All publishers big and small expect authors to do more of their own marketing these days. This means developing a strong online presence with an appealing author site to draw in the crowds and regular engagement with potential readers through blogging and social networking. Here are ideas to get the message out.

Expat Bookshop

List your book here on the Expat Bookshop the only online bookshop dedicated to expat-related titles.

The Expat Bookshop offers:

• A dedicated page with cover image, a selection of reviews (supplied by you), backlinks to websites of your choice (your blog, for example) and buying links to a range of international booksellers (eg Amazon, Barnes and Noble) where the book is listed.
• A link to the ‘look inside’ feature on Amazon (if available).
• A listing on our bookshelf (alphabetically and by genre) with a direct link to your dedicated book page.
• Your book to appear in our list of recommended reads for at least one month.
• Two posts published about your book supplied by you (such as press release, reviews or articles/blog posts) and displayed prominently for at least one month.
• Promotion on social media.

Click here for more information.

Establish a strong online presence

• Publish an author website (preferably with a blog too).
• Add a Facebook page and/or Twitter profile. Facebook and Twitter are still the social networking sites that count for authors and using them effectively can make a big difference to your online profile. Whatever social media platform you use, post and engage regularly.
• Give LinkedIn a try. After all you’re a professional author.

To help you establish your online presence, check out author2author.

Join Amazon Author Central

Add your profile and claim your book. This increases your Amazon credibility as an author.

Join Goodreads as an author 

• Create your author profile and add your book.
• Add your book to relevant listopia topics. This helps readers find books for particular subjects.
• Engage with potential readers by joining groups.
• Consider running a giveaway (for a fee)

Reviews

Try to get as many good reviews as possible because reviews sell books and for book reviews, Amazon is king, particularly Amazon verified purchase reviews.

Tips from the Pros

Here’s some excellent marketing tips from Smith Publicity and BookBub, two of the best in the business:

• Smith Publicity
• BookBub

Paying for PR

Try some Facebook and/or Amazon ads – they don’t have to cost much and can be effective at reaching the right audience if targeted properly. 

Depending on your budget, there are a number of organisations out there who can help with your book publicity – from a couple of hundred pounds to a few thousand. Here’s a link to some at different price points:

• PRforBooks
• Cameron Publicity and Marketing
• Smith Publicity

Online Expat Resources

Many online sites are on the lookout for new and original content. You could drop them a line. They might be interested in reviewing the book, interviewing you and/or asking you to guest post for them. Here are some:

• AAFSW (The Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide)
  British Expat
• Go Work Abroad
• Emigrate
• Expatica
• Expat Exchange
• Expat Focus
• Transitions Abroad
• International Living
• Expat Telegraph
• Tales from a Small Planet
• Blog Expat
• 5 Go Mad in Singers
• Our Big Expat Adventure
• Diary of an Expat Somebody

Also, check out the TCK Resources pages on the Expat Bookshop.