Sunday, December 10, 2017

How Authors Can Snag 1 Million Page Views: Guaranteed!



Many authors want to sell lots of books, get media attention, win awards, hit a best-seller list, and impact society with their books. Lots of writers will employ a social media strategy that contributes to marketing their books and promoting their brand. Can any author achieve a significant milestone, such as snagging one million page views for a website or blog?

The answer is most definitely yes, but the bigger question is: How long will it take you?
Within five years of launching my blog, www.bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com, I reached 1,000,000 page views. The blog, now six-and-a-half years old, features nearly 2,600 posts and will surpass 1.5 million page views this spring. For some, they would love to average my traffic of 25,000 page views per month. For others, it’s too little and too slow. They want to blow the Internet up. Today. Now!

So your first decision is about pace and how fast you hope to generate lots of web traffic. Will you invest time and resources that are needed to speed this process up? Will you hire marketers and publicists to help? Will you find a part-time helper, perhaps a smart and eager college student, who can assist in researching, commenting, and posting? You need to be realistic about your time.

Second, confront your technological IQ. Are you digitally savvy enough to post regularly online and to share content on key platforms, such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Google +, Instagram and Pinterest?

Third, can you produce enough content on a regular basis that’s truly interesting, unique, and moving? Are you really a good writer, creative and talented? Mediocrity won’t cut it here.

Fourth, are you personality-driven in some of your posts? The Internet loves bluster, humor, emotion, and forceful claims. Be bold in your posts.

Fifth, decide if you really want to hit a lofty goal like 1M page views, or if your bigger goal is to accomplish something else. Getting lots of clicks shouldn’t be a goal in itself. It’s a means to achieving some greater purpose and you may have better, alternative methods to get to where you want to be. Is a digital-centric strategy your best -- or only -- way to get there?

Sixth, you will have to post often, regularly, and on many platforms to have a chance of increasing your clicks. You will also need content that has viral potential -- something so outrageous, shocking, or visually arresting that people feel compelled to share it. Filter your efforts through the prism of, “Would I want to share this if someone sent it to me?” If not, don’t waste your time. Find the post that will amaze others.

Seventh, to achieve success at anything, you need to learn from others -- attend seminars, participate in webinars, scour the Net, and read books on anything regarding Internet marketing.

Eighth, model others who have broken through. If someone has generated a lot of views-clicks-connections look at what they did, break it down into steps that can be replicated even at a fraction of their results, and look to be a mini-version of them.

Ninth, connect with and follow people who have tons of connections and big followings. You can pay them to sponsor content. You can befriend them and hope they recognize your talented voice. You can incentivize them with some type of a reward in exchange of a favor, such as having them post your link on their social media. Be gutsy and creative. Take a risk. Offer something that stretches you. Maybe you need to bring a third or fourth party in and make a big trade. You give A something from B; B gets something from you and A gives you what you want.

Tenth, use Google Ads to advertise yourself and build up link clicks.

Eleventh, give something away of perceived value. The more giveaways of a greater value, the quicker your clicks go up.

Twelve, one way to get to a million page views is to give people a reason to check in daily-or multiple times a day. The more frequently you update your content, the more often one may go back to see what’s new.

Thirteen, getting traditional media coverage will likely get you more page views. Go out of your way to mention your website. Same with speaking engagements. The more appearances you do to bigger crowds, and where you offer a reason for them to go to the website, the more likely you’ll reach a million page views.

Fourteen, consider getting guest-content from people who provide interesting content that you can share with people who are more likely to share as well. Further, the guest provider will likely share on social media and guide people to your site.

Fifteen, have everything pass through your site. Your blog, podcast, video, giveaways, and special offers should be available through one place -- your website. Don’t distract people to go anywhere else but to one place.

Sixteen, you can also post the offers of others on your site. For instance, let’s say Starbucks is offering an online coupon for a free drink. You can then create a short post on your blog or site about this deal. You then send out a link to your site’s story (which contains a link to the coupon). Now people will go to your site and get something of value.

Seventeen, collaborate with others, where you each agree to post about one another and share each other’s content. Such a friendly exchange is great for getting exposure to others you may otherwise have never been discovered by.

