Book Marketing for Authors

Creating an Author Marketing Plan

John A. Daly — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 20:08:30 GMT

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Hi Authors!

A marketing plan not only helps you promote your book and build your brand, but it also puts you in the mindset of being an author. The purpose of a marketing plan is simple:

Create discoverability of you and your book.
Get your book into the marketplace.
Create interest so readers will buy it.

You’d be surprised how many authors don’t have a marketing plan. We see this time and again. Without a plan, authors flounder and marketing doesn’t happen… or they end up marketing their book in a piecemeal manner (which usually isn’t effective).

Marketing doesn’t just happen. It needs to be planned and created in some kind of document. Marketing your book will take time, planning, and patience. Your marketing plan is a reference guide of the items you need to do to market your book and a timeframe in which they should be done.

What Should Go In Your Marketing Plan

A marketing plan is unique and personalized for every author, but here are some of things you’ll want to include in your plan/calendar for the year:

How much time will you spend on social media? Will you do the postings, or will you hire someone for that?
How often will you update your website?
When and how often will you buy marketing collateral?
How often will you send out your newsletter?
What events do you plan to attend?
Will you do book signings? How about a book tour?
How often will you update your author profile on sites like Amazon and Goodreads?
Will you do a book trailer? If so, when?
How many marketing videos will you create, and where will you distribute them?
When and where will you send in award program entries?
Will you do giveaways and when?

The list above is just a sample of the items to consider as you create your marketing plan.

Where to Begin

A marketing plan doesn’t have to be fancy or done in a certain format; it simply has to be effective for you. Here are some things to consider as you begin:

Studying What Successful Authors Are Doing

John A. Daly — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 18:02:07 GMT

Hi Authors!

Before we get started today, we want to welcome all the new subscribers who signed up last week. We appreciate you joining us, and we wanted to quickly introduce what we do here (and what this newsletter is all about).

If you signed up, you’ve likely written a book, are in the process of writing book, or are thinking about writing a book. The biggest challenge for book authors is transitioning from being a writer to being an author. They may sound like the same thing, but they are two totally different occupations.

Many first-time authors have the mindset that once they are published, their publisher (if they have one) handles all the marketing, and the sales come in like magic. In today’s world, however, that is not reality (no matter how you are published). In order to be successful, you have to take an active role in promoting your book — and yourself.

We understand how hard (and intimidating) it can be to draw attention to your book. Most writers aren’t comfortable with self-promotion, nor do they know how to do it effectively. The creators of this newsletter — all of whom are published authors themselves — have extensive experience in book marketing. They’ve successfully navigated (and continue to navigate) the rough waters of book and brand promotion. And they’re here to share their knowledge with you!

Some of this newsletter’s content is free, but most requires a small subscription fee. For a limited time, an annual premium membership is just $25. That’s 50% off our regular price for a year’s worth of valuable tips and information on how to effectively promote, market, and sell your book! Also, as an added bonus, premium members receive a 20% discount off of author services in the BQB Store (including book trailers, author websites, promotional interviews, consulting, promotional videos, social-media graphics, and more).

Once again, thanks for signing up! We’re confident you’ll learn a lot of valuable things from this newsletter.

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Now, onto today’s topic!

Imitation isn’t just the sincerest form of flattery. It’s also a smart marketing practice.

We talk a lot in this newsletter about how to build a “unique” author brand, but there’s also a lot of value in checking out what successful authors in your genre or sub-genre are doing to market their books. Why? Well, because they’re successful, and they (or people on their behalf) have figured out what works.

What to Learn From Other Authors

The internet is a great way to learn from other authors and to see what they are doing in terms of discoverability and book marketing. Discoverability means putting your author bio and book information in places where readers can find out about you and your book.

You probably already have favorite authors whose books you like to read. That’s a good place to start. Next, you should learn more about them and how they market:

The Value of Bookseller Associations

John A. Daly — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 18:14:02 GMT

Note #1: For a limited time, free and monthly subscribers can upgrade to an annual premium membership for just $25! That’s 50% off our regular price for a year’s worth of valuable tips and information on how to effectively promote, market, and sell your book!

Note #2: Premium members enjoy 20% off author services in the BQB Store (including book trailers, author websites, promotional interviews, consulting, promotional videos, social-media graphics, and more).

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Hi Authors!

There are eight primary bookseller associations across the country that support the independent bookstores in their regions. Their websites, newsletters, and annual conferences provide information that can help booksellers run and promote their individual bookstores.

