Maybe you’ve heard the phrase: Advertising is what you pay for; publicity is what you pray for.
It’s accurate and can almost perfectly sum up the differences between marketing and publicity.
In general, most successful book promotion campaigns will utilize both marketing and publicity. Marketing gets the word out fast, and publicity builds trust and long-term reputation — think of it as the gas pedal in your car. Publicity builds trust, authority, and staying power — it’s like your engine and really keeps your brand going and consistently moving forward.
What is marketing?
Marketing refers to the paid and planned promotion of your book. A marketing campaign generally focuses on goals that include increasing visibility, generating sales, or building a subscriber list.
In general, marketing is fast, scalable, and often targeted. You decide what the message is and control when and where it appears. Campaigns focus on reaching your target audience on various platforms, tracking the results, and adjusting in real time.
Budgets differ for every author, but in general the adage “you have to spend money to make money” rings true. Many authors will devote their budgets on small, one-off marketing efforts and be confused as to why they aren’t seeing results. Most marketing campaigns benefit from long-term strategy and adjustment.
Some examples of marketing include:
- Paid ads on Amazon, Facebook, BookBub, etc.
- Email newsletters (your own or through services)
- Social media campaigns you create and manage
- Book swag or trailers
- Paid influencer or blog partnerships
What is publicity?
Publicity focuses on building credibility, visibility, and word of mouth through organic, or earned, media.
There is only so much you can do to control the timing and messaging of publicity outreach. For example, your publicist likely will try to coordinate coverage around your book’s launch date. But some reviewers take longer to read a book, or a podcast might be booked up for a few months. Check out our ideal publicity timeline for more on coordinating a publicity campaign.
Because these are not things you are paying for, you or your publicist is ultimately at the mercy of an individual outlet. It’s why there are no guarantees when it comes to publicity and why no credible PR agency will make those guarantees on the number of media hits.
Some examples of earned media coverage through publicity include:
- Media interviews or profiles
- Book reviews in media outlets or blogs
- Podcast appearances
- Event coverage
- Organic influencer or celebrity shout-outs
Which option is better?
The truth is, you benefit from both. Marketing gets your book seen. Publicity gets people to trust it. When they work together, your book has a much better shot at success.
You’ll see authors utilize both marketing and publicity when you notice earned media like reviews on Goodreads as well as unearned media — maybe some Instagram ads — for a book all at the same time.
Identify what you can afford to pay for and be honest with yourself about your budget. If you are tight on budget, looking at a publicity-focused campaign is probably the route for you. But if you do have a higher budget to spend on advertising and other channels, it’s important to consider all your marketing options.
Ultimately, there is so much authors can do on their own end when it comes to marketing — working on an email newsletter, posting on social media, meeting with booksellers and librarians, etc. But it does take work!
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.
