How to Find Readers for Your Book
Think about the last book you read – why did you read that book? How did you find it?
Did the author track you down on Twitter and ask you to buy a copy, and you did? Probably not, am I right?
You probably heard about the book from a friend, review site, Amazon search, or Kindle recommendation etc.
So, the central issue isn’t really ‘how to find new readers’ but rather, how can readers best find your book.
It is a subtle change in perspective but incredibly important for effective book marketing.
Most authors write books in genres that they themselves would read, so start thinking about how you go about finding books – often, this is the key to finding your own readers.
If you Google ‘How to market a self-published book’ you will find numerous blogs with lists of ideas centred around the common principles of book marketing – there is nothing wrong with these posts, but often they can be too generalised to be of any tangible benefit.
To find readers for your book, you must find your niche readers.
STEP ONE:
Start at the beginning with some market research. Look for similar books on Amazon that are doing well – what do these books have in common? The covers? The plot? The type of characters or setting?
Do the readers appear to buy standalone books, or are the authors publishing multiple shorter books in a series? Perhaps these are at a lower price but result in many more sales.
You are building your ideal reader ‘avatar’, and by doing so you will be able to present your book to exactly the right reader who is ready to buy.
They will recognise your book instantly as being suitable for them because it will resemble others they have read; the artwork will be spot on, and the description will instantly interest them.
Skip step one at your peril!
STEP TWO:
Build an author platform – We have written about the benefits of building a strong author platform before on Scribbles.
You want people to Google your name and have something compelling to click on – an author website presents you and your work to the world in the best possible light. Social media platforms can be fickle, and Amazon is a giant, so carve out a space that is yours and yours alone. By doing so you provide a base from which to grow a mailing list – which is the single most valuable thing you can do for your writing career.
A note on social media: Whilst social media can be very useful for gaining publicity, collaboration with other writers, and self-promotion as an author…it’s not a great way to find large numbers of genuine readers. When was the last time you bought a book because someone on Twitter told you to?
Social media is a fantastic tool for a writer’s overall career – but be careful how you use it and don;t let it define your marketing.
STEP THREE:
Amazon – At Scribbles we love a cosy beautiful bookshop as much as the next book lover…but we’re here to talk about finding readers for your book, so we’re going to focus on Amazon because that’s where 99.5% of your readers are hanging out (the other 0.5% consist of your parents/friends/other random relatives who would buy your book from whatever link you send them).
You have laid the foundations discussed above, so your book looks the part, and you know exactly which other books it should sit alongside. Amazon will help you if you give it the right information.
We could give you a detailed breakdown of how to use metadata, keyword searches and provide a guide to Amazon Ads…but instead, we’re going to send you to Publisher Rocket who will give you all the guidance you need.
This is not an affiliate link or an Ad – it is just simply a great service that will help you to position your book perfectly and promote your book on Amazon. It’s not a free service, but it is worth every penny.
Leaving you more time to write the next book!