Author: Jennifer Vance

So you want to increase your ebook sales?

Let’s assume you’ve already written a book that’s up to industry standards: It’s been edited and proofread, has an attractive cover, has been priced appropriately, etc. And of course you’ve identified the target audience for your book.

Let’s also assume you’ve been working on solidifying your author brand, have an engaging and updated website, and have looked into what social media platforms make the most sense for your brand.

Also, have you already been promoting your book through your social media channels, website, and earned and paid publicity efforts? Have you reached out to influencers? And we really hope you’ve been asking people to review your book on bookseller sites, and also have you —

Whew, yeah. There’s a whole foundation you have to lay down before you can even start focusing on book sales. But if you’ve done all that (great job!) and are now looking to jump-start your ebook sales, we’ve got some additional advice!

Optimize your Amazon listing

Ensuring your Amazon book listings are optimized is incredibly important when it comes to increasing your ebook sales. And there are a number of things to look for when making sure your Amazon listing is optimized:

• Include a preview of your book.
• Update back cover copy and include review blurbs.
• Include any positive editorial reviews.
• Update your About the Author section.
• Consider utilizing A+ Content.
• Check that your copy and keywords are SEO-optimized.

For more in-depth details on optimizing various aspects of your Amazon listings, check out this blog from our sister company Books Fluent on making your Amazon page pop!

Curate your email list

Building an email list is no joke, so take it step by step. Start by collecting email addresses at in-person events and through an incentive on your author website. This gives easy, direct access to those already familiar with your work as you release more books in the future. Your email list could help with hitting Amazon bestseller lists, building traction on your site and increasing your ebook sales.

You can also look to build your email list through paid promos from sites like BookSweeps or Crave Books. Or you can even run Facebook advertising to generate email leads. 

If possible try to find a reader magnet, or a little freebie you can offer people for subscribing to your email list. Some ideas include a short story, deleted scenes, an exclusive interview, swag, workbook pages — or even the first book of a series. The site BookFunnel is a great resource for setting up reader magnets and coordinating your sign-ups and downloads.

And don’t forget about the content for your newsletters: The goal of email marketing is to keep your readers engaged. You want to be in contact with them, but not excessively. Create an automation sequence to contact readers just the right amount. And keep brainstorming unique content that you can provide subscribers to keep them engaged and excited about future releases.

Run a price drop promotion

Price pulsing, or the temporary reduction of your ebook’s price, can be an effective way to generate buzz for your book, especially if partnered with advertising from various reader newsletter ads. These newsletters are free to readers, and publishers/authors pay to have their books included. Reader newsletter ads can be extremely beneficial in getting your book on people’s radar while boosting sales and your Amazon rankings.

Also make sure you have optimized your BookBub account and are looking into featured deals. Featured deals can be tough to get since they are editorially curated from BookBub. There are fixed aspects of a title the editors always consider during the selection process:

• Number of reviews and Amazon ratings
• The quality of the cover
• Any accolades or awards the book has received
• How many retailers the book is available on.

But their decisions are also influenced by factors that change over time. That means even though the book itself might be fantastic, trends in terms of what specific readers are interested in at any given time — and even the other submissions BookBub receives that week — have a heavy hand in what they’re able to select.

Because you have control over your ebook’s pricing, and because ebooks aren’t subject to the costs of printing and shipping, price pulsing can boost your readership and increase ebook sales across your backlist.

Consider a giveaway

Goodreads giveaways can be some of the most beneficial and cost-effective advertising tools at an author’s disposal. We recommend doing a digital book giveaway if you’re looking to specifically boost your ebook sales and overall readership. This saves you costs on printing and shipping books to winners. You can also have up to 100 winners for a digital book giveaway. This means there are potentially 100 readers who have received and read your book and could leave reviews.

The best part about giveaways — besides getting the book into people’s hands — is that everyone who enters a Goodreads giveaway adds the book to their “want to read” shelf. This shows up in their personal feeds, so all their Goodreads friends see it.

Look into online advertising

Click, click, buy. Because it’s so easy to buy things online — and because digital advertising is literally everywhere — it only makes sense that online advertising is a must in your plan to increase your ebook sales.

