Writing your eBook might be satisfying, but when you find an audience willing to buy your eBook, the validation you feel at having been successful is a great feeling. While there are a number of ways you can market your eBook, it sometimes seems as though indie authors (who are often writers, not publishers or marketers) have a harder time selling eBooks than writing them.
Social media is an underutilized marketing area that can help an indie author improve sales, whether or not you currently use any of the social media platforms (although it is even easier for authors who have an existing social media following from a blog or other efforts). These tips can help put your social media marketing for your eBook in overdrive:
Twitter
This may be the easiest platform for indie authors to gain traction. Don't be shy about asking for retweets. Talk to other indie authors on Twitter. Share their tweets about their eBooks, too, and work together to mutually promote your efforts.
Facebook
If you do not have an author page on Facebook, consider making one. Alternatively, you can create a page for your eBook. However, if you plan to write more than one eBook, it is smart to have an author page from which you can promote all of your writing efforts.
Google+
Because Google+ is a highly searchable and hashtag-friendly forum, you can quickly connect with other indie writers as well as individuals who have an interest in the topic on which you've written your eBook. Once you are comfortable using Google+, consider hosting a "hangout" where your readers can come at a specified time and talk to you about the eBook and get to know you.
LinkedIn
Absolutely list your eBook on your LinkedIn profile under the "publications" section, especially if the eBook was written to provide you with more credibility in your area of expertise.
In our next several posts, we will delve deeper into each social media platform and provide you with eBook marketing ideas and examples you can use to improve your eBook sales.
