Reasons Why Book Promotion is More Important Than Ever
PR doesn't provide book sales. I've said it. You are setting yourself up for displeasure if you are doing PR because you believe you will sell enough books to recoup your expenditure. Most PR agencies demand a financial commitment of thousands of dollars per month and a minimum engagement of three to six months. To earn your investment, you would need to sell many books. However, I'm here to tell you that it's a worthwhile investment. This is why:
It Builds Your Brand Recognition
Yes, you have to consider yourself a brand as an author. Good media will not only help you engage influencers and develop relationships with your readers, but it will also boost the general public's impression of you. Positive reviews from unbiased sources have considerably more impact than recognition with paid placements, like display advertising. Bylined pieces, blogger reviews, verifiable reader evaluations on sites like Goodreads and Amazon, interviews, and features will all gain the authority that comes with receiving approval from reputable media outlets. And that always outperforms self-promotion or paid placements.
It Separates You from the Pack
In 2017, about a million books were released. That's a lot of novels, which means there's a lot of competition—especially for debut authors. What can you do to set yourself separately from the thousands of other new releases in your niche? This can be done for you with good PR. You want a potential customer to be aware of your book via various sources so that your identity and book are known. Wouldn't you choose the book being discussed everywhere if a reader had to choose between your book and another one that merely had a cool cover? The reader may have seen some reviews of your book and may even recognize your photo from a web feature. I, for one, would.
The value of good press can be difficult to quantify, but given the unreliable media landscape of today, I believe that publicity is worth its weight in gold.
It Helps Drive SEO
Everyone is aware of the meaning of Google search rankings and the requirement that relevant results appear on the first page of results. Their domain authority makes reputable publications that link to a book's website elevate search results. When considering prospects for guest blogging, it can be especially important to consider the longevity of high-quality, timeless content on the web. The results of these labors can be seen over the long term, even though these writing chances could require more labor in the short term. Even after your book's publishing date has passed, this content can still drive traffic to you and your book and increase its page rank.
The environment for book promotions has drastically transformed during the last ten years. Print coverage is still decreasing and, in some cases, disappearing altogether. And although online promotion was once considered "good to have," it is now a requirement. It may be quite challenging to break through the noise in today's news cycle with its frequent political and cultural controversies. The presidential election of 2016 won't make matters any simpler. But despite these difficulties, effective PR is more crucial than ever.