Eighteen, increase your clicks with paper. That’s right, you heard me. Hand out flyers and cards to promote your site with a reason to click, handed to those who would welcome your message. You may have to pay to sponsor an event, but if the crowd is big and targeted, it’s worth it.


Nineteen, beg your friends, family, colleagues, and frenemies to click on your site and to share the link with their following. Ask them for direct introductions to those they know have a lot of followers. Seek to impress them.

Lastly, at number 20, know that to get a million or more page views in a short time takes not just talent, skill, style, friends, money, and time. It takes luck. Many people get lucky breaks and they don’t know why or how they happened. Be active and assertive and you may get lucky too.

READ THESE!!
Big Marketing Lessons From My All-Time Top 10 Blog Posts

Here are best author-publisher-publishing pro interviews of 2017
http://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2017/11/2017s-best-authorpublisher-book-expert.html

9 things all authors must get right in every media interview

Why is what you know about book marketing all wrong!

Should authors go big – or for a sure thing?

16 ways to increase book sales

Study this exclusive author media training video from T J Walker

What does it really take to land on a best-seller list?

Can you sell 10 copies of your book every day?

Great book PR lessons from kids, clergy, women, contractors & sportscasters

How do authors get on TV?

Here’s the 2017 Author Book PR & Marketing Toolkit


Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog 2017©. Born and raised in Brooklyn, now resides in Westchester. Named one of the best book marketing blogs by Book Baby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

How Ordinary Authors Can Promote a Book Like a Great Author



I recently met a potential author who seemingly has a lot going for him – great credentials, a timely subject, something useful to offer, and connections to A-list stars.  He asked me what I thought authors need to do to be successful and thought it seems like he should be in a position to execute a strong PR campaign and sell tons of books. I realized that by him asking the question he may not know what it really takes to succeed with a book.  He’s not alone.

Great authors make a detailed plan-on marketing and publicity.  Ordinary authors don’t plan ahead in a targeted and meaningful way.

Great authors will not sabotage themselves.  They will take advantage of the long lead time before a book is officially released.  There are many things one must do many months in advance of a book’s publication date.  

For instance, one has to send out advance reviews for testimonials six months prior to publication so that they come back soon enough to use on the cover or website or marketing materials.  For book reviews, some publications work 4-5 months ahead, so if you hope to get coverage in a monthly woman’s magazine or a book review in Publishers Weekly, reach out way ahead of the day books go on sale.  Ordinary authors miss key deadlines.

Great authors invest resources – time and money – to promoting and marketing their books. Ordinary authors don’t invest enough in their books.

Great authors stay informed about book publicity and marketing, way in advance of pub date, and all through the first 3-4 months after their book is published.

Great authors pen a promotable book.  Ordinary authors merely seek to promote the book they wrote – without researching the media landscape.

Great authors make sure they blog at least weekly and post daily on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or whichever social media platform they use to get their message out.  Ordinary authors post without consistency and don’t devote the proper attention to the one resource that’s free and available 24-7.

Great authors diversify their approach to marketing and promoting a book – traditional media, social media, speaking engagements, advertising – while ordinary authors tend to narrowly focus on one or two areas.

Great authors work hard at building up large lists of connections and followers way ahead of pub date whereas ordinary authors start to consider networking once they have a book in hand.

Great authors seek to brand themselves as experts, not just writers.  They may promote a series vs. a one-off title.  They remain ever-vigilant to market their name, views, or book.  Ordinary authors see themselves first as authors, experts second.  They miss opportunities to speak out and promote their voice.

Great authors execute the details and follow-up on ideas, leads, or introductions.  Ordinary authors lack a sense of urgency or opportunism.  They react, rather than initiate.

Great authors are scrappy, street-savvy, and always hustling.  Ordinary authors are not always looking to cut a deal, insert themselves into a conversation, or pick up on hints that they can turn a chance moment into a major opportunity.

Great authors know that books sell or get media coverage because of style, personality, or timing – and not simply because a book is well-written, properly researched, and full of good content.  Ordinary authors think their words alone will make a book a hit, unaware of or unwilling to make a splashy effort to publicize their book.