The associations also provide marketing opportunities for publishers and authors to get their book information out to booksellers, which can be a strong marketing tool. If a bookseller likes a book or becomes a fan of a particular author, they will promote that book or author in their bookstore.

Publishers and authors can become members of a bookseller association with a yearly membership fee. Each organization offers different opportunities with the membership fee, from providing a list of bookseller contact information, to reduced advertising costs, or opportunities to speak at, or exhibit, at their annual conferences.

Below is the list of bookseller associations (and their websites), along with the states/regions they cover. We’ll then get into how to best use these associations to build your author brand, and sell more copies of your book(s).

Organizing a Book Tour

John A. Daly — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 12:00:44 GMT

Quick reminder: Paying subscribers to this newsletter enjoy 20% off author services in the BQB Store (including book trailers, author websites, promotional interviews, consulting, promotional videos, social-media graphics, and more).

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Hi Authors!

Through this newsletter, we’ve offered a lot of advice on both setting up book signings, and how to take best advantage of book-signing opportunities. Today, with Spring almost here, we’re going to talk about how to structure those signing events into a book tour — the traveling kind.

It’s important to understand, right off the bat, that a book tour takes a fair amount of planning, especially depending on how far you travel. You will also need to budget for any expenses.

Where to begin

Getting Interviewed on Podcasts, Radio, or Television

John A. Daly — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 20:39:53 GMT

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Hi Authors!

Talk shows that air via podcast, radio, or television can be a great way for authors to get attention — both locally and beyond. But for the shows to consider giving you airtime, you need to have some interest beyond the fact that you’ve published a book.

It’s best to start with some research.

Getting on the air

Here are some steps for getting yourself on the air:

Do You Need a Book Publicist?

John A. Daly — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 18:14:29 GMT

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Hi Authors!

Publicity includes everything from interviews online or in magazines, articles, radio interviews, television interviews, etc. Some authors are equipped to do their own publicity. Others, not so much. Either way, you should understand that publicity is important, and being able to step outside the box to create publicity is a strong component in helping you be successful.

Publicity is about using various sources, contacts, and means to create a buzz and fan base for your book, and creating a brand for you as an author. At one time, publicity was completely centered around the media and getting media coverage (print, radio, television). Now, social media provides a broad scope for interacting with potential readers, building a relationship with readers, and giving readers more access to you than an article in a magazine, an hour on the radio, or a brief television interview ever could.

The first step in designing the publicity part of your marketing plan is determining if you can and want to create your book publicity, or if you would rather hire a publicist.

Below are some helpful tips on how to make that decision.

Building an Author Street Team

John A. Daly — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 20:42:00 GMT

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Hi Authors!

One of the fastest ways to gain recognition as an author is to gather your fans (including friends and family members) into what is called a “street team.” A street team is a group of people who gladly spread the word about you and your book.

It’s not just about word-of-mouth marketing (though that’s an important part of it). Street team members might even be able to assist you in managing your social media pages or website. You’d be surprised at how involved some members want to become to help you get more recognition.

Here are some ideas for forming and employing your street team…

What You Should Have On Your Author Website

John A. Daly — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 18:35:21 GMT

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Hi Authors!

To be a successful author, it is imperative that you have an author website — a landing spot for all things related to you and your book.

Your website should be the major piece in your marketing plan. Without an author website, your marketing plan would be like a car without wheels — perhaps it’s nice to look at, but it won’t get you anywhere. An author website gives you the vehicle to let readers learn more about you and to help build your community. The more readers can connect with you, the more likely they are to become fans and buy your books.

Your website doesn’t have to be super fancy (though it should look good). It can be a simple four to five-page site that provides pertinent information about you and your book.

If you have the time, and are okay with a prepackaged website, you can create one from a template using offerings like GoDaddy Website Builder and Wix. Otherwise, you can hire someone to create your website for you (we offer this service at a great price in the BQB Store).

If you already have a business website, you’ll still need a separate author website (unless your book is part of your other business).

Here are the big things you need to know — the essentials — when creating our website…

To SWAG, or Not to SWAG

John A. Daly — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 19:38:18 GMT

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Hi Authors!

In this newsletter, we’ve written a few times now about the importance of author events — getting out there, in person, to promote your book (and yourself) to readers.

