The Ultimate Guide to Sell More Books - 51 Ways to Drive Traffic
Creating and publishing the book is only half the work. Once your book is live, you will need a way to drive consistent traffic and convert those leads into paying customers.
I've compiled 51 different ways for driving traffic to your book - some of them are old-fashioned but still powerful tactics, as well as newer strategies that are becoming more popular every day.
This is the only guide you'll need for;
Leveraging local media to ramp up your celebrity status and sell more books
Jump-starting your book sales and online promotion
Super unique ways to build your book promotion network
Often overlooked venues that can really help you sell books
Getting twice as many book reviews
Getting on TV and radio - today!
Getting your fans to promote your book for you!
Here's a list of ways you can drive traffic to your book:
Blogging
Blogs are a great way to send traffic to your book, help more people find your content, and give you those eyeballs that eventually result in sales. Blogs also generate higher social media engagement levels than other forms of online publishing, increasing visibility for both bloggers and authors!
The great thing about blog posting is that you can write on niche topics around your core content, and those posts can bring in visitors for years to come. This makes it an excellent marketing tool because of the way it turns your information into evergreen content.
Guest Posting
Guest posting is when you create an article, but you post it on someone else's blog. It's an inexpensive, easy-to-use method of advertising that can be done on any budget and will show up in the search engines with positive results. The best part about guest posts is their educational nature. Information found on websites from authoritative sources such as Forbes or Medium tends to rank higher than other types of content, so you'll have more success at attracting leads if they're reading something beneficial before clicking through to what it wants them to buy from you.
Reaching out to Bloggers
Consider reaching out to bloggers to review your book. Bloggers are a great source to send traffic and increase interest in a book because they already have a set audience who read their blogs and consider them a trustworthy source of information.
Write and syndicate a press release
Create a press release announcing a new book. Link to both the new release product page and your own website for SEO purposes. Use a free press release distribution service to syndicate the press release to news websites and blogs.
YouTube Channel
YouTube is a powerful engine of traffic to any book or product. People have been using YouTube for years as an educational tool, and now it has turned into the most popular video-sharing site on earth! With over one billion unique monthly visitors worldwide, your content can reach millions with just a few clicks.
You don't even need lots of followers: if you're reaching 100-200 people per day, then you'll be seeing some serious growth in your content views- which will translate directly into more sales when they find out about your book(s) through these videos.
YouTube Collaborations
Collaborating on YouTube videos is a great way to get your book seen by more people and drive traffic back. The video's success will depend in part on how you choose to collaborate, which could result in anything from doing book reviews of other's books to taking an interview of the other person and then vice versa.
Just like guest posting on other people's blogs, collaborating with influencers on YouTube means you get to leverage the know, like, and trust factor that the channel has already created. This means that people who may not have known you before will instantly see you as an authority based on the recommendation of that influencer.
Start Podcasting
Podcasts are an excellent marketing tool because they allow you unlimited exposure and efficiency in targeting potential customers that may not be otherwise reachable through other advertising methods, such as blogs and video.
Also, podcasts have high engagement rates, with listeners being able to connect on a personal level with hosts or experts that discuss relevant topics related directly to their interests. When someone listens to you in audio form, it creates a deep, emotional connection that you can use to build a long-lasting relationship and, in turn, sell them on your products.
Podcast Interviews
A fast and easy way to get people interested in your book is by talking about it on other podcasts. The podcast interview allows you, as the guest speaker, to share information with not just one but a large audience of listeners.
With all eyes on what you have accomplished or created, this method for sending traffic can be more effective than any other type of promotion currently available today! Podcasts are growing every day, and you can find a show on just about any topic, so start reaching out to podcasters and see if you can be the next big guest.
Add an excerpt to Wattpad
Wattpad is a social network for authors and readers with tens of millions of users. Writers can share their stories for free, and readers can vote on them and leave feedback. Share excerpts of your books and link to the retailer pages where readers can purchase the full book to find out what happens next.
Add a free ebook sample to retailer sites
Upload the sample as a separate ebook with a product page. Make it clear in the title and description that this is just a sample. On the last page, include a link to purchase the full copy.
Upload a PDF sample on your website
On the last page, include a link to purchase the full copy.
