New year, new opportunity to sell your books. As a part of our 2019 series of predictions we are making some educated guesses about writing trends, book marketing changes and publishing forecasts. In part one of the Book Marketing Trends we are discussing some “non-social media” opportunities that we think authors publishing this year and beyond should be paying close attention to. We’ll also be covering what we thinking is changing on the big four social media platforms.

Amazon Ads becomes a winning strategy for indies.

If you have been watching Amazon ads from the sidelines, you’re not alone. Their ads platform has been slow growing and for most authors who have tested, the return just isn’t there.

2019 is likely going to change all of that. The Big A has been making serious steps towards a large push in the ads game that could put Google and Facebook ads in second and third place.

Being the largest seller of books, it’s crucial for authors to start getting familiar with Amazon’s paid strategy. Especially indies! Odds are the traditional publishers won’t catch on as quickly as individuals are able to, leaving another major opportunity for the publishing underdogs to take the lead.

Authors avoid creating a YouTube channel and opt for influencer outreach.

Though YouTube is a massively powerful tool for search and communication, authors in general still seem a little apprehensive about being on camera. So while 2019 may not be the year we see a bunch of authors creating video content, it should be the year authors realize there is a comfortable middle ground.

Authors do not have to set up a small studio in your office. They can still reach YouTube users by building relationships with BookTubers and other experts in the field and avoid the dreaded camera lens another year.

Podcasts are where authors get targeted publicity.

Audio has become an increasingly growing area of interest as of the last few years. We’ll talk about the impact of audiobooks during our publishing predictions. As far as marketing goes though, smart authors may want to give some consideration to podcasting. All signs are pointing up with six million more people listening to podcasts in 2018 over 2017.

There are two ways for authors to approach the podcasting landscape:

1. Get interviewed. Podcasters (especially newer ones) are frequently looking for interviewees. Find a collection of podcasts that fit within your genre/book topic and pitch yourself as a guest.

2. Start a podcast. Though it is a much bigger endeavor, in 2019 I think we’ll see more and more authors using podcasts as a means for attracting an audience and telling stories in a new way.

From sharing short stories on audio to interviewing fellow authors within their genre, authors who podcast create great opportunities for networking and connecting with readers.

BookBub beats out Goodreads and offers a perfect blend of author tools and reader-focused features.

If you haven’t been paying close attention to this platform, it may have been easy to miss some of the big advancements they are making to help authors promote. Yes they are a place for featuring deals and (if you are selected) getting your book in front of millions of readers. But it is becoming far more than just a newsletter full of deals.

The platform is evolving into a social media site for readers and authors who are claiming their author profile and engaging with readers can form deeper relationships with their fans.

Readers can now:

• Set alerts to be informed when their favorite author has a new release

• Get recommendations from readers who they share similar tastes with

• Follow authors to get their recommendations

Like with any social site, the more you give, the more you’ll get out of the platform. And BookBub insiders suggest now adding your BB profile to your website (as you would Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and others) so that you can gain momentum on the site.

Though it still seems relatively new, 2019 may be the year readers leave Goodreads and favor Bookbub for its sleek operating system and perfectly blended book content.

Mobile optimized websites are no longer optional.

Finally, it is time for authors to seriously consider just how up to date their websites are. Though having a mobile optimized website has been a “should have it” option for years now, authors may find that without one, they are actually doing their brand harm in 2019.

Search, social media, video watching… so much is contained to the palm of our hands now. Have you looked at your website recently on your smartphone?

Not only should you be looking at how your site looks on a mobile device, you should also be referencing your analytics to see how often someone is visiting you from a mobile device. If it’s fairly frequent and you aren’t optimized for that traffic, it could be time for a redesign.

The country and the world is only growing more mobile each day and the farther behind that curve you are, the more likely visitors are to turn away