A question I’m sometimes asked (by both readers and fellow authors) is whether I bring “giveaway” or “promotional” items to hand out to people at those events… and whether it’s helpful in building my brand and selling books.

An number of other authors would probably answer this question differently, but personally, the only SWAG (“free items”) I bring with me, to give out to people, are bookmarks. I explained why in an earlier newsletter, but to summarize: they provide the best bang for your buck. You can order a whole bunch of them without breaking your marketing budget, you can fit a lot of information about you an your book on each one, and they easily fit into a person’s pocket or purse. Plus, they resonate with readers and serve a pragmatic purpose (keeping a reader’s place in their current book). You really can’t go wrong with bookmarks.

I’ve seen a number of authors place a bowl of candy on their table, to make themselves more approachable to readers. I think that makes sense too, and candy is of course quite affordable as well.

Promotional pens are another item I’ve seen authors hand out:

I certainly understand the appeal. Writing goes hand in hand with authors, and people like pens (especially free ones). And similarly to a bookmark, you can display information about you and your book on a pen. The problem is the price. A pen is much more expensive than a bookmark. Case in point, the product pictured above is priced at over $5… per pen! While I’m certain there are cheaper “pen” offerings out there, an author could blow through their book-marketing budget pretty quickly by going this route. Even if one of those pens does lead to a book purchase, the royalty amount you’d receive for that book would likely be less than what you paid for the pen.

I don’t mean to pick specifically on pens, but I think it’s illustrative of my point. The are plenty of other promotional “giveaway” products an author can order that will assuredly lose them even more money. For example, as suggested in the header image for today’s newsletter, an author can order promotional t-shirts to hand out.

Now, to be clear, the image up-top is a mock-creation. I made it only for the purpose of today’s newsletter. Those t-shirts, which promote the work of author Mark Paul Smith (who’s a great guy and acquaintance) are not real.

Neither is the one shown in this silly image for my book Restitution (which was good for some fun social-media engagement at the time):

But believe it or not, I’ve seen authors indeed hand out custom t-shirts like this at their events, which again… can’t possibly make fiscal sense.

HOWEVER, I wouldn’t completely dismiss the t-shirt idea. There is a smart place for such merchandising in your book-marketing plans — just not as general SWAG.

For example, I think it makes perfect sense for an author to order such an item (maybe not of the tank-top variety) for himself or herself, to wear at certain events. Heck, even wearing it around town isn’t a bad idea; it might grab some people’s attention and prompt them to ask about the book.

Additionally, why not order one or two shirts (or tote bags, drinkware, etc.) as raffle giveaway items at one of your big events? That way, you can keep your costs under control while supplying attendees with an additional reason to walk over to your table and talk to you (and even give you their contact information for the raffle, which you can later add to your newsletter).

As we keep saying, discoverability is very important! But you also want to be fiscally smart in the pursuit of being discovered, because book marketing is a marathon, not a sprint. Always be thinking about the long game.

That’s it for today. As always, we hope you found this information useful. Let us know if you have any questions, and good luck!

Award Entries

John A. Daly — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 23:19:49 GMT

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Hi Authors!

Winning awards for your book can help garner publicity and build your author brand. There are a variety of award programs available. Do your research and reach out to your publisher to see if they enter award programs for you, or if it is something you are expected to do for yourself.

If your publisher expects you to enter the award programs, they may have a list of programs they recommend. If you are self-published, you will need to enter on your own. Some award programs do not accept self-published books, and other programs are specifically designed for self-published books.

There are many awards programs available. Here are a few of the more notable ones:

Why Book Clubs Are Important

John A. Daly — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 20:40:32 GMT

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Hi Authors!

Suffice to say, book clubs are all about reading and discovering books. Your book doesn’t have to be a new release to attract a book club. These groups can be great discoverability tools for getting your book into the hands of more readers.

In today’s publishing environment, connecting with readers is paramount to success, and book clubs are a great way to do that. Plus, word-of-mouth is one of the strongest tools that authors have, and book clubs and reading groups can start that chatter.

In fact, many well-known authors have kicked up their awareness through book clubs, and even bestselling authors continue to engage with book clubs on an ongoing basis. It doesn’t matter if your book has been out a few weeks or even several years. You should always be thinking about how to approach book clubs and reading groups, and sell them on why your book would be a relevant or entertaining read.

Here’s how to find book clubs, approach them, and build a mutually beneficial relationship with them…

Making the Best of Your Book Launch Party

John A. Daly — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 19:24:41 GMT

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Hi Authors!