Email Signature
The link in your email signature can send traffic from emails that your fan base reads, and it can be an easy route for optimization. If you are not convinced about this idea of adding links on the bottom of every single one of your outgoing emails, then think again!
As someone reads your content via email, a simple call-to-action link in the signature will always be available if they want to find out more information. Putting the URL to your book in your email signature is a quick and easy way to capture more leads.
Create a box set for standalones
Bundling your standalone books in a box set can increase loyal readership or drive sales of a new release.
Include exclusive content in a box set
Adding a novella or short story to a box set could provide an extra incentive for readers to purchase (instead of buying the books separately). Existing readers might also purchase the box set for the bonus content they haven’t seen before.
Social Media
In this day and age, it is hard to ignore the ever-growing presence of social media. However, many people fail to realize or acknowledge all the perks that come with using these vast resources for one's gain. One way you can do so would be by posting links relating to a book on your respective account pages.
Social media platforms are growing every year, and new platforms are popping up now and then. You can utilize these niche-specific platforms to your advantage and promote your book to their respective audiences.
Also, a vast number of different social media platforms are tailored to industry-specific needs, such as LinkedIn for business professionals or Pinterest for DIYers. That means choosing the right platform can catapult you into the stratosphere with book sales.
With this platform, you can post content daily, set up a Page for your business or brand, run targeted ads to your ideal audience, and even create groups based on your book topic.
Facebook has become one of the most popular social media platforms on the internet, with over 2 billion monthly active users, so it's no wonder that many authors use this for advertising their books.
LinkedIn is an excellent way to promote your book, especially if it's nonfiction. It has become the most important social platform for professionals, and it's not just about networking anymore-it can also be a valuable traffic driver!
A common misconception of LinkedIn is that it only provides the opportunity to network with other colleagues in one's field or industry, but this isn't true. LinkedIn had functions like groups to help people looking for advice from experts like you by answering their questions. This increases awareness around books related to topics that will lead them back to buying your books.
Instagram is an increasingly popular platform for people to share photos and videos with their friends. Many companies now use Instagram advertising to attract new subscribers or customers, but how can it help your business?
Instagram has more than 500 million monthly active users that follow at least one account every day on average. The format lends itself well to visual content such as pictures and short video clips, perfect for promoting the book via images rather than text-heavy posts like Facebook does!
With just the click of a link in any post you make on Instagram (as long as they're following), potential followers will be taken directly from this social media site into your book's sales page, where they might sign up if you have something of value to offer.
Pinterest
You can use Pinterest to drive traffic in a variety of ways. For instance, you could create boards that promote your book and pin them on topics related to the material covered in it, so they show up when people search for those terms or interests.
Pinterest acts more like a search engine such as Google than a social media platform like Facebook. This makes it an excellent way for users to find niche-specific information that can be a great way to send people from the platform back to your book's landing page.
Twitter has a lot of advantages that other methods do not have. Twitter is majorly used as a conversation starter. The hashtags attached with a post let your tribe find your posts instead of just scrolling past without any idea of the posted topic.
Snapchat
People should consider the benefits of using Snapchat to promote their books. Snapchat offers many features that help promote books, such as stories and filters, which you can use for promotional purposes.
There are many great examples of marketing experts who have found ways to leverage Snapchat to drive consistent traffic to your book page. You should give this one a try if you haven't done so already!
TikTok
When it comes to reaching potential customers, there is no better way than the well-known TikTok app. It's a one-stop-shop for social media and video marketing which has quickly become an essential part of any company's content strategy plan, but how does this popular new platform work.
The beauty behind TikTok lies in its simplicity: users need only upload short videos that are 15 seconds or less (TikTok calls them "clips"), showcasing what they do best. From cooking food to teaching people guitar chords, anything goes as long as you can make it fun!
Clubhouse
Clubhouse is the newest social media platform on the block, allowing users to set up rooms where anyone can join and talk directly to one another. This app came out with a bang, and internet marketers immediately saw its potential.
By utilizing real-time voice communication, you can set up spaces where you can provide information on your topic of choice and have other guests and experts come in and provide their knowledge. As you grow an audience and share your expertise, you can then direct people to your book to learn the strategies and techniques you are already talking about.