There’s a variety of online advertising to consider, but some of the most popular options include:

• Facebook/Instagram: Combined, Facebook and Instagram have one of the largest built-in user bases that you’ll find. Tap into these users by utilizing Meta Ads. You won’t get back what you put in right away. But you can track how well your ads perform by utilizing the statistics provided.
• Amazon Ads: These are a great complement to Facebook advertising and a good way to promote your book no matter the launch date or ebook pricing. Setting up sponsored products or sponsored brand campaigns is easy, and you are in direct control of things like pricing, keyword selection and more. Check out this article from Author Media on setting up your own Amazon ad campaign.
• Niche platforms like Reddit, LinkedIn and Tiktok can also be great to consider if you find the right audience. But remember, don’t just throw money at sites because you can. Really identify your audience and why you are advertising to make the most of your ad dollars.

Go forth and sell!

We can safely assume that most, if not all, authors want to sell books. There’s a plethora of resources at your discretion to increase ebook sales — it’s just a matter of finding the right options for you and your book.

Jennifer Vance

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.

People love free stuff. On that, we can all agree. But do you need to have bookish swag? Of course not!

But offering unique and creative swag items can make an author stand out in a crowded market. Items that tie into the book’s themes, characters, or setting can also intrigue potential readers. And this can make the author’s work more memorable!

Bookish swag can serve as a tangible representation of an author’s brand, increasing visibility and recognition among readers. Items with an author’s logo can also help reinforce the author’s presence in readers’ minds.

Ultimately, book swag serves as a marketing tool to promote both a book and its author. When readers use or display swag items, they become essentially walking advertisements, spreading awareness of an author and their work to a wider audience.

How can authors use swag?

In addition to ARC mailings, bookish swag can be utilized in a number of ways. Keeping swag on hand can be great for authors who have mailing lists and want to offer some freebies to readers who sign up for their newsletter. 

Many authors also like to conduct pre-order campaigns, and having swag to send to thank people who pre-order can be essential. Including book swag as part of a book purchase, whether through pre-orders or special promotions, can incentivize readers to buy the book. People often appreciate receiving additional value for their purchase, making them more likely to support the author’s work.

Keeping swag in bulk can also be great to bring with you when visiting with groups, libraries and bookstores. Many writers’ conferences also typically have tables where authors can donate their swag; this option is great to learn about other writers in your genre and connect with comparable authors.

Steps for creating swag

Creating bookish swag can be a fun and rewarding process for authors. Here are some steps to get started:

Define your brand:

Before creating any swag items, it’s essential to have a clear understanding of your author brand. Consider your genre, writing style, themes, and target audience. Your swag should reflect these aspects of your brand to ensure consistency and authenticity.

1. Brainstorm ideas:

Think creatively about what types of swag would resonate with your readers and tie into your book or brand. Consider practical items like bookmarks, tote bags, or mugs, as well as more unique or thematic items that relate directly to your book’s characters, setting, or themes. Keep reading to see more ideas!

2. Budget accordingly:

Determine your budget for creating and purchasing bookish swag items. Factor in the cost of design, production, packaging, and shipping. Also consider additional expenses such as marketing or distribution.

3. Design your swag:

Once you have some ideas, work on designing the swag items. If you have graphic design skills, you can create the designs yourself using software like Adobe Photoshop or Canva. Alternatively, you can hire a professional designer to bring your ideas to life. Books Forward is happy to work with you to design swag for your upcoming book release!

4. Source suppliers:

Research suppliers or manufacturers who can produce your swag items. Look for companies that offer quality products at affordable prices and have experience working with authors or small businesses. Consider factors like minimum order quantities, production time, and shipping costs.

5. Order and distribute swag:

Order samples if possible, then plan how you will promote and distribute items to your readers. Consider offering them as incentives for pre-orders, giveaways at book signings or events, or as bonuses for joining your mailing list or reader group. You can also sell some things directly through your website or online store.

Ideas for printed bookish swag

• Bookplates: You can sign and also leave a personalized note for readers
• Bookmarks: If we’re being honest, you can never really have too many bookmarks.
• Stickers: If you have a book that lends itself to fun art — graphic novels, fantasy, children’s books — consider stickers as a fun and easy way to 
• Pins/buttons: They’re slightly more expensive, but pins and buttons can be a good alternative if you want to take a step up from stickers.
• Mailer boxes: If you have a few things to include with a book, you can also design a special mailer box to ship everything. These will definitely set your box aside from a normal brown, cardboard box!
• Postcards: These are great because in addition to being used as swag, you can also mail these out to bookstores and libraries to alert them of your new book.
• Pens: If you have an author/series logo, pens are a perfect, small item to display that.
• Tote bags/hats: If you have a larger budget, you can look at having fabric-based swag like a fun hat or a bookish tote (just like bookmarks, can you ever really have too many tote bags?).

Get creative with your bookish swag

Below are some examples of swag Books Forward authors have utilized!

