What an exhilarating feeling authors experience when putting the finishing touches on their book project. This is the moment of truth, the culmination of all your hard work – publication day.
However, as amazing as it is to see your book published, the harsh reality is that your book will now be competing with tens of millions of other titles. So, how can you bust your book out of the pack and get it noticed by your target audience? Follow this guide to learn how to get your book off to a strong start via a successful book launch campaign.
The Importance of Successful Book Launch Campaigns
As an author, if your goal is to actually sell books and grow a healthy following, it is critical to understand the role of a successful book launch. A carefully crafted book launch announces to the world that your fantastic new book is about to be published. By using book launch ideas with proven track records, you’ll drum up interest and excitement about your book while also reaching your target readers. The result? Your book launches with a bang instead of a whisper.
9 Book Launch Ideas for Self-Publishing
When it comes to attracting attention to your new book, the best strategy is to carefully integrate and execute several promotion activities at once. The following book launch ideas can be leveraged as a marketing plan over a four-week period as the publication day draws near:
1. Social Media Giveaways. Avid readers will jump at the prospect of winning a free copy of your new book – especially one that’s signed. Create a free book giveaway on your social media platforms by directing followers to your author website. There they can sign up for the book giveaway using a widget designed just for giveaways. On the day of the drawing, be sure to announce the winners on your social media feeds.
2. Facebook Live Event. Authors have discovered the amazing utility in using Facebook Live to promote their books. Host a Facebook Live event for your followers on publication day to stir up excitement about your book launch. At the book launch event, you can read some short excerpts from the upcoming book, and include a Q&A session during the event to encourage engagement and connection with your potential readers.
3. Instagram Live Q&A. Instagram offers a similar platform for live interactive sessions between author and followers. You can create your Instagram Live Q&A by starting a new Instagram Story, and then click over to “live.” Once you are live, you can gather followers over the duration of the session. Start the session by sharing about your new book that is about to launch, and initiate some back and forth conversation with those who are tuned in. As with Facebook Live, you can read excerpts from the book, and engage with the followers.
4. Behind the Scenes Content. Instagram Stories are extremely useful for sharing behind the scenes content leading up to the publishing of your new book. Followers enjoy getting a glimpse into the life of an author. By recording Stories, you can keep followers engaged with the various steps involved in publishing a book. Share your struggles with organizing the book, getting it ready for editing, and the book cover design process.
5. Guest Starring on a Podcast. Once your book is published and has garnered a couple dozen positive reviews, it is time to reach out to relevant podcasters. Podcasts are a great tool for reaching a large audience beyond your social media followers. Ask if they would be interested in giving you a guest spot on their show to discuss your new book.
6. Release a Book Trailer. A book trailer is a slick promotional tool used by authors to promote a new book. Similar to a movie trailer, a book trailer features a compilation of text, voiceover, photos, video snippets, and music produced in a slideshow format. Share the book trailer link on your website and social media feeds and bring your book to life.
7. Preorder Incentives. Encourage your social media followers to consider pre-ordering a copy of the book. You can persuade them to make this early purchase by offering an incentive, such as a free bookmark or sticker. A pre-order push during the two weeks prior to book release fuels the algorithm and greatly improves your ranking.
8. Work with Book Influencers. Connect and partner with social media book influencers who may be instrumental in boosting your book. On TikTok, a subcategory called #booktok allows readers to review and recommend books using short videos. Instagram has a similar niche called #bookstagram, where influencers curate artful posts that showcase book releases in social media posts.
9. Do a Pop-Up Event. Plan some book signing events at local bookstores, or even the public library, to create buzz around your book. Prior to these events, order a few dozen author copies of your book, set up an attractive table with tablecloth, business cards, and a poster to draw attention to the table. Announce the book signing event on community Facebook groups and your author Facebook page, and invite friends and family to come out and support your book launch.
By diligently utilizing the above book launch ideas during the weeks before and after your book’s publication, chances are your book sales will take off right out of the gate.
Publish Your Book Today with Gatekeeper Press
If you’ve decided to take the self-publishing route for your book, do yourself a favor and hitch your wagon to the experts at Gatekeeper Press. Remember that a successful book launch requires a stellar book, and that’s where professional editing, formatting, and cover design come in. Reach out to Gatekeeper Press today!