Maybe you hired a publicist. Perhaps you’ve created your own press release and have mastered pitching yourself to media outlets. Once you’ve put yourself out there and people start talking about you and the book, it’s time to leverage those media gains and promote them on your social media.
What are publicity wins?
Publicity wins can include a variety of media coverage:
- Interviews on podcasts or radio shows
- Features in local newspapers or local television stations
- Q&As or spotlights on blogs
- Excerpts featured on online media sites
- Reviews from readers
- Your book included in a reading list
- Book award nominations and wins
- Placement of an op-ed or guest article you wrote
- Features and mentions from influencers on social media platforms.
Pro tip: Set up a Google Alert for yourself and/or your book so you can easily keep track of these media mentions.
Why should I share my publicity wins on social media?
Publishing is always evolving, and it’s important for authors to establish credibility and set themselves apart from the 3M+ books published every year — and 2.6M+ of those being self-published. It’s going to be a long road to convince them to take a chance on your story if someone searches for your book and sees no reviews or media coverage,
Ongoing coverage also shows readers that you are invested in your work. Authors cannot solely rely on readers to get the word out, especially with the competitive nature of the industry nowadays. Showing concrete publicity wins builds trust and authority with the audience and community you want to cultivate, and ultimately acts as social proof and strengthens your author brand.And, of course, utilizing publicity wins keeps your social media content fresh and engaging. Many authors struggle with planning and creating content — a lot of writers wonder if they need social media at all — so the more inspiration for content you have, the better.
Best practices for sharing publicity wins
How you share your publicity wins will depend on which platform you’re posting, as well as the type of coverage itself. Always consider the right format, for example:
- Did a TV interview? Pull a video snippet.
- Want to give a sneak peek from the book? Create a quote graphic.
- Made a bestseller list on Amazon? Grab a screenshot of that orange banner!
Include a call to action whenever possible (e.g. “Check out the full feature,” “Comment your thoughts,” etc.) to encourage interaction and engagement with your followers.
Don’t forget to tag the media outlet, journalist, or interviewer whenever possible. And if you have a publisher and/or publicity team, make sure to tag them as well so they can potentially share content!
Pro tip: If an influencer on Instagram reviewed the book, ask them to add you as a collaborator so the post shows up on both of your accounts.
Make sure to consider how you’ll feature your publicity wins across platforms. Some inspirations for different platforms below:
- Instagram: Use Stories, Highlights, and Reels with quotes or clips from a recorded interview
- LinkedIn: Give a behind-the-scenes look on an op-ed you wrote for an outlet
- X: Pin a post of a great review, tagging and engage with the outlet’s post
- Facebook: Share the coverage link with a personal reflection and/or thank-you
How to keep the momentum going
Your work doesn’t end when you click, “Post.” Engage with users who comment and reshare your posts to encourage interaction and build up your community on each platform. You can also feature those publicity wins in your email newsletter to subscribers — or consider pinning a post if it’s coverage you’re especially proud of.
Remember to add links to your bio on platforms like Instagram, X, and TikTok (or in your LinkTree, Lnk.Bio, or other similar tools) so users can review all your recent coverage. And if you have a media page on your website, keep it updated with links — and check back regularly to ensure links aren’t broken.
Just because you posted a publicity win before doesn’t mean you can’t recycle! If you’ve got a great review you want to remind people about, repurpose and repost in a new and exciting way for your followers. Remember you might have new followers from the last time you posted coverage, and they might not have seen that link.
Use your publicity wins to make your social media work for you — and to make your content creation easier in the long run!
Jennifer Vance is a publicist at Books Forward, an author publicity and book marketing firm committed to promoting voices from a diverse variety of communities. From book reviews and author events, to social media and digital marketing, we help authors find success and connect with readers.
Interested in what’s possible for your book sales and building readership? Check out our services, tell us your goals, and get a customized publicity campaign tailored just for you.
