Like social media, publicity has become a full-time job. Over the years, the publishing machine has been slowly morphing to adapt to changes in technology and trends, though it is always one or two steps behind - books are scheduled out at least a year in advance usually, so having any marketing plan that 100% hits the mark with trends is rare. What may work this year may not work next year, and what doesn't work now may work in a few months. Obviously, we are unable to predict what will happen in the world of publishing, but there are people who can, and any author - indie or traditionally published - should lean in to this tip.

Hire a Publicist!

Publicists have their thumb on the pulse of trends, specifically due to their connections to active bookstagrammers and podcast hosts. Podcasts are still all the rage, especially in video formats. Once you find a publicist, denote whether you're comfortable with video interviews or not. Most publicity comes from connecting to other people's audiences, and it isn't uncommon to piggyback off the success of a book with a similar topic as yours.

Publicists do come in all shapes and sizes, so when hiring one, be sure to look at their specialties and ask for a video call to go over expectations.

Book Tours

Whether you're in the market for a grand, expensive tour, or you'd like something smaller and more intimate, book tours are a great way to spread the news about your book. It pulls together established influencers that will post about your book leading up to and on the day of publication. So instead of hitting "Publish" on KDP, set a date and plan promotions around that date. It's super important that you utilize the excitement about your book's release rather than jump the gun and publish before anyone knows about it.

Book launches can be lead either by you, or by someone who has more experience. I offer a tiered level of services on my website, if you're interested! Otherwise, doing it yourself for the first time will give you hands-on experience that will be invaluable to you and your readers once your first book goes out!

The second option is book tours, hosted by a book tour account. These are highly professional services that usually have a good turn out for reviews on the pub day. I highly recommend this option, especially with how affordable they generally are. (Note: you are hiring the company to organize a team, send out your book, and promote a schedule. The team is usually vetted by the company and very active - they tend to link your book back to your social accounts, thus directing readers to follow you.).

Sponsored Post... Who?

You've seen them, you either love them or hate them, they're the sponsored posts that tick up at the top of your search results. If you aren't familiar, these sponsored ads are paid for by the owner of the ad, usually per time you click the ad, and generally generate a conversion (revenue) for the ad owner.

Social media is a little different, but works much the same way. One of the biggest ways to draw readers in is to pay for exposure. The above options (publicists and book launch teams) are often pay-to-win as well, but there are humans behind the publicity. For ads, it's just you, your credit card, and the ad. You select how long you want to advertise and how much you're willing to spend daily. Then, you watch the numbers roll in.

The only danger here is the unpredictability. Make sure you're aware of the keywords you're using in your advertising, and that you're marketing in the right spaces. Have someone go over your graphics for typos, and make sure your ad is grammatically correct as well. Make the graphic attractive and eye-catching.

Word of Mouth

Ah, yes. This is clearly the best option, as it's free and generally an auto-buy if the recommendation is coming from a trusted voice. You'll hit the lottery if someone with a big enough following likes your book. Even bigger if they crow about it to their audience.

If you can, go to book events and engage with others. Build a following this way, then attack them with the "so I'm writing this book..." conversation after you've established connections. People won't care, until they do, and they won't unless they know who you are. Be genuine. That's my number one rule for WOM to be successful!

Have any questions about these tips or disagree with anything? I'm happy to discuss in the comments!