If you're an independent author who isn't being promoted by a traditional publishing company, it's likely that you'll have to do the bulk of the marketing for your books. This is especially true if you've self-published, whether in paper or ebook format. You can accomplish a lot by using the internet.
Your Own Website
I highly recommend setting up your own website. I also recommend going with a website that you actually have to pay hosting fees for - not a freebie. This will appear much more professional and you'll have full control over your website. (Owning a website is not expensive. You can get good hosting for $100 per year or less, and domain names are only $10.)
You can choose a domain name for your website that won't be cluttered. For example, you can register something like yournamebooks(.com). This type of domain name is easy to remember and looks great on things like business cards or your email signature.
When you have your own website, you can use it as a hub for everything related to you and your books. You can link to every website that sells your books, which will help out your ranking in Google. You can also link to your Facebook and Twitter profiles, and post any photos or other media that you want.
It's a great idea to give away some free content to your readers. You can use your own website to offer ebook downloads that contain the first chapter of your book or other free samples. You can also do this on some blogging websites, but you'll have much more control on your own website. Speaking of blogging ...
Blogging
As an author, blogging is a natural way to engage your readers. If a person is interested in your writing, they'll love to read more from you between book releases. People like to learn more about the real person behind the writing, so you can develop a more personal relationship with all of your readers by writing about yourself, your daily life, and of course your upcoming projects.
Blogging software is free, and you can either use the online version or install the blog onto your own website.
Social Networking Sites
Having a presence on sites like Facebook and Twitter has become expected. If you gather some followers, you can use these websites as free advertizing for yourself. On Facebook you can create your own 'Page' which people will 'Like' and you can then post updates, news, photos, etc. Using these websites is an easy way to remind people that you exist on a daily basis. You should be careful not to become too over-promotional, though. Just like with blogging, your readers are interested in learning more about you as a person, and they're not interested in being bombarded with advertizements.
Learn More!
Many books have been written on the subject of internet marketing. If you're serious about trying to market yourself, it will be useful to learn more about it. You can find a lot of free information online or check out books at your library. Promoting yourself can be a big job, but the more you know about it, the better you will do.
Your Own Website
I highly recommend setting up your own website. I also recommend going with a website that you actually have to pay hosting fees for - not a freebie. This will appear much more professional and you'll have full control over your website. (Owning a website is not expensive. You can get good hosting for $100 per year or less, and domain names are only $10.)
You can choose a domain name for your website that won't be cluttered. For example, you can register something like yournamebooks(.com). This type of domain name is easy to remember and looks great on things like business cards or your email signature.
When you have your own website, you can use it as a hub for everything related to you and your books. You can link to every website that sells your books, which will help out your ranking in Google. You can also link to your Facebook and Twitter profiles, and post any photos or other media that you want.
It's a great idea to give away some free content to your readers. You can use your own website to offer ebook downloads that contain the first chapter of your book or other free samples. You can also do this on some blogging websites, but you'll have much more control on your own website. Speaking of blogging ...
Blogging
As an author, blogging is a natural way to engage your readers. If a person is interested in your writing, they'll love to read more from you between book releases. People like to learn more about the real person behind the writing, so you can develop a more personal relationship with all of your readers by writing about yourself, your daily life, and of course your upcoming projects.
Blogging software is free, and you can either use the online version or install the blog onto your own website.
Social Networking Sites
Having a presence on sites like Facebook and Twitter has become expected. If you gather some followers, you can use these websites as free advertizing for yourself. On Facebook you can create your own 'Page' which people will 'Like' and you can then post updates, news, photos, etc. Using these websites is an easy way to remind people that you exist on a daily basis. You should be careful not to become too over-promotional, though. Just like with blogging, your readers are interested in learning more about you as a person, and they're not interested in being bombarded with advertizements.
Learn More!
Many books have been written on the subject of internet marketing. If you're serious about trying to market yourself, it will be useful to learn more about it. You can find a lot of free information online or check out books at your library. Promoting yourself can be a big job, but the more you know about it, the better you will do.
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