There are number of reasons you should have a book launch party. For starters, the release of your book is a major accomplishment! Countless hours of hard work went into it, so a celebration of your achievement is very much in order.

But the larger value of such an event is the marketing opportunities it brings. A launch party is a great way of generating crucial early buzz for your book — not just in your community, but also online. It’s a strong mechanism for connecting with readers and supporters, and kickstarting your marketing efforts by creating a memorable in-person event that boosts initial sales and establishes your author presence.

And it’s not just about showcasing (and selling) your book. It’s also about showcasing you and your personality, which adds to your author brand.

Here are some tips for making the best of your book launch party…

Keeping Things Fresh

John A. Daly — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 18:42:19 GMT

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Hi Authors!

Today’s newsletter is free for all. Enjoy!

In order to be a successful author (whatever your definition of ‘successful’ is), you must have an active marketing plan, and always be working on that plan. You can’t publish your book and then just sit back and do nothing, hoping your book will sell. Successful authors really live the role. They market, they engage, they continue writing.

Becoming a successful author takes time. Going from ‘newly published’ to a great success overnight is a myth. Success (again, however you define it) is a long-term goal that needs to be pursued on an ongoing basis. And this can be a challenge because enthusiasm can wane when you feel like you are continually doing the same thing week after week and year after year. It can be very easy to slip into a routine where your marketing plan continues to look the same. The reality is that continuous marketing is essential, but you must mix it up to create long-term success.

Keep it Interesting

An important part of keeping book-marketing interesting is thinking outside of the box. Set up a time each year to look at your marketing plan and add some different options that you hadn’t done or considered the year before. Perhaps you’ve gained enough confidence, and you now want to try speaking events or presentations, where in the past you’ve shied away from them. If you don’t yet have a street team, maybe it’s time to create one (we’ll talk more about street teams in a future newsletter).

Finding success as an author requires ongoing effort from you, but it should also be fun.

Freshen up Your Marketing Efforts Each Year

If you haven’t tried some of these yet, you might want to consider adding one or more to your marketing plan:

Create a book trailer, and post it on your website and social media accounts. (Note: we offer book trailers in the BQB store).
Are you blogging or sending out regular newsletters? If not, it might be time to do it. Blogs and newsletters amount to new content to share with readers and perspective readers (which add to your discoverability and credibility).
Set up guest blogs or guest newsletter-pieces for others, to help bring their followers to you.
Do a presentation. You can start with local organizations or a local meetup group.
Give a talk at a local school or business club (if your content is appropriate for the group).
Consider hosting a discussion group. There are several websites on which discussion groups can be hosted. Search the internet to see which ones are a good match.
Participate in a podcast. Even if your book was published several years ago, come up with some relevant topics you can speak on, and find podcasts that would be a good match. Lots of podcasts are on the lookout for first-time guests.
Do an eBook signing. Backlist titles work well for eBook signings, especially if your book has currently won an award or is relevant to a trending topic. There are sites that will guide you and help you host one.
If you are an author of a young adult or children’s book, doing school events or readings at school can be a productive and effective marketing tool. They can also be fun to do.
Homeschooling groups are often looking for online events to include as part of their curriculum. If your book is appropriate for school-age children, consider reaching out.
Put some fun into your marketing by finding a little known holiday and create a campaign or online event around one. Social media is a great place to do this.
Technology is consistently changing and offering new opportunities and ideas, which can keep marketing interesting. Take advantage of AI tools to help with that effort (we’ll talk more about this in a future newsletter).

A Marathon, Not a Sprint

We’ve touched on this a lot, but book marketing really is a marathon, not a sprint.

Success doesn’t happen overnight. It takes a long-term commitment, and a dedication to attention, to create success. And it requires regular assessment of what you’re doing, what’s working, what’s not working, and where you need to make changes to continue toward achieving your goals.

That’s it for today. As always, we hope you found this information useful. Let us know if you have any questions, and good luck!

Getting Book Endorsements

John A. Daly — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 11:01:37 GMT

Quick reminder: Paying subscribers to this newsletter enjoy 20% off author services in the BQB Store (including book trailers, promotional interviews, consulting, promotional videos, social-media graphics, and more). If you’re a paying subscriber, you’ll see your promotional code listed at the bottom of today’s newsletter).

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Hi Authors! Happy New Year!

In the last newsletter, we talked about the importance of book reviews, and how to go about getting more of them. Today, we’re going to do the same for book endorsements.

