Top 10 Resources For Indie Authors
Authors who don't plan their pre/post-launch marketing end up spending more time and money playing catch up after publishing their books. The following list of resources will help spare you the frustration that most authors encounter along their literary journeys. Use this list as a set of goals to achieve when building out your online marketing platform. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list. However, it focuses on the channels that most authors pursue. Click '[+] Expand' to view each section
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Stage |
To Do / Why |
Best Tool for The Job |
Pre-Launch | Social Media |
TweetAdder | [+] Expand |
IMPORTANT: Having a social media platform is critical to your book's success. Ideally, you would have begun cultivating your online audience while writing your book. Luckily, there are a number of social media automation tools that can run in the background while you get down to the business of doing what you do best ... writing! |
TweetAdder was the only product that did not require a subscription and performed all of the premium options offered by competing subscription services. We recommend the Five Account or Unlimited packages. DISCOUNT: Use the following discount code to save 20%. Code: DISCOUNT20 DRAWBACK & SOLUTION: Click Here |
Pre-Launch | Website |
HostForWeb | [+] Expand |
Your website is your online business card. If you are a new author, readers will want to learn more about you before investing their time and money. Your website is where readers who are on the fence will be convinced to take a chance. It will also be the springboard from which you'll launch all future books. KEY WEBSITE FEATURES:
• Collect email addresses. • Syncs with social media. • Engages your readers. |
WordPress is the best platform for creating your website due to its ease of use and flexibility. You have the choice of creating your website at wordpress.com, or in your own hosting account. Always choose to independently host your website, as it will rank higher in the search engines. Hosting: We have been with HostForWeb for the past seven years due to their 24/7 chat and phone support, and strong competence in solving every technical problem that we've thrown at them. We highly recommend using their services. |
Pre-Launch | Email |
MyMail | [+] Expand |
Authors interested in selling large quantities of books need to take email marketing very seriously. Ever wonder why your inbox is full of spam every morning? In the online marketing arena, email response rates are far higher than any other form of online marketing. So, the first thing authors need to do is realize that they are now online marketers. If you plan on selling loads of books every time you release a new novel, you'll need to develop a deep email distribution list. In order to do this, you'll need a website that is equipped with a solid email management program. |
MyMail - This is by far the BEST email management software we've ever seen. Why? Because it offers all of the functionality of major subscription services without the subscription! You might see a trend here ... we do not like subscriptions. There's no need to get locked into a contract for these services. What can you do with MyMail?
• Track 'Opens', 'Clicks', 'Unsubscribes' • Tracks data by country and city • Create Auto-responders • Delayed Send - Avoid blacklists • Easy Install for WordPress |
Pre/Post Launch | Blogging |
See Inside | [+] Expand |
4) Blogging 5) StumbleUpon 6) Google Keyword Tool |
Once your book is published, it's time to drive traffic to your site. How? Blog, Tweet, Stumble, Repeat.
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The tools of a blogger are:
• TweetAdder • StumbleUpon • Google Keyword Tool When you write content for the web, keep it focused around a particular topic. This makes it easier for the search engines to catalog your site and direct traffic your way. Before writing any content, we suggest you develop a list of the most commonly searched keyword 'phrases' (2-3 words) and be sure to weave them into your writing. The best way to find such a list is to use Google's Keyword Tool. This will show you what people are actively searching in Google. However, don't stuff your articles full of keyword phrases in an attempt to rank higher. Natural content always ranks higher because visitors are more likely to comment, share it, and return for more. |
Pre/Post Launch | Press Releases |
Press Releases HQ | [+] Expand |
Press releases serve two functions. First, they help spread the word about your book. Second, they build links on the Internet pointing back to your website. This is called 'backlinking'. Why does this matter? For starters, each backlink opens up a new pathway leading to your book. Second, search engines consider links to be 'votes'. The more 'votes' your site has, the more popular the search engines believe it to be. Popular sites get ranked higher. With a higher placement in the search engine results, organic traffic will follow. |
Press Releases HQ is a great option for authors to quickly get their message out and build links at affordable prices. Press releases sent through this service are distributed to 3,000+ media outlets. Most of the outlets in this network are newspapers that display the releases in their Business/Markets news sections. In our opinion, these types of services are best for building links rather than reaching reporters. Readers are more likely to stumble upon your press releases through a Google search than by searching the media outlets' websites. Nonetheless, they still add lots of value for very little cost. |
Post Launch | Book Clubs |
Book Club Reading List | [+] Expand |
Want to quickly sell 15 books? Convince a book club that your novel is worthy of their attention. When book clubs add your book to their schedule, you receive quality feedback, reviews, and word of mouth! Most people join book clubs for more than just the reading list. They are looking for new experiences. Hosting an author in-person or by phone is a fun way to create memorable experience for the group. |
Book Club Reading List is a great way for authors to cover multiple marketing channels for a low one-time fee. When you add your book to their high-traffic website and quarterly newsletter, they announce it over multiple social media accounts reaching 12,000+ followers. The best part is that your book stays on their list indefinitely and they continue promoting it. This is a marketing investment that continues giving. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! |
Post Launch | Book Directories |
Cheap eBooks | [+] Expand |
What do readers search? Each month, close to three thousand searches are performed worldwide for 'cheap ebooks'. Unless your name is Cheap eBooks, or that's the name of your book or website, it's not likely that you will be visible in Google, Bing, or Yahoo when someone searches that term. If you wanted to pay for this traffic, it would cost you roughly $1 per visitor. SOLUTION: Add your book to a website that targets these keywords. |
Cheap eBooks is listed at the top of the first page on Yahoo and Bing, and often on Google. We also found this website well-positioned under the search term cheap ebooks for Kindle on all three search engines. For the same cost as 20 visitors, you can add your book indefinitely to a website that ranks #1 on most search engines for highly targeted keywords, something your website probably doesn't do naturally. When you add your book, its page on Cheap eBooks is submitted to a network of social media accounts that has 12,000+ followers. In addition, it's submitted to multiple social bookmarking sites, driving hundreds of visitors in the first few days alone. |
Post Launch | Banner Ads |
Book Marketing Network | [+] Expand |
Banner ads are about branding, keeping your image in someone's face often enough so they become familiar with it and eventually make a purchase. However, if you aren't careful, you can go broke waiting for that sale. Affordable Book Marketing We recently came upon a unique banner ad platform that helps solve this problem. Affordable Book Marketing allows you to get your book onto a network of book-oriented websites and in front of thousands of unique visitors for a fraction of the cost of platforms such as Googe, Facebook, Blogads, and Goodreads. ABM offers two options: |
Banner AdsFeatured Books
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