Web Public Relations and Marketing for Authors
Managing Free Online Self-Promotion Tools
Jul 31, 2009
Understanding the difference between public relations and marketing on the Web and creating a deliberate strategy for managing both at the same time can be critical to a new or independent author trying to make a dent in today’s Internet marketplace.
Finding time for self-promotion can be a daunting proposition for most writers, particularly when faced with a seemingly endless supply of new online tools and services to market and publicize a book. Social networks, article submission sites and blogs are three time-tested, free and easy tools that have risen to the top of the heap however, and are cornerstones of an effective online self-promotion program.
What are PR and Marketing?
Public relations builds an image or a reputation, while marketing is primarily geared to drive sales and increase revenue. Public relations wants to influence and inform a target audience, marketing is designed to entice a target market to buy.
What is the Message and Who is the Target?
Taking the time to determine whether an online strategy is intended to build credibility and reputation, for example if the author wants to be recognized as an expert in a certain field, or whether the goal is to directly encourage sales, can help an author quickly zero in on the most effective Web tools.
Ideally the author wants to be known for a specific topic or genre, create a recognizable image AND excite readers about the content of the book being marketed. Being conscious of cultivating both target audience and target market is essential to a solid online endeavor.
Common Tactics and Tools That Can Be Used for PR and Marketing
Combining PR and marketing efforts in one place can be extremely helpful. Here are three easy and free ways for today’s authors to conduct online PR and marketing simultaneously.
Social Networks
The list of potential social networks where authors can self-promote is long; the key is to find the correct audience and make a commitment to regular interaction. Facebook and Twitter are excellent choices for authors because they are easily navigated and can quickly spread a writer’s message to both a target audience and a target market through strategic planning of events, content and personal commentary.
Reader-specific social networking sites are also great choices for authors, as the audience is already narrowed to folks that buy books. Kate McMillan discusses eight of the best online communities for book lovers on her blog Outbox Takeout.
Article Submission Sites
Providing free content for the myriad of Ezines, newsletters and websites out there is another great way to self-promote. It not only familiarizes potential book buyers with an author’s writing and content and links them back to a place where they can buy the author’s book, a carefully planned article submission campaign can establish a PR message and improve Google ranking.
Article submission sites will review and publish short articles, then send them out to publishers and article lists, where they can be reprinted. And while self-promotion links within the body of the article are generally not allowed and writing free content may not seem time-efficient, using article content to advance a PR message and making use of the resource box that accompanies article submissions to introduce oneself to potential readers and provide links to website or blog can be invaluable, free marketing.
The best approach is to choose article content carefully, making it varied and useful to people looking for material to publish, but also so that is strategically connected to the marketing task at hand—getting attention for the book or author being promoted. And in order to use article submission to improve Google-worthiness, authors should write often, pay attention to title, subtitle and keywords, and refrain from duplicating content.
Blogs
Publishing coach Diane Eble offers "Nine Reasons Authors Should Have a Blog" on Your Book Publishing Coach: The Insider’s Guide to Writing, Publishing and Making Money. Here's an abbreviated list:
- They are easy to start and maintain.
- They are search engine friendly.
- Other people will find the blog easily.
- Blogs are interactive.
- Blogs can help establish a writing routine.
- People can subscribe to a blog.
- Blog can help create a relationship with an audience.
- Blogs help create a platform.
- The media loves blogs.
A blog is also a great way to consistently broadcast a public relations message and market a book by letting target audience and target market see again and again not only what the book is all about, but by revealing the topics and issues the author cares about most.
With Charlotte Abbot, author of “The New Book Buying” on the Follow the Reader blog reporting in May 2009 that recent surveys show 67% of all readers get their book-buying information online, combining the Web tactics of blogging, article submission and social networking to create an easily-recognizable message that builds an author’s image and generates interest in the book all at the same time can be an invaluable, time-saving element of any author’s overall PR and marketing campaign.
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