Why Your Book Needs a Blog

Millions of self-published books are released every year. So, how can you help yours stand out on the shelf? You’ll need a marketing plan that reaches beyond your immediate inner-circle of friends and family. And no marketing plan is complete without a blog! A blog can help potential readers find you, build buzz about your book, and allow you to connect with your audience.

1. To Drive Traffic and Sales

A blog provides a way for people to find you and your book. If you’re selling your book in the Blurb Bookstore, you can use our Book Preview widget to embed a module on your blog where readers can click through to buy your book. That way anyone reading your content and posts will have a quick link straight to your book.

2. To Help Customers Find You

An optimized blog filled with engaging content will help anyone interested in your genre or field and help them find you (and your book!) faster. Get your posts to the top of their search by including relevant keywords, clear headlines, and focused meta-descriptions.

Plug-ins like YOAST can guide you through the optimization process and help you maximize each opportunity to connect with your target audience. For more tips to help you make the most of your blog content, check out these top SEO tips for authors.

3. To Build a Mailing List

Encourage visitors to your blog to subscribe to your mailing list and you’ll have a ready-made, engaged audience when your book hits the shelves. You can also send out a monthly or biweekly newsletter to ensure that people who are interested in you and your content receive your updates.

4. To Build Buzz

If used effectively, your blog can get people talking about your book even before it goes on sale. Peak the interest of your followers by going behind the scenes—documenting the process of making your own book. In the run-up to your book’s release, posts about contests, cover reveals, and sneak peeks are all ways your blog can help ensure a successful launch.

5. To Establish Your Credentials

Your blog should be about much more than your book. By blogging about your other creative projects, how you work, your inspiration, other creative professionals you admire, and more, you’ll establish a credible author brand that your audience can connect with on a personal level—a sure-fire way to secure sales.

6. To Network Online

Starting a blog opens up a whole new world of networking opportunities to boost your author profile and your sales. You can connect with other relevant bloggers and offer to write a guest post for them—their followers could soon be on your mailing list. Or invite them to review and blog about your book. Just by commenting on and sharing other relevant content, you’ll help establish yourself as an author to watch and keep customers coming your way.

That’s 6 reasons why a blog is a valuable tool for any self-publisher—but it’s just one of the many ways you can promote your book. For more help building a successful marketing strategy, check in with the publishing experts at Reedsy.

How are you promoting your book? Share your experiences in the comments below.