In today’s competitive literary marketplace, getting the spotlight on your novel isn’t just about making a great story; it’s also about strategic and effective marketing. One such critical component of novel marketing is getting book reviews.
Reviews act as powerful tools in bridging the gap between your novel and the readers, propelling its visibility and increasing sales.
Let’s look at why book reviews are vital, strategies to use when approaching professional book reviewers, and how to leverage social media to get constructive reviews.
Understanding the Importance of Reviews
Understanding the Importance of Book Reviews for Marketing
Reviews are a crucial part of novel marketing, as they allow potential readers to gather informed opinions about a book before purchasing it. They provide insight into the strengths and weaknesses of the narrative, helping readers make more educated decisions and align their reading choices with their preferences.
The Power of the Reader’s Psyche
In the context of consumer psychology, reviews heavily influence buying behaviors. Readers trust reviews as they’re seen as unbiased and genuine insights from people who have engaged with the book. Positive reviews often establish credibility and can convince potential readers that the book is worth their time and money. On the other hand, negative reviews can dissuade readers but can also incite curiosity whereby readers want to form their own opinion about the controversial aspects of your book.
Furthermore, reviews also act as social proof, a psychological phenomenon in which people look to others’ actions to determine their own. This means that if a potential reader sees a book with many positive reviews, they’re more likely to view it favorably and make a purchase.
Increasing Visibility and Sales with Reviews
Online retailers often base their book recommendations on the number and the quality of reviews it has received. A higher number of reviews increase the chances of your book appearing in the ‘recommendations’ or ‘suggested for you’ sections on these sites, indirectly promoting your novel.
Reviews also have a significant impact on sales. Books with more reviews generally sell better than those with less. Even if some reviews are not entirely positive, a mix of good and bad reviews can still help to generate buzz around your novel, often leading to increased interest and sales.
In summary, no matter the nature – positive or negative, a high number of reviews ends up attracting more visibility, and a book with numerous reviews is more likely to be bought by readers than a book with none.
Using Reviews for Novel Marketing
Authors can leverage reviews in their marketing efforts by featuring them on their website, within the book’s cover design, or in marketing and promotional materials. Highlighting positive reviews from esteemed sources or well-known figures can add to the book’s appeal.
Additionally, authors can use constructive feedback from reviews to better their writing in future. This not only enhances the author-reader relationship but also increases the likelihood of improved reviews and sales for future novels.
Identifying Your Audience
Identifying Your Target Audience
One of the crucial steps in getting book reviews for novel marketing is identifying your audience. Understanding your target audience or demographic will help you approach the right people for reviews and significantly impact how well your novel resonates with them.
Researching Reader Demographics
Begin by researching common reader demographics for your book’s genre. Some key factors to look into include age, gender, level of education, cultural background, and other interests. Various online resources or social media platforms can provide this information. You might also study the readership data of popular authors in your genre or books similar to yours.
Understanding Preferences
In addition to demographics, you should aim to understand the preferences of your target audience. What topics do they find intriguing? Are they more inclined to platonic or romantic storylines? Do they prefer complex or simplified language? Such knowledge can prove useful when identifying potential reviewers who appeal to your target demographic.
Analyzing Successful Book Reviews
Next, it’s time to analyze successful book reviews within your genre. Explore bestsellers or critically acclaimed novels that share commonalities with your work. Read their reviews and take notes on the reviewers’ writing style, tone, and the elements they focus on. Pay attention to the narrative presented in the reviews as well — an emotional, character-driven narrative might appeal to one audience, while a concept-driven, plot-centric narrative may resonate with another.
Insight from Book Reviews
Reviews typically address character development, plot, writing style, and themes. Understand what your target audience values in these aspects. Do they prefer fast-paced, action-packed narratives, or do they appreciate slow, detailed world-building? Do they value characterization, themes, or philosophical musings? This insight will help you identify potential reviewers who focus on these elements.
Adopting Appropriate Language and Content
Lastly, consider how the language and content used in successful book reviews may impact your target demographic. Assess the reviewers’ vocabulary, sentence structure, and overall writing style. Notice if they use formal or informal language and whether they incorporate humor, sarcasm, or seriousness in their writing. By matching your requests for reviews with people who write in a style that attracts your audience, you can ensure a more effective novel marketing strategy.
Approaching Book Reviewers
Step 1: Identify Suitable Reviewers
Start by researching potential book reviewers who already review works in your genre. Consider book bloggers, newspaper and magazine columnists, online reviewers, and professional review publications. Research individual reviewers to make sure they’re a good fit for your specific book. Note that some reviewers might be more focused on specific formats, so if you have an eBook, prioritize those who specialize in your specific format.
