3 Top PR Tactics for Self-Published Authors

written by Vicky Lynch

At Guide My Brand, we work with all types of authors. Those who are published by traditional publishers, hybrid-published authors and self-published authors. And here’s the thing. It doesn’t matter how you are published these days when it comes to gaining attention for your book. These days, it’s much more about what you have to say and your expertise.

While in the past, book reviews were king when it came to book promotion, these days reviews are few and far between. As a self-published author, you can still get pre-publication reviews from outlets that have specific programs for self-published authors including Kirkus, Foreword and Publisher’s Weekly, but you have to pay for them. 

While the reviews are still honest, they may or may not be beneficial to you depending on the plans you have to use those reviews. But there are other tactics that we know work, and the great thing is that you don’t have to pay for them (besides the cost to retain a publicist). 

Here Are 3 PR Tactics We Always Recommend to Self-Published Authors: 

Podcast interviews

There are several great things about podcast interviews. The first is that they live online forever. So anyone searching for information about a topic that your expertise or your book relates to, can have that interview show up in a Google Search. Second, they reach a niche audience that is usually pretty engaged, because people only follow podcasts that directly relate to their interests. If you and your book are a fit for the podcast, chances are that the audience is interested in buying your book. 

Book Excerpts 

There are online publications that are always interested in good quality content. We like to pitch 800-1000 word excerpts of our clients books as excerpts that act as stand-alone articles on a website. The great news is that these articles can offer a taste or sample of your book and entice readers to buy the whole book. And again, like podcasts, the excerpt is likely available online for a long time. Another plus? Your book is already written so it’s minimal time and effort for you to submit that expert for publication. 

Contributor Articles 

Another great way to obtain coverage for your book is to write original articles or blog posts based on your expertise for online outlets. This is a great option for outlets that don’t accept excerpts, or those that will accept both. While they won’t link to your book in the body of the article, they will likely allow you to include a link to your website or even a book landing page in your contributor bio. And with contributor pieces in general, they are huge legitimizers for you, your book, your business, or whatever you are promoting. 

Interested in chatting with us about how we can help promote your book? Schedule a call with us here. We’d love to hear from you!