With all the social media and networking sites out there, it can be hard to decide where to focus your online marketing efforts. When deciding which online communities to be a part of, remember that your primary goal behind using any social media site should be to reach out and build relationships with potential readers. With that goal in mind, we can’t think of a better place to concentrate your energy than Goodreads.
Goodreads is an online community where readers gather to discover new titles, rate and review books they’ve read, join reading groups, share reading lists, track their reading progress, etc. If you’re looking for a surefire way to get your book in front of a large group of dedicated readers, look no further. This is a place designed with readers in mind.
But Goodreads isn’t just built around readers. It was created with authors in mind, too. Using Goodreads’ free Author Program, you can take advantage of several fun and unique ways to promote your work, establish an online presence and catch the attention of Goodreads users.
Create an author profile.
As an author, you can have a different type of profile than the typical reader profile on Goodreads. For a great example of what your author profile on Goodreads could look like, take a look at how WestBow Press author Ashley Hodges Bazer is using the site. She’s taking advantage of the opportunity to showcase her author bio, list her books, share video, write blog posts, and more — all on a single page.
Host a book giveaway.
As a unique way to generate interest in your book, run a book giveaway on Goodreads. You can select how many books you want to give away and choose how long to run the contest. Goodreads will list your giveaway, and readers can enter to win a copy of your book. According to Goodreads, the average giveaway attracts 825 entries. That just might be the boost your book needs to reach more readers.
Join groups.
Within the larger Goodreads community, you can join smaller groups of readers and authors who share similar interests. Use these groups as places to engage with readers and learn from fellow authors. By joining (and becoming an active participant in) the right groups (whether it’s a contemporary Christian fiction book club or a group where Christian authors and writers can talk about their faith), you can truly zoom in on your target audience.
These are just a few ways to use Goodreads to your advantage as an author. Just like any other social media platform, we encourage you to dive in, explore, and see what works for you. If you’re having fun as an active user, readers will take notice — and take interest.
Do you use Goodreads? We’d love to hear from you! Share your ideas and experiences in the comments below.
Goodreads is a valuable asset in an author’s arsenal. One thing I’ve learned using Goodreads is don’t just join a group, but constantly interact with them. Name dropping in a group and never returning is more like spam than building reader relationships.