- Fix your book page before you spend anything.
- Build an email list you own.
- Pick one or two channels and do them well.
- Time is your cheapest resource, so use it on what compounds.
- Test small before you spend on ads.
Start with what is free
Before any promotion, make sure your book page is doing its job. A clear cover, a sharp description and honest categories cost nothing and help every reader who arrives, whether they come from search, social media or a friend. Our Amazon book page checklist is a good place to begin.
1. Build an email list
An email list is the one audience you own. Offer a short story, a sample chapter or a useful checklist in return for a sign-up, and add the link to your website, your social bios and the back of your book. Our newsletter guide shows how.
2. Gather a launch team
Ask a small group of readers who enjoy your genre to read an advance copy and share honest thoughts when the book comes out. Never pay for reviews or require positive ones.
3. Choose one or two social channels
You do not need to be everywhere. Pick the platform where your readers already spend time, and share consistently: behind-the-scenes notes, quotes, progress and recommendations. A steady presence beats a burst of posts.
4. Make your website do some work
A simple site with a page for each book and a few helpful articles can bring in readers through search for years. See what to put on an author website.
5. Guest posts and podcasts
Offer to write for a blog or speak on a podcast your readers enjoy. Suggest a specific topic that suits their audience, and finish with a link to your book or sign-up page.
6. Newsletter swaps
Authors in related genres can recommend each other’s books to their lists. Choose partners whose readers would honestly enjoy your book, and be clear and fair about what each side does.
7. Think local
Libraries, independent bookshops, book clubs and community events can be good fits, especially if your book has a local angle. Ask politely and make it easy to say yes.
8. Join reader communities properly
Take part in groups where your readers gather, as a reader first. Help people, share what you enjoy, and mention your book only where it is welcome.
9. Offer a free sample
A short sample or first chapter lets readers try your writing with no risk. Make sure it ends at a point that makes them want more, and link clearly to the full book.
10. Make book one easy to try
If you write a series, readers need an easy way in. Price and promote the first book so it is the natural place to start. See our guide on how to price your book.
11. Team up with other authors
Joint promotions, anthologies or shared events can reach readers you could not reach alone. Agree the details in writing and check that the partnership fits your plans for the book.
12. Test a small ad budget last
Once your page is strong and your reviews are growing, you can test a small advertising budget you can afford to lose. Track what you spend and what you earn, and stop what does not work. Our book advertising page explains how we approach it.
Common questions
How much should I spend on book marketing?
There is no single answer. Many authors start with time instead of money, building their page, list and launch team first. If you test advertising, begin with an amount you can afford not to get back.
What works fastest?
Nothing is instant. A better book page and a launch team tend to help soonest, and an email list pays off over time.
Do I need to be on every social platform?
No. Choose one or two where your readers actually spend time, and do them well.
Not sure where to start?
Tell us about your book and budget, and we will suggest where to focus first.
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