro is a system designed to match you and your book with competitions you can enter at various stages of your writing career, whether your book is published, a new release, ten years old, or seeking publication. They vet awards to ensure you’re only entering those that benefit you and can help filter out according to your entry budget. They start with a free plan which increases when you add more books.
Become an Award-Winning Author
This is a growing list, last updated May 2024. What else have you tried? What has worked best for you to move copies of your books and get your books in front of new audiences? I’d love to hear about it!
*BookBub also offers a featured deal for free books, in which you won’t break even as you won’t be turning a profit on books sold.
Jori Hanna is a writer and marketer from Denver, Colorado. She graduated from Taylor University with a degree in Professional Writing and loves working with authors to help them reach their full potential. Check out the Services tab to see what she can do for you. Follow her on most social media @authorjjhanna and @jjhannaacademy.
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