5 Best Paid Marketing Options for Authors

Writing a book is exciting and once it is done, you need to sell it! Where should you start when there are so many books and advertising mediums? Well, we recommend several paid marketing options for authors as it has proven successful for many writers.

You want your book to be successful—most writers dream of having a bestseller—so paying for marketing may have crossed your mind. But what are your options? Read on to learn more.

For Authors: 5 Top Paid Marketing Options

Although free marketing opportunities exist, paid opportunities can improve your sales results and do not have to cost a ton of money.

Let’s have a look at the five best options for authors.

1. Use Social Media Marketing

People spend hours browsing social media, which makes it an ideal place to market your book. There are many social media platforms available and each has its unique characteristics, including the option to purchase advertising space.

The two most popular options are Facebook and Instagram, as they are affordable and easy to manage. Several authors shy away from Twitter since their marketing results are subpar to other platforms.

Think about where your audience spends their time and then choose the option that corresponds to your market.

Facebook Marketing

Facebook for authors is a great tool since you can customize content and start with a small budget to test the waters. Within your account, specify the demographics (age, gender, etc.), your maximum daily spend, and a format-like video, image, or slideshow. Facebook then pushes your advert to the relevant audience who can click on the advert and redirects them to your Facebook page or a website.

Instagram Marketing

Instagram is a visual platform and the perfect place to introduce your book, characters, or other key insights. Set an audience and budget for your advertising so it targets the right people who want to buy your book. Instagram requires an image and caption so you might want to invest in a designer for the adverts.

Social media allows writers to engage with their audience using free content but a paid advert attracts them to your page in the first place. Spend time crafting your sponsored post and identifying your audience correctly. Check the metrics daily to see how your advert is performing and make changes accordingly.

2. Market a Book by Its Cover on BookBub

Don’t judge a book by its cover is something all of us are familiar with, but in all honesty, most people do judge the cover.

A striking cover design can make a huge difference in your book sales, so paying for a proper design is a great investment. The Urban Writers can assist you in designing a book cover that stands out from the pack.

A book cover is your main marketing tool and ideal for adverts. You can use your design on any social media platform, print adverts, and online. It is the first thing readers see when browsing and it creates a recognition tool that readers associate with your brand.

BookBub

BookBub is a platform for readers to find books, especially the latest releases, which is why your book should be on their list. BookBub users sign up for free and can follow their chosen authors for updates. The site also offers paid marketing for authors, but your book cover is likely to be the advert.

Create a BookBub profile as an author and fill out all your details. Post frequently about your book(s) and plan a marketing strategy.

One option is to take out self-serve display adverts that are shown to targeted readers based on their reading preferences. Another option is to discount your book for several days to entice more purchases. Although the second option does not cost money upfront, you are receiving less profit on each sale but many readers provide reviews in exchange for the lower purchasing price.

3. Create a Personal Website

A personal website says a lot about an author and provides a single space for all your author and book information. There are free websites available but hiring a website designer pays off as your website may look professional and can easily adjust to both computer and mobile screens.

Link to Social Media

Ask the web designer to include icons for visitors to click on that takes them to your social media accounts. Once a customer starts following your accounts, you have a captive audience member that is ready for engagement. Facebook for authors is a popular tool, so also include a link from Facebook to your website.

Add a Blog

Blogs are a feature on most websites and give a chance to communicate with visitors frequently in an informal way. Most internet search results link to blog articles and customers find your website in this way, so write about any topic valuable to your business. Some authors prefer to stick to books, so the Urban Writers can always write blog articles for you.

Mailing List Sign-Up

An excellent feature on websites is a mailing list that readers can sign up for. Use a service, such as Mailchimp, to gather visitor information and then send out a newsletter frequently to tell them about your upcoming books.

Mailing list software is available for free but rather opt for a paid version so you can get reader statistics and additional features.

Securing a domain and website hosting fees are an extra expense but you will have a place to call your own. Just imagine typing your name into a search engine and a personalized website pops up—wouldn’t you be impressed?

4. Amazon Offers Paid Marketing for Authors

Amazon is the number one place for authors to sell their books and offers advertising opportunities. Amazon, and Kindle specifically, sell millions of books every year, making them a clear winner for marketing purposes. It is the perfect place to market, sell, and get reviews for your writing.

What Are My Options?

Different marketing packages exist on Amazon including Product Display Ads, Sponsored Products, and keyword advertising. Once again, book covers are the main visual seen on adverts.

Amazon offers targeted advertising based on your requirements. Specify your ideal customer and keywords to have your book pop up as a Sponsored Product suggestion when customers search for products. A Product Display Ad shows your book as a related product or by genre and might even feature on Kindle E-readers.

The Cost

Amazon is slightly more expensive than some other options. Considering that most of your customers are on this website, it does make it a lucrative marketing opportunity. Setting your budget is easy and you can change it according to your requirements.

Amazon requires a minimum campaign budget of $100 but that can be spread over several months. It might even cost as little as $1 per day.

Remember that you only pay if someone clicks on the advert (PPC), so customers might see your advert several times before clicking on it. Most authors experience the best results if they use a 60-day campaign as the audience starts recognizing the cover and purchases increase.

5. Drive Traffic With Google AdWords

Google AdWords is one marketing option you cannot go without. A Google advertising campaign offers paid marketing for authors through keywords that target relevant consumers.

These adverts can be in the search results or even feature on Youtube, depending on your budget.

The Best Keywords

By using SEO-optimized keywords, authors can boost their ranking on search engine results. Some of the best keywords include:

• The author’s name and surname
• Book name
• Genre
• Descriptive words for your book and genre

For example, your book might be titled “Self-Defence for the Everyday,” so you can use “self-defense” as the main keyword. Alternative words or descriptors from the book might include “pepper spray” or “unprovoked attack.”

The Cost

Google AdWords is a cheaper option for most authors and you can set your budget. Choose a daily advertising spend limit that works for you and adjust it as you start seeing results. You can change your budget and keywords at any time, which makes this a flexible marketing option.

When a person types a keyword, such as an author’s name, into Google, it produces several results. You want your website, a blog post, or Facebook page to be at the top of the search results. You can even choose to have your website included right at the top or along the side of the page as a sponsored result.

Ready, Steady, Market

Authors invest time in writing masterpieces for the world to enjoy. Now that you are done writing, start thinking about your marketing options so you can get onto the bestseller list. Start off small and build your marketing budget as you see results.

Whichever marketing strategy you choose, take your time to customize your content. Select the options that work best for your book and you will reach your ideal audience.

Are you ready to market your books? Great! The Urban Writers can help you with writing SEO articles and cover designs for social media marketing. Contact us today for a customized solution.