The Top Book Promotion Strategy for 2010 is Social Media Marketing

In my recent Book Promotion Strategies Survey, an overwhelming 94 percent of respondents said that they plan to use social networking and social media to promote their books and themselves in 2010.

"As a traditionally published author, I need to get my arms around web 2.0! Relying on a publisher to market and promote is the death knell of any book," commented Jackie Perseghetti, author of Faith Factor OT and Faith Factor NT: Thru the Bible Devotions.

Social media marketing can include a wide range of online activities, including participating on networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, interactive blogging, using social news and bookmarking sites like Digg and Delicious, video sharing, and other interactive promotions.

Social networking is an especially effective way for authors and experts to expand their reach and develop relationships with potential customers, peers, and influencers in their field.

This past year, I recorded podcasts, contributed guest blog posts, participated in book launches, and did a paid teleseminar with folks I met through Facebook and Twitter. Some of my new contacts have become good friends and we support each other in a number of ways. My website statistics show that Twitter is now the single largest driver of traffic to my site.

What about you – what benefits have you found in using online networking and social media to promote your books? Please share your comments below.

To learn more about using social marketing effectively, check out The Savvy Book Marketer's Guide to Successful Social Marketing and read these social marketing posts. For more information about the book promotion strategies survey results, see this press release.

Comments

[Fiona Ingram]

I use Facebook,Twitter and other author book sites to drive my traffic. However, I found that the biggest boost was when I went on a blog tour. In the six weeks of contributing posts to other blogs I was reTweeted and my posts and reviews of my children's book went from blog to blog many times. My book ended up in the Number Two slot in the Childrens and Teens Book Connection Top 10 Favorite Books of 2009. I had been slightly dubious about the usefulness of blogging but it's a very powerful tool to get your profile/book/ideas onto other platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. If anyone is interested I used Women on Writing. You can find them on http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com.

[Dana]

Fiona, thanks for sharing. That's a good example of the power of using several different online promotion methods together. For more information about guest posting and blog tours, see these posts:

http://bit.ly/54GuKG
http://bit.ly/1RYM9Z

[Penny Stocks]

It's unique one.It is very nice blog & attractive.

[Dana]

Thanks Penny -- glad you are enjoying the blog.
Dana

[bookwhirl]

I'm glad you found it, we should not limit specially marketing a book over the internet, Book Marketing is a though business if you focus in a single channel only.

[SEO Perth]

I have had success in doing online marketing using Facebook and Twitter, it has given my website due recognition both locally and internationally plus as an added bonus it is free publicity for your website. Really like reading this post hope to read more in the future...