First, a reminder: A review is from a reader or a fan. Endorsements are reviews that you receive from influencers such as authors, booksellers, educators, librarians, or experts in your field or genre. They can also come from well-known reviewing companies like Publishers Weekly or Kirkus Reviews.

As a rule of thumb, endorsements should be acquired at least three or four months (or more) before your book is published, depending on your method of publishing and your publisher. They’re important, because they give you and your book added credibility, and persuade readers to check out you and your work. That’s why good ones should be featured prominently on (or in) the final proof of your book.

Example: Pictured below is the final-proof exterior of John’s novel, “Restitution.” (The back cover is on the left, the spine is in the middle, and the front cover is on the right). John managed to get quite a few endorsements ahead of time. One was placed on the front cover, and several others were placed on the back cover.

How to acquire endorsements

There are several methods for getting endorsements for your book…

Book Reviews Are Important; Here's How to Get More of Them

John A. Daly — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 16:36:03 GMT

Quick reminder: We’re running a 50% sale on annual memberships through the end of the year! That means free subscribers and monthly premium subscribers can upgrade to a premium annual subscription for just $25! That gets you an entire year’s-worth of newsletters AND 20% off lots of author services in the BQB Store! (details at the bottom of this newsletter). The sale ends on December 31. We hope you take advantage of the savings!

Hi Authors!

We hope you’re all having a wonderful holiday season!

Today we’re going to talk about the importance of book reviews, as well as how to get more of them.

First of all, it is imperative to understand the difference between a review and an endorsement. A review is from a reader or a fan. Endorsements are reviews that you receive from influencers such as authors, booksellers, educators, librarians, or experts in your field or genre.

Next week, we’ll be talking much more about endorsements, but today we’ll stick to reviews.

Book reviews are important for a number of reasons:

Paying It Forward Can Pay You Immediate Dividends

John A. Daly — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 18:25:53 GMT

Hi authors! We hope you’re excited about the holidays!

A quick reminder before we get started today: We’re running a 50% sale on annual memberships through the end of the year! That means free subscribers and monthly premium subscribers can upgrade to a premium annual subscription for just $25! That’s 50% off the regular price… for an entire year’s-worth of newsletters, as well as an additional 20% off all author services in the BQB Store! (details at the bottom of this newsletter).

The sale ends on December 31. We hope you take advantage of the savings!

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Now, onto today’s newsletter…

To be successful in marketing your book(s), it is important to look outward. The more authors reach out and contribute their skills, time, and knowledge, the more their brand and credibility are enhanced.

There are several ways to share your knowledge and help others — ways that come with the added benefit of effectively promoting yourself and your book…

Capitalizing on Current Events

John A. Daly — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 18:28:25 GMT

Hi authors!

A quick reminder before we get started today: We decided to extend our 50% sale on annual memberships through the end of the year! That means free subscribers and monthly premium subscribers can upgrade to a premium annual subscription for just $25! That’s 50% off the regular price… for an entire year’s-worth of newsletters, as well as an additional 20% off all author services in the BQB Store! (details at the bottom of this newsletter).

The sale ends on December 31. Make sure you take advantage of the savings!

Now, onto today’s newsletter…

The way social-media algorithms work, users who comment on current events — events that lots of people are talking about — are more likely to be seen by other users. It’s what that whole “trending” concept is about.

That’s why, when a social-media platform shows you (usually on the side of your screen) which topics are trending, it’s not just trivial information. It’s also a signal that if you weigh in on one of those topics, the algorithms will more prominently feature what you have to say.

This is an opportunity for you to draw some attention to yourself, your brand, and your book(s).

Business Cards and Bookmarks

Terri Leidich — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 11:01:26 GMT

Hi authors!

The sale ends on December 31. Make sure you take advantage of the savings!

Now, onto today’s newsletter…

Here’s a common question from authors: Do I need business cards or bookmarks? If so, which one?

The simple answer is yes. You need one or both, because having “leave behind” marketing collateral is important for authors. For marketing in general, potential customers usually have to experience seven “touchpoints” on an item before they buy it. That means seeing or hearing about the item before they are ready to “pull the trigger” and purchase it.

In other words, the first time a reader sees or hears about your book, they probably aren’t going to purchase it. If they see it online, algorithms will continue to bring your book to their attention, but what if you meet them at a book signing, other event, or just in your everyday life? If they pass you by without an interaction, or if they leave the interaction with no reminder, you and your book can soon become forgotten.

