As a published author, or soon-to-be-published author, you’re one of the rare few who have actually made your dream a reality. But publishing your book is only the first step. Promoting your book is the next, and often larger, step. Reaching out to the Internet’s more than one billion users is one of the best ways to easily and inexpensively promote your book to your target audience. Creating a book video—also known as a book trailer, book teaser, or book presenter—to pique interest in your book is a great way to reach this audience.
Now that you have a video, you need to let the world know about it. Here are seven of my favorite ways to promote your video book trailer…and generate more sales:
1. Promote on Video Sharing Sites
YouTube is the obvious choice, but don’t just stop there. Google Video, Yahoo! Video, and Veoh, and are other good options. Also check out Revver, which offers a way to generate revenue from ads inserted into your trailer. For even more ideas, view the list of video sharing sites on Wikipedia.
2. Promote in Your Email Signature File
In every email you send include a link to your website and to your book video.
3. Promote on Social Networking Sites
MySpace is popular with many authors whose books attract a young or general interest audience, but there are social networking sites for all ages, interests, and professions. Wikipedia has a great list of options.
4. Promote on Your Website and Blog
Placing your video prominently on both your website and blog is obviously a great idea. One of the easiest ways to do this is to use the code that sites such as YouTube or Revver supply to embed your video elsewhere. A quick copy and paste enables your video to play directly on your site or blog.
5. Promote on Author and Book-related Sites
There are numerous sites devoted to authors and books, which offer great opportunities for author promotion. Several to check out: Book Marketing Network, MyShelf, and AuthorsDen.
6. Promote with a Press Release
If your video is truly unique and innovative, you may want to issue a release surrounding its creation. But in most cases, your press release will be more effective if it focuses on another aspect of your book—a book announcement, how-to tips from your book, and so forth—and include a mention or link to your video at the end of the release or in an “About the Book” section. Some press release distribution services to check out include PRWeb or PRLeap.
7. Promote on Social Bookmarking Sites
Social bookmarking and news sites—such as Digg, StumbleUpon, and del.icio.us—enable you to share useful content with others who have an interest in the same topic.
In addition to videos, you can also share websites, feeds, blog posts, photos, and more. Submitting your video to the right sites can attract potential readers.
Excerpted from Video Book Buzz: Create a Book Video That Generates Publicity and Profits.
About the Author
Patrice-Anne Rutledge is the bestselling author of 25 books, a CeM-certified online book promotion expert, and publishing coach. She is the author of The Web-Savvy Writer: Book Promotion with a High-Tech Twist, which shows authors how to profit from the latest techniques in online book promotion. To sign up for her ezine and receive a free special report on author websites, visit her site at www.websavvywriter.com.
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