What Is Book Marketing? An Intro Guide for Authors
- Erika Sargent
- Apr 28
- 5 min read
You're hard at work writing the next best-seller, and then it hits you. In order to hit best-seller, you actually have to SELL copies of your book to readers.
How do you do that?
That's where book marketing comes in.
If you're wondering how to get your book in front of readers, reviewers, and retailers, you’re not alone. Marketing will feel overwhelming at first, because the ways you can market your books are endless. Once you find what works best for you, book marketing is enjoyable (and essential) for building momentum and getting your book into the hands of readers who will love it.
In this guide, I'll break down what book marketing really means, why it matters, and how to start crafting your own book marketing plan.
What Is Book Marketing?
Book marketing is the strategic process of promoting your book so that readers know it exists, understand why it matters to them, and are motivated to buy it, read it, and share it.
Book marketing isn’t just a single event. You'll never check "book marketing" off of your to-do list because it’s an ongoing effort between you, your book, and your ideal readers. It doesn't matter if you're traditionally published or self-published, marketing is a key part of your author journey.
Book marketing is an ongoing relationship-building effort between you, your book, and your ideal readers.
Why Book Marketing Matters
There are over 4 million books published annually! With so many new book options, how are readers supposed to know that your book even exists?
(Hint: It starts with "book" and ends with "marketing." 😉)
Marketing your book:
Creates awareness in a crowded market
Builds your personal author brand
Engages readers directly
Opens opportunities for media coverage, events, and awards
Increases sales and reviews
Grows your email list and social presence for future book launches
But while no one said it was easy (book marketers included), we do say it's essential. In fact, in a survey by Written Word Media, 78.5% of authors said marketing is the hardest part of self-publishing...but they still do it.
How to Market A Book: A Beginner’s Framework
Now that you understand why you should market your book, let’s explore how. I won't be able to cover everything about book marketing in a blog post. It's literally a full-time job for me. But I can share key takeaways and book marketing steps you can start NOW.
1. Know Your Ideal Reader
Every good marketing strategy starts here. Who did you write this book for? Be specific.
Ask yourself:
What age group are these readers in?
What other authors or genres do they love?
Where do they spend time online?
What problem does your book solve? This is especially important for nonfiction titles.
What emotions or experiences does your book tap into?
Here's a FREE guided workbook on how to find your book's ideal reader!
2. Build Your Author Platform
An author platform is made up of meaningful connections that an author has that will result in book sales. It's your established circle of influence that will promote and sell your book because they already know and support you.
Author platforms include:
A professional author website
An email newsletter
Social media profiles (choose 2-3 that you can maintain consistently)
Media features, blog posts, or guest appearances
Organization connections (relevant to your book's genre/subject)
You can see from this list that an author platform takes time to grow, so don’t wait until launch day to start building it!
3. Create Book Marketing Assets
Marketing a book means creating materials that help you tell your story to the world.
Here are book marketing assets we gather for every book published at Familius (the publishing house I work for).
A compelling book description (readers should want to know more just from your book description)
Author bio + headshot
Press release or launch announcement
Social media graphics
Hi-res book cover images
Lifestyle + product photos (ideal reader with the book, flatlays, interiors, etc.)
A media kit with reviews, blurbs, or endorsements
4. Develop a Book Launch Plan
A book launch is your chance to introduce your book to the world. They don't call it a book birthday for nothing! But it’s more than just “release day.” A good launch plan spans several weeks or months and creates buzz before, during, and after your book's release.
A good launch plan spans several weeks or months and creates buzz before, during, and after your book's release.
Key book launch ideas:
Offer ARCs (Advance Review Copies) to early readers or bloggers
Schedule podcast interviews or guest posts
Host a launch event (online or in-person)
Run a preorder campaign with bonuses to your newsletter subscribers or social followers
Set up Goodreads giveaways
5. Use Email Marketing
If you’re serious about connecting with readers, build an email list. Why? It’s one of the only platforms you own, and it allows for deeper, direct communication.
Unlike TikTok, which could be banned, Instagram, which could get hacked, or X, which could get cancelled, your email subscriber list won't disappear overnight. It belongs to you.
Use your newsletter to:
Share updates and behind-the-scenes peeks
Give away bonus content or free chapters
Invite readers to review or share your book
Build community and loyalty
6. Leverage Social Media (Strategically)
There seems to be a new social media platform launched every day. It's a good idea to create an account on as many as possible, so you can reserve your username. BUT, you don't need to be active on them all.
Choose 2-3 that you enjoy being on and grow your following and engagement rate there. (Engagement rate focuses on the number of likes, comments, and shares your posts get.)
Choose platforms that suit your strengths:
Instagram: Great for visual storytelling, bookstagram connections
TikTok (BookTok): Excellent reach for genre fiction (especially romance, fantasy, YA)
Facebook: Best for reader groups and ideal readers that are older than 30
LinkedIn: Ideal for nonfiction and business authors
Pinterest: Often overlooked, but strong for evergreen blog content
Threads, Bluesky, X: Preferred by authors who love quick content sharing and conversations
Tips:
Use relevant hashtags (#BookTok, #AmReading, #IndieAuthor)
Post a mix of book, promotional, and author content
Share reviews, milestones, and behind-the-scenes updates
7. Seek Reviews and Media Coverage
Social proof sells books. Reach out to bloggers, podcasters, influencers, and reviewers in your genre to see how you can best collaborate with them.
Always check submission guidelines and be polite and personal in your outreach. Be sure to offer them something of value before asking them to promote your book to their audience/followers.
Places to pitch:
Book bloggers and review sites
Local media outlets
Author podcasts
Niche communities (Facebook groups, Reddit threads)
8. Keep Marketing After Launch
Book marketing never ends. Remember what I said earlier? You get to check off editing, book cover design, and final draft from your to-do list. Book marketing will never have an end date.
There are always new ways to promote your book, new contacts to collaborate with, and new insights into your book publishing journey.
Post-launch ideas:
Run price promotions or giveaways
Create content around reader questions
Use ads (Facebook, Amazon, BookBub) strategically
Pitch yourself for speaking gigs or workshops
Start planning your next book to keep your momentum going
Final Thoughts: Book Marketing Is a Marathon, Not a Sprint
The most successful authors aren’t necessarily the most extroverted or most funded. They’re the most consistent. They keep showing up, connecting, experimenting, and growing.
Whether you're asking, “How do I market my book?” for the first time or looking to improve your next launch, remember that book marketing isn’t about selling. It's about sharing. And no one can share your story quite like you.
With six years (and counting) working as a book marketer for a publishing house, I'm here to help authors. Have a question about book marketing? Sign up to get FREE tips, tools, and techniques to successfully market your book.
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