Quora
Quora is an online Q&A forum that serves as a great marketing resource for people with various backgrounds and interests. The website has helped many successful startups, particularly those in the tech industry, rise to prominence by providing them access to new audiences through its question-and-answer format.
With Quora's large user base of over 200 million active users worldwide - each with their own unique skill set or expertise - there are plenty of potential customers just waiting for you!
Reddit is a popular and diverse website that has many different communities with various interests. This makes it an ideal place to post information about your book, especially if you're trying to reach out to people who are interested in similar or related topics.
The site also offers traffic stats for each link on the subreddit page which can help give insight into how well other Reddit users received your links. This means you can dial in your content and reach the right people for your book.
Forums
Forum posting is a great way to get your books noticed. Forums are discussion spaces where people worldwide come together and share their thoughts, questions, and ideas - really anything they want to talk about!
This means that you have an opportunity to reach not only more potential readers of your book but also those who might be able and willing to help answer any questions or offer feedback in real-time!
Slideshare
Slideshare is a great way to send traffic to a book. You can provide detailed information about the content of your presentation by adding images, videos, and text boxes for people who are interested or have questions after viewing it. You can give readers an overview of what is covered and then link to your sales page at the end of the presentation.
Slideshare is an excellent tool for sending traffic to one's high-quality books on any significant marketplace or your website. It allows creators many great marketing strategies by providing all types of multimedia resources that supplement presentations with valuable additional materials such as graphs, charts, infographics, etc.
Optimize Social Media Profiles
You can make your social media profile a powerful tool to market and promote a book. Optimizing your social media profiles is the perfect way to get people interested in what you have available for purchase.
Make sure that when you are optimizing your profiles, you provide enough information for your ideal readers to continue the relationship by creating a header image that attracts the right person, a provocative name that calls out precisely who you want to work with, and a call-to-action in the form of a URL so that when they're interested, they know exactly where to go.
Live Videos
There are many reasons why live video is an excellent method for sending traffic to a book sales page. For one, it's more engaging - people like seeing and hearing from you in real-time. It also helps show off your personality better, which will help build trust with potential readers who may be considering buying your book. Live videos are a very effective way of attracting traffic because viewers want to see and hear content directly from the source rather than just reading about it on their screens.
Webinars
Simply put, webinars are like an online seminar where you speak on the webinar platform itself while participants watch from their computers. This is perfect for providing more information about what's offered in your book without having to go through all of it live during a meeting-type setting, which may be difficult given everyone has different schedules!
Webinars can also provide flexibility because people have multiple ways to participate: by watching at home (or any other location) via computer, asking questions either publicly or privately using chat features, and viewing recorded slideshows to miss anything being said.
Mini-Course
Many people have trouble finding the time to read a book, but they may find it much more convenient to watch video lectures or view webinars. A mini-course offers an in-between solution that can keep readers engaged and teach them essential skills about your topic while still giving them something substantial to learn from.
A mini-course is a great way to introduce people to your book, and you can also create a full-fledged online course later in the process.
Publish a FREE Guide or Companion Guide for your book
FREE is a potent strategy. You might be surprised to know how many people download free books and guides without any ad money. If you have a book(s), a companion, or a guide is a perfect way to get your traffic there in style because everyone can access it so easily!
Once someone has read through your checklist or short guide and is ready for more information, you can then send them to your book at the end. They would be more likely to buy this way because they see the value in what you have to offer.
Local/Virtual Events
Local events or Virtual events are a great way to get people excited about your books. For example, companies can organize regular meetings for local entrepreneurs to network and share ideas. The added bonus is the direct relationship-building that you will gain from doing an in-person event instead of talking to someone over the computer or phone.
Leverage Marketplaces
Writing a book can be challenging to get started on. But, some resources will help you dive right in and give your idea the best chance for success!
This is possible by leveraging marketplaces like Amazon, Apple, Google Kobo, or Barnes and Nobles, which offers an extensive network of potential readers already buy books from these platforms before.
Join Other Authors
Co-hosting a video or Co-writing a book is a great way for authors to promote their content, and it's one of the best ways to increase traffic like publishing a multi-author anthology. Authors can work together on content development and help each other with book promotion strategies while also providing students with more contact opportunities.
Use Author services
Story Origin, Prolific Works, and BookFunnel can help you find more readers for your books. These are platforms where readers flock for a good deal on books.
