3 New Year’s Resolutions For Authors Seeking Book Publicity

written by Vicky Lynch

Is publicity for your upcoming or published book on your holiday wish list this year? Author publicity doesn’t have to be something you only dream of. Here are three steps you can take to gain author publicity for your book. 

Work on growing your social media platforms.

For many authors, platforms like TikTok and Instagram can seem like an afterthought. 

After all, writing a book and figuring out how to promote it takes enough time. And now you’re expected to record engaging videos to interact with strangers on the internet? 

Yes, you certainly are. Those internet strangers can turn into a loyal fanbase. The people who will pre-order your book, share it on social media when they get their copy, review it online, and lend it to their friends. 

Growing your social media followers goes a long way to building your credibility. Not to mention, when your followers reach well into the thousands, it gives journalists an added incentive to feature you in the news. They’ll know if you share a link to their piece, they’ll get more clicks. 

Utilizing IG reels and TikTok showcases your ability to speak about your expertise on camera. Plus, the response you receive from your followers will clue you in to what kind of content they like best. 

Upgrade your work from home/video call space for author publicity 

First thing’s first: If you go into 2022 still using the fake Zoom backgrounds that come with the platform, you’re doing it wrong. Trust us. The fake backgrounds are a far worse choice than a neat, organized personal space. The virtual landscapes or branded backdrops not only distract from you, but also from your message and your credibility. 

We like to recommend adding a bit of color to your backdrop, too. A blank white wall isn’t ideal (though it will work in a pinch). Can you add some artwork or a photo that shows a bit of personality? Nothing too distracting, but enough for your shot to “pop” on camera. 

After designing, organizing, and tidying your video conferencing space, check the following items:

• Is the lighting highlighting your face?
• Is the camera at eye level? 
• Does everyone else in your house know you’re on a video interview? Ask family members or roommates to pause their streaming habits 

At Guide My Brand, we work with clients to help them perfect their setup and equipment choices to make them look their best for virtual interviews. If you need help, reach out to us and let us know what we can do for you.

Find and listen to podcasts that you’d like to be featured on.

Here at Guide My Brand, we strongly believe that podcast appearances are some of the best ways to gain publicity — especially when working on building your brand. Podcasts allow authors and entrepreneurs to precisely target their audience and potential clients, build their credibility, generate leads, and gain evergreen content to promote on social media or a blog. 

The best way to get started booking podcasts is by listening to podcasts. Learn what kind of content you like, what people are talking about in your niche, and with which hosts you feel a connection. Before you know it, you’ll be thinking about what kind of new insight you can bring to their podcasts. At that point, you’re ready to start pitching podcasts — so check out our blog post on podcast pitching for a helpful guide. 

There’s never a bad time to start working on your goals for author publicity. If you’d like to develop a personalized plan for your publicity goals, schedule a call with us at Guide My Brand to get started.