Great authors are decent writers who are great at marketing.  Ordinary authors are inconsistent marketers who may be great at writing.

Are you a great author or an ordinary one? 


READ THESE!!
The All new 2018 toolkit to promote a book -- 7th annual edition

Big Marketing Lessons From My All-Time Top 10 Blog Posts

Here are best author-publisher-publishing pro interviews of 2017

9 things all authors must get right in every media interview

Why is what you know about book marketing all wrong!

Should authors go big – or for a sure thing?

16 ways to increase book sales

Study this exclusive author media training video from T J Walker

What does it really take to land on a best-seller list?

Can you sell 10 copies of your book every day?

Great book PR lessons from kids, clergy, women, contractors & sportscasters

How do authors get on TV?


Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog 2017©. Born and raised in Brooklyn, now resides in Westchester. Named one of the best book marketing blogs by Book Baby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

24 Book Review, Podcast and Author Sites



Here’s your list of 24 important websites when it comes to book reviews, podcasts, and online sites for authors. These can help you market your book and brand yourself as an author.

Book Reviews
Barnes and Noble Review

Book Page

Library Journal

The Compulsive Reader

Foreword Review

The Uncustomary Book Review

Midwest Book Review

Online Book Club

New Pages

Review the Book

Booklist Online

Author Sites for Doing a Podcast
Blog Talk Radio

Bee Vocal
Website:  www.beevocal.com

Archive
Website: www.archive.org

SoundCloud
Website:  www.soundcloud.com

Podbean

iTunesPodcast

Podomatic

Other Author Sites
Book Talk

Authors Den

GoodReads

Writers

Nothing Binding

Shelfari

READ THESE!!
The All new 2018 toolkit to promote a book -- 7th annual edition

Big Marketing Lessons From My All-Time Top 10 Blog Posts

Here are best author-publisher-publishing pro interviews of 2017

9 things all authors must get right in every media interview

Why is what you know about book marketing all wrong!

Should authors go big – or for a sure thing?

16 ways to increase book sales

Study this exclusive author media training video from T J Walker

What does it really take to land on a best-seller list?

Can you sell 10 copies of your book every day?

Great book PR lessons from kids, clergy, women, contractors & sportscasters

How do authors get on TV?



Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog 2017©. Born and raised in Brooklyn, now resides in Westchester. Named one of the best book marketing blogs by Book Baby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs

Monday, December 4, 2017

In Support of Good Grammar



Who’s (Oops) Whose Grammar Book Is This Anyway?  All the Grammar You Need to Succeed in Life by C. Edward Good is one of those books on grammar that could replace most others on the subject.  Yes, it’s that good.

Good does a great job of outlining our language, including common grammatical mistakes, the eight big parts of speech and the 11 elements of punctuation. We may know when a period is needed but not always the comma.  We often confuse the semicolon with the colon and what’s the difference between a dash and a hyphen?  Not sure?  Just know where to stick an apostrophe, quotation marks, and your parentheses.

I appreciate the book's breakdown on the key parts of speech:

1.      Nouns-words that name.
2.      Verbs-Words that do or are.
3.      Adjectives:  Words that describe.
4.      Pronouns: words substituting for words.
5.      Adverbs: More words that describe.
6.      Conjunctions – Words that join.
7.      Prepositions – Words that glue.
8.      Interjections – Words that exclaim

Here are some random but insightful thoughts excerpted from Good’s book:

“By learning the grammar of the language – its structure – the way it fits together – you’ll begin to see the words, phrases, and clauses you habitually use and those you tend to avoid.

“Some school board somewhere right now is concluding that we don’t need to devote much class time to grammar.  After all, grammar is just elitist worry about out-of-date rules or just a fretting about manners.  Will that school board’s decision help further erode the knowledge of grammar in this nation?

“You bet.

“One day this nation will wake up, realize the harm we’ve done, and begin to insist that we get back to basics.  A thorough study of grammar should head the list.

“Words do matter.  Words do carry meaning.  And grammatical rules do govern the way we put our words down on paper so that we can transfer knowledge to future generations.  If we have no rules, then words and groups of words can mean whatever we want.