Advertising
If you are seeking a way to drive traffic and increase sales of your book, then paid advertising might be the perfect solution. Paid ads on social media sites or Amazon, Apple, and Google can generate new prospects and bolster sales from potential readers who haven't been exposed to it before. Advertising is one of the fastest ways to get people into your world because you can promote your book directly without spending the time it takes to grow an audience through means such as organic marketing.
Amazon Ads
If you want to get traffic for your book, then Amazon ads are a great way of doing that. The best part about using this method is how easy it can be done and the time saved in generating sales.
Facebook Ads
Facebook is a great way to reach an audience of people who are already interested in your topic. It's easy, quick, and cost-effective for anyone with the skillset!
Facebook ads allow you to target individuals based on their location or demographic information such as age, gender, and interests. This allows prospective customers like yourself to access content that matches up closely with what they're looking for, without any extra hassle from traditional advertising methods (such as television commercials).
YouTube Ads
Why is using Youtube Ads one of the best ways to send traffic? Well, it's simply because Youtube has the largest viewership of any other video-sharing website. Using this large audience base means that you can target people from around the world who are interested and want your product or service.
That also leads to another reason why they're so effective: their ability to profile potential customers based on what types of videos they watch online. You can serve a YouTube ad directly to your ideal customer based on a keyword or even your competitor's company. This makes getting your book in front of the right people one of the quickest methods in marketing.
LinkedIn Ads
Linkedin Ads are another way to send traffic to a book. You can do this by using the audience targeting and placement options that Linkedin provides that will show your ads relevant to those you're trying to reach. LinkedIn Ads give you many options, such as conversational ads displayed to look like you're just messaging someone naturally.
LinkedIn is perfect because it has so many different types of users who make up its demographic, including professionals with high incomes (those most likely able to afford books) and entrepreneurs, business owners, freelancers/contractors, and more.
Twitter Ads
Twitter ads offer advertisers one-stop access to where they'll find potential customers with just a few simple clicks. The advertising platform provides valuable insight into what kind of content will perform best based on past trends, which helps you optimize your campaign and make informed decisions throughout the entire process.
Instagram Ads
Instagram is a great way to promote your book. The ads are designed for social media and personalized with the images of people who have taken part in or benefited from what you're selling, which will make it more enticing and believable. It's easy to set up, and because it's related to Facebook, you can easily run both Instagram and Facebook ads simultaneously from the same source.
Local Ads
Local advertising is a great way to get your word out about the book that you offer. It's inexpensive and has the potential of reaching more people than just those who are looking for books on your website or in social media groups like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and so on.
Radio Ads
With radio advertising, you have the opportunity to spread awareness of your book and reach a large audience. In addition to this, because people cannot read at all times during their commute home from work or school, they will need something stimulating, like an ad on the radio station.
Though it's an older method of advertising and often overlooked, the power of using radio ads can significantly increase your chances of getting people to your books because most people ignore them. Give it a try, and let us know how it turns out for you!
Banner Ads
Banners are a great way to promote your books, especially if you're starting with little or no budget. They can be shown on various websites, and they don't need any interaction from the user for them to work!
The use of banner display advertising is an excellent method for sending traffic to your site because it's easy, affordable, and effective. What is also great is that you can contact smaller blogs or websites and work with those companies directly, thus lowering the cost of advertising versus other mediums such as Amazon Ads or Facebook ads.
Print business cards to hand out at events
You can print details of your book at the back of your business cards with special offers like a URL to visit your website and purchase your books.
Run a contest to draw people to your event
Use tools like Upviral, KingSumo to build buzz and excitement for your new release, book signing, session, or panel by offering a free book or giveaway to 5–10 people. Announce this giveaway on your social profiles using the relevant hashtags.
Pitch a book as a holiday gift
Depending on the type of book you’re promoting, the giftable nature of a physical book may help boost print book sales, especially around the holidays.
Donate books to relevant organizations
If you’re promoting a real estate book, consider donating a few copies at a real estate event, or business libraries. This can help spark future word-of-mouth sales.
Continue publishing new books
Nothing sells backlist like a new book. Continually publishing new books will help you garner a wider audience who will be interested in your other books.
What other book marketing ideas would you add to the list? Let us know in the comments below!