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[NETWORKING FOR INTROVERTS] Book Bloggers: The Secret to Book Marketing Success
Social networks like Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Instagram are great for connecting with your friends and your fans, but how can you expand your reach to people who have never heard of you? Self-publishing stars like Amanda Hocking know the secret: book bloggers. Reviews by high-profile book bloggers can make the difference between a flop and a bestseller. But who are the book bloggers, and how can you get them to review your book?
There are lists of the most prominent book bloggers all over the Internet. Here’s a list of the Independent Book Blogger Winners, here’s a list of Top 50 Book Blogs, and here’s another titled Top 50 Books Blogs by Blog Rank, which uses 20 different criteria, including Feedburner membership, unique monthly visitors, and Alexa ranking. Number one on the list is Paulo Coehlo’s blog. Number ten is Bookslut, and number 34 is Buzz, Balls, & Hype. My own blog, Writerland, doesn’t make any of those lists, and I don’t review books on my blog, but I do do author interviews, so authors and publicists occasionally send me press releases for their books. Do I write about them? No. Why not? Because I don’t have time. I have a very limited amount of time to read at all, and I tend to read A) Books I really want to read, like Nell Freudenberger’s The Newlyweds, which I’m reading now, and B) Books written by people I know. Most of the author interviews I do for my blog are with authors who are either friends of mine or whom I’ve met in person. Ben Fountain came to the San Francisco Writers’ Grotto for lunch. Melanie Gideon is a writing colleague of mine at the Grotto. Nathan Bransford is someone whose blog I love and follow.
So how do you get your book reviewed by a book blogger who only reviews the books of people he/she knows? You get to know that book blogger—long before your book comes out.
Start by figuring out with which book bloggers you share common interests and connect with them. Read and comment on their blogs, maybe even send an email (But don’t get offended if they don’t respond. Remember, these are extremely busy people). In your comments on his/her blog, don’t just write “Great post!,” write something insightful that will spark discussion and get the book blogger’s attention. Do this until you’ve developed a rapport with that blogger. Then, when your book comes out, you’ll be sending it to an acquaintance instead of a stranger, greatly increasing your chances of getting reviewed.
Does this mean you should not approach a book blogger if you don’t know him/her personally? Of course not. Most of the book bloggers who reviewed Amanda Hocking’s books were strangers to her. But times have changed since the first self-publishing stars struck Amazon gold. Today, book bloggers are swamped with submissions, and anything you can do to increase your chances of getting noticed will help.
What about you? Who are your favorite high-profile book bloggers? Have you ever had a book reviewed by a book blogger? How did you make contact?
Comment
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Comment by Meghan Ward on February 2, 2013 at 6:43am -
Christina - Thank you! And welcome to the other side of your comfort zone :)
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Comment by Christina Danyluk on February 1, 2013 at 4:56pm -
Marvelous suggestions and information. I am slowly sticking my neck out of my shell ;-) Thanks for the post.
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Comment by Meghan Ward on January 31, 2013 at 11:44pm
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Toddie, I think that's the trick - to get the word out to people who aren't in your social circles. Guess blogging and book blogger interviews/reviews are a great way to do that!
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Comment by Toddie Downs on January 30, 2013 at 6:11pm -
Meghan, thanks so much for your great post. You've nailed the conundrum I've been coming up against in trying to market my new novel, Summer Melody. I'm pretty sure everyone I know either has it or knows of it - now I'm just trying to reach people who don't necessarily know me personally. This post was invaluable.
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Comment by Meghan Ward on January 30, 2013 at 2:33pm
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Best of luck, Connie, with whichever publishing route you choose!
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Comment by Connie L. Stambush on January 30, 2013 at 11:01am -
Meghan, I appreciate the links to book bloggers posted here. This kind of information is valuable but often time consuming to accumulate. Thanks for making the road to promoting a book that much easier for those of us about to embark on it. My book Naked on the Edge: a Motorcycle, a Goddess, and a Journey Around India is getting the finishing touches applied and I'm seriously considering self-publishing, so your input is most appreciated. Best, Connie
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Comment by Meghan Ward on January 29, 2013 at 5:59pm
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Thanks, Olga! Bloggers love hearing that :) And good luck with the book bloggers. Fingers crossed that you'll get some interviews and reviews.
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Comment by Olga Godim on January 29, 2013 at 5:01pm -
Meghan, I can't resist: Great post! Exactly what you said not to write in our comments, but it's true regardless. It's a great post. And thanks for the lists of book bloggers - they will be helpful. Sadly, my novel is coming out very soon and I don't have time to make contact with every blogger on those lists. But I'll try to follow your advice as much as I can.
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Comment by Meghan Ward on January 28, 2013 at 4:37pm
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Allyson and Karyne, I'm glad this was helpful. Here's a post on how to query book bloggers that you may find helpful, too: http://bit.ly/Vjzz5P
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Comment by Karyne Corum on January 28, 2013 at 11:39am -
This really is some great advice Meghan. I don't have a book ready yet but I'm stockpiling tips and information on marketing now, like a busy squirrel getting ready for winter. This was a superb "nut". :-)
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