“Maybe, just maybe, the erosion of grammar has a lot to do with the widely acknowledged erosion of communication skills in the United States.  Perhaps the erosion of grammar would help explain why the professor’s students use like after every third word.

“I hope you agree that good writing comes directly from a broad and deep knowledge of the structures our language makes available to us.  If we do not study them, if we do not learn all about them, if we do not practice using them in our discourse, then the future for our own ability to communicate is bleak indeed.

“Some of us will continue to cry out that grammar and style are inextricably bound up together.  We believe deeply that we cannot learn to write well without knowing grammar – not just the basics but some fairly sophisticated concepts undergirding our language.

“Those I hope, you’ve learned in this book.

“Words matter.  The way they come together to convey meaning is governed by a set of rules.  That set of rules is called grammar.  Either you know it, or you don’t.”

READ THESE!!
The All new 2018 toolkit to promote a book -- 7th annual edition

Big Marketing Lessons From My All-Time Top 10 Blog Posts

Here are best author-publisher-publishing pro interviews of 2017

9 things all authors must get right in every media interview

Why is what you know about book marketing all wrong!

Should authors go big – or for a sure thing?

16 ways to increase book sales

Study this exclusive author media training video from T J Walker

What does it really take to land on a best-seller list?

Can you sell 10 copies of your book every day?

Great book PR lessons from kids, clergy, women, contractors & sportscasters

How do authors get on TV?


Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog 2017©. Born and raised in Brooklyn, now resides in Westchester. Named one of the best book marketing blogs by Book Baby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs

Saturday, December 2, 2017

Interview with author Cam Griff


CARD GAMES

1.      What really inspired you to write your book, to force you from taking an idea or experience and conveying it into a book? After personally experiencing identity theft more than once, my anger at the perpetrators moved me to do something to help others understand the present danger. I wanted to inform and alert readers, so I researched extensively before creating CARD GAMES from an entertaining angle.

2.      What is it about and whom do you believe is your targeted reader? I chose to write a novel so that the details, although based totally on research and hard data, would seem interesting and even suspenseful to read. The book is about a guy whose life is turned upside down by identity theft and how he, a credit card company, and professional crime fighters work internationally to find the bad guys. My targeted readers could be everyone but children.

3.      What do you hope will be the everlasting thoughts for readers who finish your book? What should remain with them long after putting it down? It would be my hope that readers will enjoy the read and remember various lessons within it that they can use to keep their own identities safe from predators. They will be wiser and safer and potentially a good influence on other people once they know that they are their own protectors in life.

4.      What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers? Choose to write about something – anything – that intrigues you. As you explore, you’ll become more inclined to stay on the path to learn for yourself how interesting your topic and the evolution of your writing will be.

5.      What trends in the book world do you see and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading? Clearly, reading is taking on many formats and the creativity of writers is endless. With so much to read and enjoy, learn and share, the industry provides endless resources to take your reading ability wherever you go.  The future of book publishing is huge and maybe – an unwritten book!


6.      What great challenges did you have in writing your book? Not long into the process of writing, and enjoying tremendous encouragement to write my book, I experienced a traumatic personal tragedy. The book had to be set aside for a considerable period of time, and my energy and enthusiasm to get back to writing lagged. Then, with identity theft on the exponential rise, I knew I had an important topic, but wondered if I had lost my window to share it.

7.      If people can only buy one book this month, why should it be yours? The topic of identity theft becomes a more omnipresent threat every day. People should buy my book for the enjoyment of a suspenseful read and to increase their awareness and personal “identification” with this challenge, as well as how to work with legal resources to stop the thieves.

READ THESE!!
The All-New 2018 Toolkit to Promote a Book -- 7th annual edition

Big Marketing Lessons From My All-Time Top 10 Blog Posts

Here are best author-publisher-publishing pro interviews of 2017

Why is what you know about book marketing all wrong!

Should authors go big – or for a sure thing?

16 ways to increase book sales

Study this exclusive author media training video from T J Walker

What does it really take to land on a best-seller list?

Can you sell 10 copies of your book every day?

How do authors get on TV?
  

Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog 2017©. Born and raised in Brooklyn, now resides in Westchester. Named one of the best book marketing blogs by Book Baby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs