Book Marketing Strategies for Authors
Build an effective, honest, affordable marketing plan for a book—from identifying likely readers and shaping a clear promise to prelaunch outreach, release events, retail pages, reviews, ongoing audience relationships, and measurement. The ten modules contain forty stand-alone lessons with demonstrations, writing labs, and self-checks. Learners assemble a complete author-and-book marketing portfolio and present a practical 90-day plan. No prior marketing experience is required.
About this course
Course summary: Build an effective, honest, affordable marketing plan for a book—from identifying likely readers and shaping a clear promise to prelaunch outreach, release events, retail pages, reviews, ongoing audience relationships, and measurement. The ten modules contain forty stand-alone lessons with demonstrations, writing labs, and self-checks. Learners assemble a complete author-and-book marketing portfolio and present a practical 90-day plan. No prior marketing experience is required.
Course overview: Work with a real book project or invent a plausible title and audience. Each lab produces one piece of a complete campaign. Sample numbers in exercises are hypothetical, not forecasts. Platform rules and pricing can change, so confirm them before launch.
Learning outcomes: Identify reachable reader groups; craft positioning and promotional copy; create a manageable launch and reader-communication system; evaluate ethical reviews and partnerships; calculate basic campaign results; and revise a plan based on evidence.
Assessment: Forty lesson writing labs and self-checks lead to a capstone marketing plan with a 100-point rubric. You may work independently; peer review is optional.
Your course outline
The Book Market and Its Readers
What Book Marketing Actually Does
Find the Readers Most Likely to Care
Study Comparable Books Without Copying Them
Build the Reader-to-Buyer Journey
Plan the Marketing Strategy
Write a Measurable Book-Marketing Goal
Position the Book with a Clear Promise
Choose a Realistic Marketing Budget
Build a 90-Day Marketing Roadmap
Create a Trustworthy Author Brand
Define the Author Identity
Write an Author Bio and Tagline
Design a Useful Author Website
Choose Social Channels and Set Boundaries
Prepare Before Publication
Build a Reader Email List
Create a Reader Magnet and Welcome Sequence
Plan Teasers and Advance Reader Copies
Recruit Relevant Bloggers and Book Advocates
Launch Your Book
Choose a Launch Format and Schedule
Write a Launch Announcement and Media Pitch
Plan a Live or Virtual Reader Event
Coordinate the Launch Week
Sustain Momentum After Release
Write Content Readers Want to Share
Make a Practical Author Blog Plan
Use Podcasts and Short Video Strategically
Create a Sustainable Reader Newsletter
Reviews, Testimonials, and Trust
Understand Reviews Versus Endorsements
Ask for Honest Reviews Professionally
Build a Reviewer Outreach System
Use Praise Ethically and Respond to Criticism
Online Bookstores and Conversion
Write a Discoverable Book Listing
Craft a Book Description That Sells the Story
Compare Pricing and Promotional Options
Diagnose Weak Sales Pages
Collaborate with the Writing Community
Build Reciprocal Author Relationships
Plan a Joint Promotion
Find Book Fairs and Local Partnerships
Turn Events into Lasting Reader Connections
Measure, Revise, and Present the Plan
Choose Useful Marketing KPIs
Interpret a Small Campaign Report
Revise a Campaign Based on Evidence
Complete and Present a Book-Marketing Plan
Begin at your own writing desk.
Includes 5,000 AI credits. Review access and payment details in your workspace.