How many times does your name come up in a Google Search? 20,000? 10,000, 75 or just a handful? If you are an author promoting one or more books or if you are in the process of pitching a manuscript to publishers, you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d better get those numbers up! How? Exposure, exposure, exposure. <\/p>\n
I recommend to my clients that they start, even before writing their book proposal, taking the action steps necessary to get their Google numbers up. Why? <\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2\tBefore a publisher invests in you, he wants to know that you have a following\u00e2\u20ac\u201dthat you are known and that you can and do promote yourself and your products or services.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2\tIn the process of gaining that exposure, you will stumble across new promotional opportunities and ideas to use when your book is published (and to include in the marketing section of your book proposal).<\/p>\n
So how does one go about getting that revered exposure? Let me count the ways. Actually, the numbers are too high for me to list in this article, but here are some ideas to get you started:<\/p>\n
1: Write articles and\/or short stories related to your nonfiction topic or the setting or theme of your novel. Submit them to appropriate print and online publications and Web sites. <\/p>\n
2: Participate in appropriate online forums and become known at key Websites. Locate forums related to your subject through a search engine by typing in \u00e2\u20ac\u0153forum tattoo art\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153organic gardening forum\u00e2\u20ac\u009d or \u00e2\u20ac\u0153pet disease forum,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d for example. Spend time each week searching out new Websites.<\/p>\n
3: Build a Website reflecting your topic. To get noticed, make sure you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re listed on several search engines and add information and resources to your site often. <\/p>\n
4: Start a blog on this subject and post interesting, informative, inspirational, educational and\/or entertaining articles to it regularly. <\/p>\n
5: Leave comments at similar blogs\u00e2\u20ac\u201dalways linking back to your blog and\/or Website. <\/p>\n
6: Write letters-to-the-editor of newsletters, newspapers and magazines on your topic. If you see an interesting article published in a magazine related to your topic, comment to the editor and be sure to sign your name and give whatever contact information is allowed. <\/p>\n
7: Make news. Do something newsworthy related to your book topic and send out press releases. I send press releases to newsletters, magazines and Web sites world-wide when I come out with a new book, plan to speak internationally, etc.<\/p>\n
8: Run a contest or start a charity and advertise it widely for free in relating magazines, newsletters and Web sites. I know a teen writer who collects books for less fortunate kids around the holidays. Editors of publications or sites focusing on books and writing are always eager to mention her project. <\/p>\n
9: Locate the sites of high profile people in your field (for fiction\u00e2\u20ac\u201dother authors in your genre) and find out where they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re getting publicity. Most of them will have a publicity or promotions page. What radio\/TV stations\/talk show hosts\/magazines are interested in this person? Perhaps you can get a gig on the same shows once your book is produced. Also include these possibilities in the promotions section of your book proposal.<\/p>\n
10: Get out and speak. Public speaking experience looks good on any resume and it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s an excellent opportunity to gain exposure and credibility in your field or interest. Speak to large groups and small ones. Speak locally and travel to speak. <\/p>\n
11: Participate in conferences related to your topic. Get to know the organizers even before your book is a book. If you can impress them with your knowledge and expertise\u00e2\u20ac\u201dthey may ask you to speak at their next event. And this is another great opportunity for exposure. It will look good on your book proposal, too. Be sure to provide a sign-up sheet so you can notify conference attendees about your book once it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s published.<\/p>\n
12: Whenever you do any speaking, teaching or writing, always submit announcements to newspapers and appropriate newsletters for additional exposure.<\/p>\n
Seriously consider all twelve of these activities and just watch your Google numbers rise. Not only could this ultimately increase your bottom line, but it will surely help in landing a publisher for your latest book.<\/p>\n
FYI, test your exposure level by doing a Google search. Use quotation marks around your name for a targeted search. When I do a targeted search using \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Patricia Fry\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I come up with 17,500 listings. If I type in \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Patricia L. Fry\u00e2\u20ac\u009d it is 11,800. Play around with your name and your topic to see how you rate. <\/p>\n
Why am I listed so often? Because I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve had hundreds of articles published in around 200 different magazines over the years. I have a Web site and a blog. I have 25 published books and they are listed on numerous sites. I solicit many book reviews for each book. I am affiliated with SPAWN, so my name comes up in association with this organization. I speak publicly many times each year. And, because I want to be known in the writing\/publishing community, I frequently submit articles to writing-related newsletters, magazines and Web sites; I participate in writers\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 forums, solicit interviews at writing sites, leave blog comments and place announcements whenever I plan to speak someplace.<\/p>\n
For more great ideas about how to promote your book and how to gain exposure, read The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book <\/em>. http:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/rightway.html<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" How many times does your name come up in a Google Search? 20,000? 10,000, 75 or just a handful? If you are an author promoting one or more books or if you are in the process of pitching a manuscript to publishers, you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d better get those numbers up! How? Exposure, exposure, exposure. I recommend to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t