• Customized mailer boxes with crayons, coaster, bookmarks and doggie bags for W.B. Murph and Molly’s Miracle
• Postcards, stickers and pins for Kosoko Jackson and The Forest Demands Its Due
• Customized mailer boxes with map, mug, necklace and bookmark for Leisl Kaberry and Journey of Destiny
• Character cards, pens, letters, bookmarks, and printed materials from book for Ava Reid and A Study in Drowning
• Customized mailer box with letter, postcard, recipe card, popcorn box and hat for Christopher Park and The Lighthouse
• Bookmarks, feathers, and signed hardcovers for Dani Resh and Compass to Vinland
• Candles, characters cards and signed bookplates for Edward Underhill and Always the Almost
• Customized mailer boxes, bookmarks, pens, notebooks and all books in the series for C.W. Allen and The Falinnheim Chronicles
• Lipstick, mirror compacts, and cosmetic bags for Susan Reinhardt and The Beautiful Misfits
• Customized mailer boxes, candy and rose petals for Victory Witherkeigh and The Girl
• Baseball cards, stickers, and bookmarks for Brian Lebeau and A Disturbing Nature
• Coffee cup and instant coffee for Tiffanie DeBartolo and Sorrow

If you’re on the fence about bookish swag, really sit back and consider how it can best serve your author brand and your goals for marketing your book. Overall, bookish swag can be a valuable tool for authors to enhance their brand, engage with readers, and promote their work effectively in a competitive market. It can serve as souvenirs and memorabilia for readers and remind them of their reading experience — creating a lasting connection to a book and its author.

Jennifer Vance

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.

Yeah, it’s exhausting keeping up with social media and whatever Twitter is now called — it’s X, by the way, even though the URL for the site still says Twitter. And with the many changes that have occurred at the former bird app, users are flocking (pun totally intended) to other newly created social media platforms. 

But do you need to?

Unfortunately, there’s no easy answer. Social media is a great tool to promote your book, but there’s no singular way to successfully do social media.

So what is Threads?

Threads is a text-based app that’s part of the Meta universe. With the ability to open an account via your Instagram account, Threads is a great alternative for those looking to take the leap from Twitter to an app with a similar interface and functionality. Threads has a 500-character limit for posts, and consists of a fun feature where you can share your Threads posts directly to your Instagram stories.

There are some downsides to the new app though: Threads definitely looks and performs better on mobile over desktop. Also, it’s really hard to get rid of your account. Want to delete your Threads account? You’re going to have to delete your Instagram account as well. And of course, like many new apps, there are glitches and it can be difficult to find your audience just starting out. 

But if you can look past the growing pains, you’ll find an app very similar to Twitter that has the potential 

Alternatives to X

If you can’t be on Elon Musk’s app without getting the ick, we understand. It’s important to decide what platform is right for you and post on an app you enjoy. If it becomes a chore, it’s going to feel like a chore. So here are some alternatives to X and Threads:

Mastodon

This definitely isn’t a straightforward alternative like Threads. It’s “decentralized” format declares to put the feed back in the hands of the users, which If you enjoy Reddit or Discord, then you’ll likely be able to catch on to how Mastodon functions. 

Spill

Billing itself as “a visual conversation at the speed of culture,” the Black-owned app has been developed to monitor abuse and/or hate against communities of color, like that users might have experienced on Twitter.

BlueSky

BlueSky was developed by Twitter’s former CEO, Jack Dorsey, so it stands to reason that there are similarities between the two platforms. It’s like Twitter, stripped down to the essentials. You can still post and include images and repost, but it differs greatly in that, like Mastodon, it’s decentralized, operating on independently run servers rather than one owned by a business.

WT.Social

Visually, it gives off a vibe similar to Facebook, though it labels itself “the nontoxic social network.” If that’s the case, the platform founded by Wikipedia’s creator would be a far cry from Zuckerberg’s.

If all else fails, you can still check out the stalwarts of the social media platforms and get to posting in places like Facebook and TikTok.

What do the numbers say?

Like it or not, X is still the leader when it comes to users. Excluding Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, X is still has millions more users than its closest competitor. Musk claims the platform has over 500 million, though that would be a large increase compared to user numbers in the mid-250 millions in 202 only a year ago.

Threads has over 100 million users, though that still lags greatly behind X. And the alternatives have even less. That doesn’t mean that audiences won’t steadily grow, but it does mean that when it comes to potential to reach the most people, X is still one of the largest platforms.

Ultimately, it’s important to find the platform that works for you. The best method to discover that is by jumping in and testing them out!

Jennifer Vance

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.