That’s where an author business card or bookmark steps in to help. Readers will have something to take with them to remind them of you and your book.

But, which one do you need or do you need both? That answer goes back to the basics of the marketing questions we asked way in the beginning of this newsletter - who is your reader?

Setting Up Book Signings and Readings

John A. Daly — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 16:31:42 GMT

Quick note before we get started today: We decided to extend our 50% sale on annual memberships through the end of the year! That means free subscribers and monthly premium subscribers can upgrade to a premium annual subscription for just $25! That’s 50% off the regular price… for an entire year’s-worth of newsletters, as well as an additional 20% off all author services in the BQB Store!

The sale ends on December 31. Make sure you take advantage of the savings!

Now, onto today’s newsletter…

Back and September, we presented a solid formula for making the best of your book signings, but we didn’t get into the logistics of setting them up signings and/or readings. Today, we’ll cover that.

Book signings or readings are an important part of an ongoing marketing plan. They can be crucial in helping authors continue to build a fan base and their author brand. Unfortunately, these types of events are not always easy to set up because bookstores are often deluged with authors who want access to their customers. It has to be financially beneficial for a bookstore to tie up their time and space for an author to come into the store.

Setting up book signings and/or readings will most likely be your responsibility. If you are with a larger publisher, they may have someone on staff to assist with the efforts. But if you are with a smaller publisher or are self-published, it will be up to you.

Here’s how to make it all happen…

Front-of-the-Line Social Media Marketing

John A. Daly — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 17:39:35 GMT

Hi authors!

We want to start off this week by wishing you and your families a Happy Thanksgiving! In the spirit of the holiday, today’s newsletter is free to all.

Also, from now until the end of this month, free subscribers and monthly premium subscribers can upgrade to a premium annual subscription for just $25! That’s 50% off the regular price… for an entire year’s-worth of newsletters, as well as an additional 20% off all author services in the BQB Store!

Don’t miss out on this 50% off deal that ends at the end of November!

Now, onto this week’s newsletter…

Earlier this year, I wrote about using the “pin” feature on social media to keep purchase-links to your book(s) at the top of your social-media feed. It’s a method I continue to recommend.

Pinned posts are the first posts a visitor to your social-media profile sees, so it’s a smart movie, for the sake of ease and accessibility, to make that post a purchase-link. But on some social-media platforms, there’s an added benefit to pinning a post: front-of-the-line exposure.

On “X”, for example, when you pin a post, that post will show up in your followers’ “Pinned by people you follow” section that appears high up on their “Home” page.

In other words, when your followers login to X (formerly Twitter), your recently pinned post may be one of the very first things they see. It’s like cutting to the front of the line! That’s a big deal, and a good opportunity to get their attention. Therefore, for authors, it makes a lot of sense to switch back and forth from pinning links to your books, to pinning other important posts (like the announcement of a sale, an author appearance, or a book giveaway). However you choose to use the feature, active pinning on X can keep you on your followers’ radar.

Two more prominent examples of front-of-the-line social-media marketing are Instagram Stories and Facebook Stories. If you’re a user of either Instagram or Facebook, you likely already know what I’m talking about. These features let users share photos or videos that disappear after 24 hours. Because of that limited shelf-life, they’re promoted above regular posts — both literally and figuratively, since they appear to followers at the very top of every single user’s Instagram or Facebook page.

Here’s how they are displayed on Instagram:

And here’s how they look on Facebook:

Truth be told, a follower is far more likely to see one of your Instagram or Facebook stories than they are one of your regular posts, because of that top-billing. Each story (or collection of stories) is just a simple click — or tap — away.

What’s also nice with stories is that you can add hyperlinks. This helps you more easily direct followers to purchase your book(s).

However, don’t feel as though all of your stories need to be a hard-sell for your book. As we’ve discussed many times in this newsletter, it’s more about selling yourself, and building your author brand. Whether it’s pictures or short videos from you, or even entertaining posts from other people (both Instagram and Facebook let you easily share others’ content), just getting that front-of-the-line attention is valuable.

So, if you haven’t been taking advantage of Instagram Stories and Facebook Stories, you should probably start. There’s similar functionality on TikTok, Snapchat, and other social-media platforms. They’re great features for getting noticed.

That’s it for today. As always, we hope you found this information useful. Let us know if you have any questions, and good luck!