Marketing is a very important subject when it comes to ebooks just like it with any product. Ebooks don't sell themselves. Because of the fact that people who read ebooks tend to be tech-savvy, Internet marketing is especially important. A well-designed author website, author newsletter and Internet advertising and marketing campaigns are essential for any book campaign today. This is absolutely crucial for an ebook-only campaign. If the Web crowd doesn't hear about your ebook, then your audience will be severely diminished.
Web promotion is also essential for authors who self-publish. Self-published authors are usually in charge of all of their own marketing and promotion. Promoting a book can be an expensive proposition, and it is important that authors fully understand promotion tools and the how the media works. Authors should be familiar with promotional tools and opportunities such as authors chats, book signings, review copies, web marketing and Internet advertising.
Getting Ebooks Reviewed
One of the most frustrating experiences for most self-published ebook authors is trying to get their books reviewed by the traditional media or even online-only media. Most publications are overwhelmed by the number of review copy submissions sent by the traditional publishing houses; the rise of ebooks has turned the flow of review copy submissions into a virtual torrent of material. Some publications simply are not set up to receive and review e-documents of any kind; if it's not a bound book or galley, they simply won't accept it. Fear of viruses is another factor. Be patient; this has started to slowly change, especially with ebook reading devices cheaper and more commonplace than ever and the fact that almost all titles are now also available as ebooks. You can pay for book reviews through services offered by some outlets. An article about whether or not that is worth it from Jane Friedman can be found here.
Always read a publication's sumbission guidelines before submitting an ebook for review. If the publication accepts ebooks, the guidelines will tell you what format is acceptable. You may have to have a few copies bound just to send reviewers. If you are self-publishing this alone could be a good reason to find a self-publishing service that also offers Print-on-Demand. The other way to get an ebook reviewed is to get fellow bloggers and journalists to review it. This can work especially well if your book is a nonfiction book covering a niche topic as many ebooks are. You should also try to get people you know to post a review on your ebook's Amazon page. Remember: You can also add editorial reviews to your page through Amazon Author Central.
Market Ebooks Online
Much of ebook marketing is very similar to book marketing and promotion. Some promotional efforts involving ebooks - such as book giveaways - are more technical. Overall, the marketing strategy should be about promoting a book. You are still trying to get the word out about a new book and trying to sell copies of a book. If your book is only available as an ebook then you must focus more of your energy and budget online where the audience for your ebook lives.
Here are a few good articles focused on ebook promotion:
- 22 Ways to Promote Your E-Book - helpful tips in this article include sharing the first chapter on SlideShare and creating infographics.
- 20+ eBook Promotion Ideas - some of the tips from Content Bistro include creating socially shareable images, using pinned tweets and creating a Facebook offer.
- KDP: Promotion Tips: Amazon has some tips and things you can do to promote your book if you are with Kindle Direct Publishing. These include book lending, running free promotions, sample chapters and limited-time discounts.
