When you self-publish a book, book design and printing aren’t the only things you have to think about. Marketing your book once it’s been published is a major aspect of self-publishing, and a little time spent on each of these actions may help you stand out in the crowded book market. Keep reading for 5 handy tips to help you – and your book – get noticed.

Whether traditionally published or self-publishing a book, authors are increasingly responsible, in large part, for helping to market it. While traditional publishers often still handle book marketing, many authors find themselves having to do much of the legwork to get their book in front of readers.

If you’ve decided to self-publish a book, it’s even more important to be proactive when it comes to marketing it. To help level the playing field, the following tips will help you maximise your book’s visibility and gain recognition as a published author.

1.    Try playing with keywords

When you upload your book on Amazon KDP, you’ll be asked to input keywords. Keywords are a crucial part of publishing on Amazon (and other platforms) because it’s how your readers will find your book – with a little luck, they’ll be similar to the keywords people use when searching for their next read. But bear in mind that some keywords may work better than others.

Before choosing keywords for your book, check to see which ones other authors in your niche are using by looking at the sorts of keywords they use in their book title and descriptions.  

You can also use Amazon’s own search feature to discover some of the most popular keywords being used by readers. Simply start typing whichever words you think people might use to find your book, for example: ‘keep fit books’. Amazon will usually offer auto-suggestions in relation to the search term, so you can see what popular search phrases other readers are using.

A quicker way is to use a free keyword tool such as Ahrefs.com, where you can input a keyword and which location you’d like to target, and discover popular, related keywords. Or for a broader view, use Google Trends, which is handy for researching search terms across the web – just type in a keyword and see what you find.

You can also try changing your keywords at intervals – make a note and see which ones draw the most attention.

2.    Set up a Goodreads author account

Goodreads is a popular book review and book sharing site where readers recommend books and build their reading list. Authors can list all their titles in one place on the platform, alongside a profile to help connect with their readers and build an audience. If you’re looking for readers who’re looking for their next book, it’s worth engaging with Goodreads.

3.    Google Play Books

Consider setting up your book on Google Play Books. The set-up process is similar to Amazon KDP. Although this won’t be your main avenue for book sales, it will result in your book being listed on Google’s search engines and being found by more readers.

4.    Look for PR opportunities

The internet is buzzing with opportunities for you to write an article and have it published somewhere where your readers may see it.

Type #journorequest into your search bar and you’ll see the kind of stories that news editors are looking for currently – you’ll have to act fast though, because editors often work to very tight deadlines. (It’s a good idea to have your article ready to go, so be sure to make it evergreen, meaning that it can be used at any time; then, all you have to do is pitch away!)

If you have a bit more time, you can look for magazines and websites in your niche, such as the Writer’s Digest or Writers Online. Find out who the editor is and drop them a line to see if they’d be interested in your story – whether it’s about the process of self-publishing your book, your specialism or the topic of your book. Just ensure it’s timely and targeted towards the correct outlet.

5.    Join Facebook writing groups

Facebook, or Meta, has hundreds of groups aimed at authors and book lovers. Join book review groups that allow authors to post a picture of their front cover with links for people to purchase a copy.

You can also find groups aimed solely at authors, where you can chew the fat and discuss the ins and outs of publishing and being an author. Do a simple search on Facebook for ‘books’ and ‘authors’, and see which ones are the right fit. Be sure to check each group’s rules because not every group will allow self-promotion.

Self-publishing is a big step as well as a big commitment – which is why we’re here to help. Please forward your queries about publishing a book to info@wellnessbooks.co.uk.