đź“‹ Table of Contents
Marketing Foundation
Before spending money on ads, you need a solid foundation. Marketing a bad product wastes money—marketing a great product makes money.
âś… Pre-Marketing Checklist
- Professional cover that looks as good as traditionally published books
- Compelling description with hooks and benefits
- Optimized keywords for Amazon search
- Right categories where you can rank
- Competitive pricing for your genre
- Quality content that delivers on promises
Amazon Marketing (Free)
Optimize Your Amazon Listing
Title Optimization:
- Main title + subtitle with keywords
- Example: "Meal Prep Mastery: The Complete Guide to Healthy Eating for Busy People"
Book Description:
- Start with a hook that grabs attention
- Use HTML formatting (bold, bullets, breaks)
- Include social proof ("Over 10,000 readers...")
- End with a call to action
A+ Content (Brand Registry):
- Apply for Amazon Brand Registry
- Add images and enhanced content to your listing
- Increases conversion significantly
Author Central
Set up your Amazon Author Central page:
- Author bio with your story and credentials
- Author photo (professional headshot)
- Blog feed from your website
- Videos (book trailers, interviews)
- Link all your books together
Social Media Marketing
#BookTok is huge
#Bookstagram
Reader Groups
Visual discovery
TikTok for Authors (2026's Top Platform)
#BookTok has sold millions of books. Here's how to use it:
- Share behind-the-scenes: Writing process, research, struggles
- Book recommendations: Share books similar to yours
- Tropes and themes: "Books with enemies to lovers"
- Author life: Day in the life content
- Reading your own book: Dramatic readings
đź’ˇ Tip: Post 1-3 times daily for 30 days to build momentum.
Instagram for Authors
- Aesthetic feed: Book photos, quotes, covers
- Reels: Short-form video like TikTok
- Stories: Daily behind-the-scenes content
- Engage: Comment on reader and author posts
Email Marketing
Build Your Email List
Your email list is the #1 marketing asset you own. Social media can disappear—email is forever.
How to Build Your List:
- Reader magnet: Free short story, prequel, or bonus content
- Landing page: Simple page to collect emails
- Back of book: Call to action in your published books
- Website: Pop-ups and sign-up forms
Email Platforms:
- MailerLite — Free up to 1,000 subscribers
- ConvertKit — Popular with authors
- Mailchimp — Free tier available
📧 Email Sequence for New Subscribers
- Day 1: Welcome + deliver free content
- Day 3: Your author story
- Day 5: Recommend similar books
- Day 7: Introduce your book
- Ongoing: Monthly newsletter
Getting Reviews
Why Reviews Matter
- Social proof increases conversions
- 10+ reviews unlocks some promo sites
- 50+ reviews enables more Amazon features
- Reviews affect Amazon's algorithm
How to Get Legitimate Reviews:
- Ask politely in the back of your book
- Email your list after they've had time to read
- ARC team: Give advance copies for honest reviews
- Book bloggers: Reach out for reviews
- Goodreads giveaways: Generate buzz
⚠️ Never pay for reviews or ask for 5-star reviews!
Book Promotion Sites
Best Promo Sites for 2026
These sites email their subscriber lists about discounted books:
Top Tier (Worth the Price):
- BookBub — The gold standard (hard to get, expensive, massive results)
- Freebooksy / Bargain Booksy — Great for free/99¢ promos
- Robin Reads — Good for romancegenre
Mid Tier (Affordable):
- Book Barbarian
- eReader News Today
- The Fussy Librarian
- Book Gorilla
đź’ˇ Tip: Stack multiple promos on the same day for maximum impact.
Paid Advertising
Amazon Ads (AMS)
Amazon Ads are the most effective for book sales:
Ad Types:
- Sponsored Products: Appear in search results
- Sponsored Brands: Feature multiple books
- Lock Screen Ads: Kindle device ads
Getting Started:
- Start with $5-10/day budget
- Target competitor books and authors
- Use category targeting
- Test, measure, optimize
Facebook & Instagram Ads
- Best for building email lists (not direct sales)
- Target by interests (authors, genres, book topics)
- Use video ads for better performance
- Start with $5/day and test different audiences
Book Launch Strategy
Build buzz: cover reveal, description, ARC team reading
Final promo push, schedule newsletter, prep social posts
Email list, social media blitz, ask for reviews, run price promo
Stack promo sites, start Amazon Ads, continue social
Monthly promos, consistent ads, write next book!
🚀 The #1 Marketing Secret
The best marketing for your book is your next book. Authors who release consistently (3-4 books/year) grow exponentially. Each new book markets your backlist!
đź“š Ready to Publish & Market?
Start with our complete publishing and royalty guides!