Methods to promote your e-book: From advertising and launching, to constructing an viewers

By Kaleigh Moore November 14, 2023

You possibly can’t go on trip today with out seeing somebody on their e-reader. 

And that’s implausible information for e-book creators. The e-book market ought to hit $14 billion within the U.S. alone by the top of this 12 months. It is going to develop to an anticipated world market of 1.1 billion readers by 2027.

However even in a hefty market like that, success isn’t assured.

If you wish to promote ebooks on this local weather, you’ll want to face out from the opposite sellers. You’ll have to know tips on how to place and persuade individuals to purchase your guide. 

We’ve beforehand tackled tips on how to create a profitable e-book. Now it’s time to speak about market liftoff. 

How are you going to promote your guide on-line? How are you going to distinguish it from others already on sale? How are you going to ask for a value individuals are prepared to pay?

To be taught that, let’s sort out the perfect methods for promoting your e-book within the present market:

First issues first: creating your e-book

Have you ever created your e-book but? 

No? Listed here are a number of fast reminders from our publish about constructing an e-book for the primary time:

• Place your e-book by beginning together with your market and your thought. Is it fiction or nonfiction? Who’s your superb buyer?
• Define and draft your e-book with the assistance of AI writing instruments. You can even draft the e-book your self, or just rent out the work to a ghostwriter on Fiverr or Upwork.
• Construct your e-book with instruments like Calibre, Reedsy, or Canva so it’s able to publish within the format of your alternative.

Your e-book ought to hit on a key ache level to your readers. Take into account Paula Rizzo, whose guide Listful Pondering tackles a particular topic: utilizing lists to get organized.

Nonetheless with us to date? 

Good. As a result of when you’ve labored by means of these ideas, you’ll have a shiny new e-book in your palms—digitally talking—that’s able to promote.

For a lot of, that is the enjoyable half.

Constructing a canopy to make your e-book’s “pitch”

If you happen to deal with your cowl proper, a sale might occur instantly. A buyer solely has to assume: “Hmm…that appears good.”

It’s a easy truth of life. Readers do choose books by their covers.

A great title—like “The Pleasure of Cooking,” with the font inserting emphasis on “pleasure”—ought to instantly fill the starvation pangs of your superb reader.

However past the title, your cowl has to do an efficient job of conveying what’s inside. Take into account:

• Coloration palette: Colours impression our notion of what’s contained in the guide. Research color psychology to harmonize what’s on the entrance and the promise your e-book is making. As an illustration, a coloration like inexperienced works for books about well being, fertility, shedding stress, nature, and gardening. 
• Typography: Font dimension, fashion, and positioning all weigh into the messaging of the guide. Serif fonts, says Kindlepreneur, are usually greatest for conventional themes. Scripts—fonts that seem like penmanship—are greatest for memoirs and fervour initiatives. 
• Eye-catchers: What’s the chief ingredient of your guide cowl? Perhaps the title takes up a lot of the house. Different components—like flowers in a guide on gardening—ought to have fast enchantment to your target market.
• Area: Lastly, take note of the usage of house—together with empty house. There’s solely a lot actual property on a guide cowl you need to use earlier than it will get crowded. 

Platforms for promoting ebooks

After you have your e-book—and a canopy to assist promote it—the next step is to make it straightforward to obtain.

Enter the e-book platform.

Main platforms like Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) and Apple Books are nice beginning locations. They’re the place many voracious e-book shoppers flip to fill their e-readers.

Earlier than you market your guide, keep in mind that outdated present enterprise adage: 90% of success is displaying up. Let’s discover what it means to your e-book to “present up” by maximizing your publicity to the highest platforms:

Amazon: Amazon KDP is among the largest marketplaces for ebooks in your complete world. Yearly, almost 500 million ebooks undergo Amazon.

It contains a dashboard for monitoring your gross sales. And also you’ll have energy over the way you promote your guide. Title, cowl, value, promoting, class: it’s all beneath your direct management

Apple: Apple Books, typically generally known as the iBooks retailer prior to now, could also be your major conduit to individuals who swear by their iPhones and Macs. You’ll earn 70% royalties right here in your self-published work—about trade commonplace.

To kick off the method of publishing, head to their Authors part. There you can begin to construct your guide’s presence within the Apple world and measure your long-term success.

Smashwords: There have been over 31 million ebooks printed on Smashwords. And the enjoyable factor about Smashwords is the way it’s constructed for the e-book market. 

