Marketing for Authors
You Wrote the Book. Let’s Help Readers Find It.
Writing a book is a tremendous accomplishment. Congratulations! You did it! Unfortunately, publishing it does not automatically put it in front of the people most likely to read it.
That is where Wild Iris Marketing can help.
We work with authors on the practical and often overwhelming work that comes after writing. That may include improving an Amazon listing, building an author website, planning a book launch, creating social media content, advertising on BookBub or developing a longer-term strategy for reaching readers.
Most importantly, we read every book we market.
We want to understand the story, subject matter, audience and purpose behind your book before we recommend how to promote it. You will not receive a generic marketing package or a stack of interchangeable “Buy my book” posts. Your marketing should sound like you and give readers a genuine reason to care about your work.
Practical Marketing Help for Authors
Authors are often surprised by how much work begins after the manuscript is finished.
Your book may need to be prepared and submitted to multiple sales platforms in paperback, hardcover, eBook or audiobook formats. Your Amazon listing needs an effective description, accurate categories and appropriate keywords. You may also need an author website, social media content, promotional graphics, advertising, reviews, newsletters, media outreach or help promoting signings and other events.
You do not have to tackle all of those things at once—and you may not need all of them.
Wild Iris Marketing will help you identify which opportunities make sense for your book, audience, goals and budget. You can hire us for one specific project or ask us to develop a coordinated author marketing strategy.
Your Marketing Needs to Be as Unique as Your Book
Our author marketing services include:
- Author and book website design.
- Amazon listing optimization.
- Book descriptions and promotional copy.
- eBook and audiobook platform submissions.
- Social media content and management.
- Book launch planning and promotion.
- BookBub advertising.
- Goodreads support.
- Email newsletters.
- Press releases and media outreach.
- Book signing and event promotion.
- Reader engagement campaigns.
- Online advertising.
- SEO for authors and books.
- Promotional graphics and marketing materials.
We Read the Book First
We do not believe in marketing a book we do not understand.
Books are personal. They may represent years of research, writing, revision and persistence. Before we recommend a strategy, we read your book and talk with you about why you wrote it, who you hope will read it and what you want the book to accomplish.
Selling more copies may be the primary goal, but it is not always the only one. A book can also help an author establish professional credibility, attract speaking engagements, introduce a nonprofit mission, teach an important subject or preserve a story that deserves to be told.
Understanding the purpose behind your book helps us make better decisions about its marketing.
A historical novel, local memoir, children’s book, fantasy series and nonfiction business book should not be promoted in the same way. Each has different readers, messages and opportunities. We build the strategy around the book. Not the other way around.
Social Media That Gives Readers a Reason to Care
Posting the cover of your book repeatedly is not a social media strategy.
Readers want more than reminders to make a purchase. They may be interested in the story behind the story, the research that shaped the book, its characters or setting, meaningful excerpts, reader reactions or a glimpse into your life and writing process.
Depending on your book and audience, social media content might include:
- The inspiration behind the book.
- Character or subject spotlights.
- Historical or research details.
- Short excerpts and teasers.
- Reader reviews.
- Discussion questions.
- Behind-the-scenes writing content.
- Book launch updates.
- Signing and event announcements.
- Connections to timely or relevant topics.
We can help determine which social platforms make sense for you, what your readers are likely to respond to and how frequently you can realistically maintain a presence.
We also review the results. Instead of posting content simply because someone says authors “should” post it, we look at what readers actually engage with and use that information to improve the strategy.
When appropriate, we can also identify online groups and communities where you can participate and introduce your work without appearing spammy or overly promotional.
An Author Website With a Job to Do
An author website should do more than display book covers.
It should provide one reliable place where readers, media representatives, event organizers and potential partners can learn about you and your work. It should also make it easy for visitors to purchase your books, join your email list, request an interview or invite you to speak.
Wild Iris Marketing designs and updates author websites that may include:
- Individual pages for each book.
- Purchase links for multiple retailers.
- Author biographies.