Step 2: Understand Their Review Policies
Most professional book reviewers have specific policies for book submissions. These could be listed on their website, their social media bios, or you might need to email them to ask. These guidelines will generally include details on the formats they accept (Hardcover/Paperback, eBook, audiobook, etc.), preferred genres, and any submission procedures. Abiding by these instructions is crucial as not following specified guidelines can result in instant rejection.
Step 3: Craft a Polite, Personalized Query
When contacting potential reviewers, make sure to personalize your email. This means addressing the reviewer by name, acknowledging what you admire about their work, and explaining why you think they might be interested in your book. Keep your email concise and relevant.
Step 4: The Review Request
Your review request should provide essential details about your book, like the title, author, genre, and a brief summary. Making comparisons with other popular books, or explaining what makes it unique, could pique their interest. Do not reveal critical plot twists or the book’s ending.
Step 5: Explain the Etiquette
Be clear about your expectations but remember the reviewer is under no obligation to review your book, even if they accept it. Let them know you’re looking for an honest review and that you appreciate their time and effort. Professional reviewers don’t get paid, so being respectful and understanding of their time is crucial.
Step 6: Follow-Up
If you haven’t heard back after two weeks, send a polite follow-up email. Keep it short, respectful, and professional. If they decline or don’t respond, move on to the next person on your list. Reviewers are typically inundated with requests, and it’s important to respect their decisions and time.
By following these guidelines, you’ll have a better chance of successfully securing reviews for your book. Always remember to maintain professionalism and respect towards reviewers. Their support and honest feedback can be a great asset in marketing your novel.
Using Social Media for Reviews
Understanding Your Target Audience
The first step in using social media to get book reviews is understanding who your target audience is. The demographic that’s most likely to enjoy your book—whether it’s young adults, mothers, scifi geeks, history buffs, etc.—will determine which social media platforms you’ll want to focus your efforts on. For instance, Instagram and Snapchat are popular with younger audiences, while Facebook and Twitter have a broader age range. Research each platform’s user demographics before deciding where to concentrate your marketing efforts.
Using Facebook for Reviews
Facebook is a well-rounded platform that allows for longer, in-depth posts, making it a useful tool for book marketing. Post teasers, behind-the-scenes content, or personal anecdotes related to your book and actively encourage your followers to leave reviews. One effective strategy is to host a giveaway contest where users must leave a review on a certain site (like Amazon or Goodreads) to enter.
Twitter: Engage with Book Blogger Community
Twitter is home to an engaged community of readers and book bloggers. Connect with these individuals and organizations by participating in relevant hashtags like #BookReview or #AmReading. You can also use Twitter to run campaigns, such as a call for reviews with a specific hashtag related to your book. Additionally, consider directly asking prominent book bloggers or other influential figures in the book community for a review.
Instagram and Visual Appeals
Instagram is a highly visual platform, making it perfect for showcasing your book’s cover art, quoting excerpts, and otherwise generating aesthetic appeal. Utilize Instagram Stories to promote reviews you’ve already received, conduct Q&A sessions, or hold virtual book readings. Be sure to use relevant hashtags to attract readers, such as genre-specific tags or ones like #Bookstagram or #BookReview.
Leveraging Goodreads for Authentic Reviews
Goodreads is a social media site specifically for book lovers, making it a natural fit for garnering reviews. By creating an author profile, you open the door for readers to follow your works, write reviews, and share with their friends. Encourage your followers on other social media platforms to leave a review on Goodreads, as this will help increase visibility on the site.
Engaging with Readers
No matter the platform, the key to encouraging reviews lies in engagement. Respond to comments, answer questions, and create community. A strong relationship with your readers can lead to more organic and meaningful reviews, as well as a higher likelihood of those reviews being shared across multiple platforms. This engagement also shows potential readers that you value your audience’s opinion, which can encourage them to leave their own reviews.
Social media is a powerful tool for getting book reviews, and success hinges on effectively engaging with your audience on the right platform for them.
Securing constructive book reviews requires a firm understanding of your audience, a personalized approach to reviewers, and the smart use of social media platforms. Knowing the impact of book reviews on potential readers can help guide your approach in soliciting them. The untapped power of book reviews propels your novel’s visibility and, in turn, its sales, making it an understanding every author should possess to maneuver through the competitive historical novel industry successfully. Embrace the strategies highlighted and gear your novel towards the success it deserves.
Author: Team VoW
Valley of Writers provides resources, tools, ideas and training for new writers. We work with a writers and contributors based around the world. Our primary focus is to equip new writers with skills to help them reach new audiences and achieve their goals.
Thank you for this article. How does Goodreads work. My books are already on there, but I did not put them up. How do I let them know I am the author?