Smashwords options intensive classes in each fiction and non-fiction. You shouldn’t discover it too tough to seek out your e-book’s dwelling, irrespective of your class. 

It’s additionally widespread to see ebooks fetch as a lot as $9.99 and up on the platform, which places your guide in an advantageous pricing context.

Kobo: Kobo Writing Life is a good “gateway” for writers who wish to focus much less on promoting and extra on writing. In case you have your e-book file prepared, it simply takes a number of quick steps after signup to have it able to promote on the platform.

The draw back? You may surrender a bit of management. Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, for instance, affords you all kinds of variables to regulate. 

If you happen to discover all of that overwhelming, strive getting on Kobo as a “gateway” to the remainder of the opposite platforms. 

Google: Google Play is the principle market app on Android telephones, which is why Google Play Books is the important thing touchpoint right here. 

It’s particularly helpful for individuals who wish to goal prospects who like to learn on their telephones. That quantity eclipsed 50% of readers within the mid-2010s. And as telephones solely turn out to be extra ubiquitous, it is best to take into account Google Play Books a vital platform.

Draft 2 Digital: How a few self-publishing platform that handles different platforms for you? Draft 2 Digital affords a distribution service for getting your e-book out to a number of e-book storefronts worldwide.

If you happen to choose the hands-off strategy to publishing, it might be the platform for you.

The draw back is price: Draft 2 Digital will take a ten% payment for the retail value of your guide in every sale. Nevertheless it additionally has no upfront prices and allows you to proceed to edit your guide with out further charges.

Lulu: Lulu is particularly common as a print-on-demand service, however it additionally affords companies for e-book publishing. Their guides and templates represent a newbie’s “toolkit” that may function a helpful introduction for anybody who’s breaking into e-book publishing for the primary time.

Gumroad: Because of its recognition for social media creators, akin to these on Twitter, Gumroad is a platform that works nice for publishing data merchandise. Gumroad’s easy-download interface requires minimal signup friction from the client’s perspective, which is crucial for turning engaged followers into prospects.

AWeber: Construct a touchdown web page with AWeber and also you’ll primarily construct your individual e-book promoting platform. As a result of AWeber isn’t a market, you’ll have to construct an viewers, too. However the benefit is that AWeber received’t ask for a reduce of each e-book sale by way of royalties.

Methods to get readers to wish to purchase your e-book

The primary problem for e-book creators isn’t getting their ebooks on-line. It’s convincing those who their e-book is a must-purchase.

If you happen to’ve already positioned your e-book appropriately, you’ll have carried out a number of the legwork already. However if you need individuals to pay what you ask, it is best to be taught one other side of buyer psychology: pricing.

Pricing your e-book

After the quilt of your guide, what’s the second factor most prospects take a look at? {Dollars} and cents. They should know what the phrases inside your guide are going to run them.

Pricing an e-book at all times occurs in context. $9.99? Low cost—till you’re subsequent to somebody charging $7.49 for theirs.

However, a hardcover cookbook that prices $40 may not make readers bat a watch. Not when there are different cookbooks on the cabinets that price $50.

So how do you make context work in your favor? Listed here are a number of methods:

• Conduct analysis into your area of interest. Use the platforms listed above, particularly Amazon and Smashwords, to browse what ebooks price inside your area of interest. For instance, a take a look at “featured new releases” within the Well being class on Smashwords reveals books from $0.99-$4.99. $1.99 is widespread right here, and certain value level.
• Search for long-lasting costs. Don’t simply browse the brand new releases, both. Search for costs on bestsellers and books which have been listed for weeks, even months. If the worth is working for different sellers in your area of interest, it could actually in all probability be just right for you.

Pricing psychology ideas

Simply as there’s loads of psychology to your guide cowl, pricing psychology might be downright complicated. Take into account the next: 

• Allure pricing: Ebooks typically promote for $0.99, $1.99, and $4.99 for a purpose. Dropping the worth by one cent does make a distinction, dropping the primary quantity your buyer sees by one. Whenever you store, your eye gravitates towards $1.99 quite than $2.03.
• Tease pricing: This is identical idea behind launching a lead magnet. For instance, creator Eric R. Asher affords a free novella to individuals only for signing up for his e-newsletter. This helps him construct an viewers, which generates curiosity when it’s time to promote his full-length novels.
• Create your context: You may need heard of this technique in eating places. A “wine checklist” may embrace low-end and high-end wines—with the concept that a discerning buyer will wish to select the relative cut price of the medium-priced wine. You possibly can “create your individual” context equally by providing a number of ebooks on the market at totally different value factors
• Go for an aspirational value: If you happen to’re promoting complete data merchandise, you may additionally take into account redefining it not as an e-book, however as a full-length course. Bundle it with different components on Gumroad like movies, and you’ll cost way more. As with wine, the next value typically will get prospects to ascribe extra worth to what the product accommodates.

Construct social proof into your e-book providing

If you happen to can’t management your pricing, you may nonetheless management the perceived worth of your e-book by means of social proof.

Social proof is an idea courting to Robert Cialdini’s guide Influence. It primarily signifies that we people have an intuition to adapt to what different individuals are doing. 

Take Andy Weir’s ebook-turned-mainstream printed novel, The Martian. Purchase it now, and also you’ll see “Now a Main Movement Image” stamped on the entrance cowl.

If we see different individuals loving the e-book, we’re extra prone to wish to purchase it ourselves.

However for social proof to work, it has to look natural. Spamming faux on-line evaluations received’t work. How do you incorporate social proof right into a static product like a digital obtain?

• Testimonials. Excessive-quality evaluations, particularly on Amazon, will help introduce your e-book to a brand new viewers. That is so highly effective that many Amazon merchandise will construct phrases like “over 500 5-star evaluations” into their product descriptions.
• Creator blurbs. If you happen to’re linked to well-known authors, even a single sentence from them might be game-changing to incorporate on the quilt. You may get over the “title recognition” downside if you happen to can safe a advice from somebody your market acknowledges.
• Creator forewards. The phrase “foreward by Kaleigh Moore” is one other sneaky option to work in further social proof. Forewards are typical for nonfiction wherein a longtime creator inside a distinct segment or trade will lend their credibility as an introduction to the remainder of the content material.
• Creator bios. In your creator bio, stack up as many awards, recognitions, and honors as you may associated to your area. It’s possible you’ll not have a protracted resume as an creator, however if you happen to’re writing a guide about promoting actual property and have been the #1-performing actual property agent in your metropolitan space, it’s value mentioning.

Advertising and marketing your e-book to promote

By now it is best to have the weather for a sellable e-book: correct positioning, an evocative cowl, value, and even your “social proof” able to go. 

Now, at any time when somebody in your market comes throughout your guide, they need to assume: that is precisely what I’ve been searching for.

The one factor left? Getting extra individuals to see your e-book. Individuals need to have heard of it in the event that they’re going to purchase it, which is why the ultimate piece of the puzzle is amplifying your message.

Avenues for advertising your e-book

Social media posts: It at all times helps to have a longtime social media presence. However possibly you don’t. How do you get consideration for an e-book with restricted follower counts?

• Create compelling visuals: As Forbes notes, 91% of shoppers choose visible to written content material. This provides any social media publish with efficient visuals an on the spot “enhance” in engagement potential.
• Do breakdowns of common figures: If you happen to don’t have a big social media presence, chances are you’ll lack “credibility” as you construct it. However one option to borrow such credibility to your social media content material is to play on the title recognition of others. In case you have a YouTube channel, for example, you are able to do breakdowns of profitable figures in your area by enjoying chosen clips from their interviews.
• Discover related hashtags: Let’s say you’re a author advertising a brand new self-published fiction e-book. Do you know there could also be a built-in viewers on X or Instagram with established area of interest hashtags, like #Steampunk? Analysis hashtag recognition earlier than scheduling your posts to make sure most engagement.

These may appear to be small particulars now, however each view counts. And don’t neglect that each new follower is a possible new engagement for future posts. 

Social media adverts: Sponsored adverts will price you cash, however in addition they assure a sure degree of engagement. If you happen to don’t have a giant viewers, assured engagement comes at a premium. Simply be sure you stick to some guidelines:

• Clearly outline your target market: If you happen to’ve carried out the work on “positioning” your e-book, you’re already midway there. Instruments like Meta ads help you get particular about who sees them, from age/location to individuals who have expressed curiosity in comparable ebooks.
• Create a number of variations of your sponsored adverts: Writing one advert will not be the top of the road. Positive, you may get some engagement from it—in spite of everything, you’re paying. However you may enhance the efficiency of your campaigns by A/B testing distinctive headlines and taglines. 
• Provide incentives: Promotions, reductions, and contests can all make your e-book supply extra fascinating. These ways are particularly essential when introducing your self to your viewers for the primary time. If you happen to’re unknown to your viewers, you’ll want that preliminary spark.

Newsletters and e mail blasts: Eric R. Asher supplied his readers a free novella to individuals who signed up for his e-newsletter. That was the aim: construct a neighborhood of readers. As soon as they have been signed up, he had a gaggle of consumers prepared to purchase his writing.

Good e-newsletter advertising doesn’t finish with the e-mail seize, both. Asher created automated campaigns to slowly introduce new subscribers to his writing:

It’s time to combine issues up a bit! I hope you loved “Days Gone Dangerous” and “Whispers of Battle,” however now it’s time to leap into a very totally different world. “Steamborn” is a YA steampunk journey…

With every pivot and rationalization, Asher gave one thing away. Consider it just like the sampler platters on the grocery retailer: you’re extra prone to strive one thing new if you happen to get a chunk of it totally free.

Visitor posting on different websites: One other technique to find your viewers is to borrow another person’s. You are able to do that by making a free weblog publish and submitting it to common blogs. The one cost you ask in return is a hyperlink to your web site, the place an e-book touchdown web page awaits.

The important thing? Don’t be salesy. Create genuinely useful posts with particular audiences in thoughts.

Danny Iny began a enterprise referred to as “Firepole Advertising and marketing,” for instance. Nevertheless it wasn’t till he wrote “38 Critical Books Every Blogger Needs to Read” for Copyblogger that he discovered his viewers.

Use “hyperlink in profile instruments” to transform: When you’ve established an viewers, you want a spot to funnel your newfound social success. You should use a Link-in-profile from AWeber that makes it straightforward to create one hyperlink to your varied e-book touchdown pages. Or just ship your new guests to at least one e-book touchdown web page and name it a day.

On-line discussions, boards, and communities

Need extra eyes in your e-book? Go the place the individuals are.

And on-line, individuals are speaking:

• On Goodreads, a platform for sharing what you’re studying—and loving
• On Reddit, a social media web site stuffed with distinct “subreddits” for particular subjects and pursuits
• On Quora, a discussion board for asking all of lives questions—and sharing your favourite responses

Discover one thing all three of those websites have in widespread: they’re large platforms for locating small niches.

One of the simplest ways to market your guide is to begin with the individuals most involved in your subject. Would you quite promote 2 books to 10 related prospects or 1 guide to 100 individuals who couldn’t care much less?

Chances are high, these two gross sales you made to extremely related prospects are people who find themselves going to like your work and suggest your e-book to others.

Be a part of these websites and begin becoming a member of within the discussions. You don’t need to promote your e-book at first—simply construct a repute and a few credible person historical past.

Over time, you can begin creating worthwhile content material after which throwing your e-book hyperlink into the combination.

Nurturing e-book leads with AWeber

When you’ve used the instruments and platforms above to get extra eyes in your e-book’s touchdown web page, it’s time to begin nurturing.

What’s nurturing? Right here’s how we’ve defined it earlier than:

Nurture emails are automated and usually tied to a lead magnet — one thing you give to individuals after they subscribe to your e mail checklist. Nurture emails embrace focused content material primarily based on the lead magnet they downloaded. The aim is to encourage prospects to transform to prospects.

You don’t need to make the sale immediately. Not if you happen to’re correctly nurturing leads.

All it’s important to do is seize the lead.

Give away a small piece, like a pattern of your e-book or a helpful information in the identical area. This encourages sign-ups.

You possibly can then create a sequence of automated emails introducing your e-book’s idea. Deal with how the e-book will help your buyer’s ache factors earlier than you ask for the sale.

Whenever you ship potential prospects the hyperlink, they need to already have an interest.

Even when a e-newsletter checklist is small, giving freely a small “piece” will help to make sure that extra leads and potential patrons have an interest.

In the long term, you seize extra curiosity this fashion than if you happen to had merely requested for the sale upfront. And utilizing a device like AWeber makes it pure to construct a “nurturing” marketing campaign that unfolds logically:

If you happen to use all the methods above, you’ll practically assure extra individuals will come throughout your e-book—and turn out to be prepared patrons.

However you continue to want a subsequent step. 

Even when this primary e-book isn’t as profitable as you want, it’s nonetheless step one in an essential journey. So be sure you seize each buyer’s e mail deal with so you may market future ebooks just by asking for the sale. Sign up for AWeber to begin constructing your checklist at the moment!