- Email signup forms.
- Blogs and book-related content.
- Media kits.
- Speaking and appearance information.
- Event calendars.
- Press coverage and reader reviews.
We also consider what people may be searching for beyond your name or book title. A historical-fiction author may be discovered through searches related to a location or time period. A nonfiction author may be found through questions connected to their expertise.
Good SEO can help your website reach people who are interested in the subjects, genres and ideas connected to your work, even if they do not know your name yet.
Helping Readers Find You on Amazon, Goodreads, BookBub
Publishing a book on Amazon does not guarantee that readers will find it. Your listing still needs to help the right person understand what the book is, why it may interest them and what they should do next.
We can help improve your book’s visibility and presentation through:
- Amazon listing optimization.
- Keyword and category research and selection.
- Enhanced book descriptions.
- Author profiles.
- Goodreads and BookBub support and advertising.
- Audience targeting.
- Promotional graphics and copy.
- Review outreach strategies.
We also look beyond Amazon. Depending on your goals and publishing arrangements, opportunities may include Goodreads, BookBub, Libby, OverDrive and other platforms used by readers, libraries and book buyers.
Not every platform is right for every book. We will help you focus on the ones that offer a realistic opportunity to reach your audience.
Your Book May Have More Than One Audience
The most obvious audience for a book is not always the only one.
A historical novel may appeal to readers interested in its setting, time period or real-world events. A memoir may connect with organizations or communities related to the author’s experience. A nonfiction book may create opportunities for workshops, speaking engagements, media interviews or professional partnerships. A children’s book may be relevant to schools, libraries, parent groups or nonprofits.
We look for those additional connections.
Finding the right readers often requires thinking beyond broad descriptions such as “people who like fiction” or “parents of young children.” The more clearly we understand who will care about the book—and why—the more focused and useful the marketing can become.
Building Legitimate Book Reviews
Reviews can help readers decide whether a book is right for them, but obtaining legitimate reviews takes time and planning.
We can help identify appropriate advance-reader, reviewer and promotional opportunities while following the requirements of Amazon, Goodreads and other platforms. We do not promise positive reviews or use questionable shortcuts. The goal is to place your book in the hands of people who are genuinely interested in reading it and sharing an honest response.
Review planning is most effective when it begins before publication, but we can also help authors generate renewed attention for existing titles.
Book Launches, Signings and Author Events
We can help you develop a launch plan that begins before the release and continues after the book becomes available. Depending on your book, audience and budget, that plan might include:
- Advance social media content.
- Email announcements and press releases.
- Local media outreach.
- Book launch parties and bookstore signings.
- Library or community events.
- Paid advertising.
- BookBub campaigns.
- Community partnerships.
- Speaking appearances.
For local and regional authors, we can also explore opportunities involving bookstores, libraries, chambers of commerce, nonprofits, community organizations and venues with a natural connection to the book.
The objective is not simply to make noise for one day. It is to give the book multiple opportunities to reach readers before, during and after its release.
From Manuscript to Professionally Produced Audiobook
Creating an audiobook involves much more than reading into a microphone. Wild Iris Marketing has successfully prepared and submitted audiobooks to multiple distribution platforms, helping authors navigate technical requirements and the submission process.
We partner with Evergroove Studio to provide professional recording, mixing and mastering in a comfortable Colorado studio environment. Together, we help authors produce a high-quality audiobook while making thoughtful choices about production costs. Then, we help get the finished book onto the platforms where listeners can find it.
Marketing Support That Fits the Author
Some authors want a comprehensive launch campaign. Others need help with one Amazon listing, a BookBub ad, a new website or a few promotional graphics.
Some want to be actively involved in social media. Others would rather spend that time writing their next book.
We will talk honestly about what you can manage, what you want us to handle and what is likely to provide the greatest value. We will not recommend services simply to make the project larger.
Whether you are publishing your first book, promoting an established title or preparing for the next installment in a series, we can create a practical plan based on your goals, timeline and budget.