How to Avoid Burnout: A Marketing Guide for Authors
You’ve heard about how hard marketing a book can be, especially for independent and self-published authors, but it shouldn’t lead to burnout. If it does, it’s time to re-evaluate your marketing approach. Although it does take time, dedication, networking, and self-promotion, the internet has made marketing your self-published book easier than ever, so you don’t have to drive yourself crazy promoting your work.
In fact, there’s just one basic thing all authors should do to start their marketing journey—whatever else you decide to do will depend on how much you’re willing to put into this process. Of course, the more effort you expend, the better results you should see, but what’s most important is having a detailed plan for your promotional endeavor. If the thought of doing your own marketing is overwhelming, check out our book marketing packages for authors and let us do the hard work.
Now, what’s that one basic thing you should definitely do?
Set up a basic online presence to become googleable
The one thing every writer should do to promote their book is to have some sort of online presence. A dedicated author website is the most recommended option as it’s a space you can use to promote yourself and your book on your own terms; it’s designed the way you like, with all the content entirely at your discretion.
On your website, you can update your fans and followers about any events you’re attending, post blog articles about your book and related content, and direct visitors to links on Amazon or other retailers selling your book. Of course, you need to drive traffic to your website somehow, which is where search engine optimization (SEO) comes in, and you should set up social media accounts to promote your website.
If you don’t want a full website, just having a social media profile works, too. The goal is for people to be able to find you when they plug your name or the title of your book into a search engine and to be able to contact you directly. Ideally, you want to upload engaging posts that promote your upcoming book while interacting with your fans and making yourself seem more personable.
At the most basic level, you just want to be googleable. Sure, you might not sell a million copies by simply existing online, but it’s the one thing you should definitely do. Another simple thing that doesn’t require constant engagement is setting up an Amazon author page, which will increase your discoverability in the online marketplace.
Limit your time on social media
Having an active social media presence can certainly increase the number of new readers who discover your work, but that doesn’t mean you have to be on every social media platform out there. Stick to the ones you prefer, even if that’s only one platform. If you don’t like any of them, try to warm up to the idea because social media marketing is critical for new authors.
One of the problems with social media is that it’s a black hole gorging on time and energy, and if it feels overwhelming, you should definitely limit the time you spend on it. Try blocking out a specific time every day—or week, or month—to jump on social media and respond to fans. During this time, you can also write several posts and schedule them to be uploaded in the future, which will allow you to maintain a regular posting schedule without spending much time on social media.
If you don’t want to do that, you can always set up a Twitter account or a Facebook page with your contact details and a pinned post about your book and then forget about it—people can still find you, follow you, and contact you even if you’re not constantly posting updates. Hey, we can’t all be Neil Gaiman, and that’s okay.
Doing it all will do you no good
If you try to do it all—social media, guest blog posts, podcast interviews, YouTube videos, snappy Tweets, Instagram stories, TikToks, and whatever else the internet gods may have in store for us—while still trying to write and have a personal life, you’re going to burn out, and it’s going to show. What’s the point of working so hard only to end up producing subpar content?
It takes much time and effort to build a steady following and an engaged online community. So, focus on doing the things that feel good, that come more naturally to you, and that excite you instead of draining you because that’s what your audience will respond to and that’s what will sell your book.
Focus on doing what you’re good at
As we said, merely being googleable might not be enough to achieve commercial success, but it’s the one thing you definitely need to do. Whatever other strategies you employ to market your book should fit in with your lifestyle, personality, and availability in order to avoid burnout. So, whether you network IRL at book fairs, signings, and writers’ conferences; focus on the one social media platform you actually like using; or channel your energy into scheduling interviews with podcasters and YouTubers, marketing your book shouldn’t feel like a grueling chore.
Think of where your talents and passions lie, and find a way to incorporate that into your marketing strategy—you’ll not only get better results but also avoid burnout. The best marketing strategy for you is one that you enjoy (or at least don’t hate) and that lets you continue to thrive in your work as you promote your book.
Yes, marketing a book is tough, especially as an independent or self-published author. Yes, it takes time to build a solid fanbase. However, don’t forget that you can outsource many of your publicity needs, and word of mouth is the best marketing strategy money doesn’t even have to buy.
So, focus on producing high-quality work and being yourself: Authentic personalities are getting harder to find, and staying true to who you are will make you stand out in the age of social media. Readers are looking for authenticity from their favorite authors, so however you market your book, make sure it fits you and your style. If you want a more robust marketing strategy but don’t know where to start, let our experts craft a book marketing package for you.
