Today I spoke with a fledgling author looking for ways for her readers to discover her work. Last week, I met another author with five published books who sought marketing tips and secrets to broaden her readership. One writes fiction, one non-fiction. One is indie published, the other works with a small publishing house.
My number one challenge? Finding my readers and connecting with them, and of course, encouraging them to buy my books.
Believe me. These are not isolated cases. I get this question more than any other, and to be honest, I ask it more, too because an author unable to reach her readers cannot survive.
Discovery is crucial, without it we can remain writers, but not published authors.
My point – we all struggle with the same problem.
So, what is the key to Discovery?
Every writer finds growing an audience a constant uphill battle. Even Rebecca Yarros and Colleen Hoover had to build an audience at one point. Whether you are publishing your first book, or your tenth, getting eyes, the right eyes, on your new work is the key to sales, reviews, momentum. But it doesn’t happen in a vacuum— and it doesn’t happen with luck, or by throwing every marketing idea you have against the wall and seeing what sticks.
Discovery comes from building up traffic, quality traffic for your novel or work of non-fiction, be it online or in a store. If enough traffic sees your work, and you have done the necessary work on your cover, your title, your blurb, and other marketing essentials, then the right readers will move from wandering by to buy.
What if I told you there was a shortcut to finding that traffic? Quality traffic, the exact traffic your book required.
You can tap into the existing traffic and leverage the current networks of other authors, authors reaching the readers you are trying to reach. Yep, you can steal their traffic (well, share it might be a nicer way to put it) to increase your own visibility?
Here are five of the most effective ways to share traffic, team up with other authors, grow your fanbase, and hone your craft, all while expanding your reach and assist other authors in expanding theirs.
Anthologies: My Favorite Way to Steal Traffic
Many people make their living bringing together groups of like-minded authors to publish anthologies, usually around a similar topic, and usually offered on a limited time basis. Some are money makers, most are not. Some raise money or awareness for charities and causes—these happen to be my favorites.
But whatever the reason, anthologies are a fabulous way to share traffic with other authors and they offer a number of added benefits as well:
There is the obvious exposure to new readers —duh, that’s why we’re here, right. Put twenty authors in an anthology and poof! You are now getting discovered by the readers of nineteen authors besides yourself– most of whom are likely to seek out the kind of books you write. Anthologies provide a powerful platform for cross-promotion, where each author shares the collection with their existing fanbase. I cannot stress the value of this organic swap in expanding your audience.
But in addition, you get additional benefits, especially if you are a first-time or less experienced author. Consider the value of receiving feedback from the host of your anthology, or the other authors, perhaps more experienced than you in your genre. Their constructive insights and feedback can be particularly valuable to an author still unable to afford often lofty expense of a professional editor.
Remember to read your fellow collaborators submissions as well, and learn from their writing, creating a potential cycle of development that benefits all participants. You’ll also get a wonderful chance to network with the other authors, since you will be marketing the anthology as a team. I have lifelong friends from my first anthology. The book netted me $50, the relationships I built are priceless. We reach out to one another for feedback on blurbs, covers, and to help promote each other’s works a full decade later.
Anthologies not only introduce your work to new readers, but if you choose, they can offer an opportunity to experiment with different genres or sub-genres. For instance, I stepped out of my comfort zone, contemporary romance, and submitted a time-travel romance, Broken Time, in an anthology. Anthologies offer a low-risk chance to test new waters, with a built-in audience ready to check out your creation.
Ideally, your anthology is well-promoted, readers love your story, and they are eager to follow you and check out your other work. This is how you grow a loyal readership that expands as you continue to publish. What’s more, if the anthology becomes a success, your name may appear on bestseller lists, boosting your visibility even more. Being able to say you’re a bestselling author can significantly increase your credibility and attract readers who might not have found you otherwise.
But be warned. A successful anthology might catch the attention of more readers, publishers, editors, or other authors looking for collaboration, but it will also earn you more reviews and critiques. You are putting yourself out there in a bigger way.
And one more word of caution before you jump in, from someone who has learned the hard way. It’s important to evaluate the host, the potential costs (both in time and money), and the promotion requirements before you join an anthology. If possible, see who else is participating, how many other authors there are, are they similar to you in genre, audience, and exposure? Are they likely to help draw readers, or to rely on you to increase their discovery with nothing offered in return?
Choose your collaborations wisely, pay attention to deadlines, and review all contract terms carefully. When done right, a romance anthology offers much to gain and little to lose.
It’s my favorite way to steal traffic. But there are much easier and quicker ways. Let’s look at a few.
Guest Blogging: An Easy Way to Steal Traffic
Instead of submitting an entire novel or novella, consider writing a blog post for another author’s blog. Just by making your presence known to that author’s readers, you expose her readers to your books. Guest blogging is a powerful way to get your writing in front of new readers my using the power of networking, networking, networking.
By offering to write posts for blogs that appeal specifically to your fanbases, you can showcase your expertise, share your knowledge, and introduce and promote your books to your ideal readers. Whether you are lucky enough to promote your latest work, write about topics related to your book or share insights into the writing process, a guest post, along with a terrific biography linking back to your website, allows you to reach readers who are already interested in the kind of content you create.
Consider offering a free sample of your work, a reader magnet, a bonus chapter perhaps, and you will quickly drive traffic from you guest author’s blog site to your own platform.
Guest Podcasting: A New Way to Steal Traffic
Applying the same theory as guest blogging, being a guest on a popular podcast that already attracts your potential readers is a fantastic way for authors to increase their chances of discovery.
Appearing as a guest on a podcast that aligns with your genre allows you an opportunity to share your writing journey, behind the scenes stories, details and teasers of your current books or backlist, and share your expertise in a personal, conversational way. Podcasts often have loyal listeners. They have built trust and rapport which they transfer to you, potentially turning their listeners into dedicated readers. As with a blog post, you can offer exclusive content, driving traffic to your social media page or website to join your email list.
Swaps: Steal Traffic and Build an eMail List – the Ultimate Win
Speaking of email lists…they are worth their weight in gold for any author. Having control of a list of your readers and fans and being able to communicate with them directly is the perfect way to build reader loyalty. Getting traffic to join your list is the ultimate win.
A great way to add new readers to your email list is by participating in newsletter swaps with other authors. By collaborating with authors having similar readers, and featuring each other’s books in your newsletters, or swapping, you effectively introduce your audience to their book in exchange for them doing the same for your books.
Sharing each other’s works allows you and your swap partner to gain exposure to each other’s subscriber lists, helping lead you both to new subscribers, and fans, and new book sales. A well-timed newsletter swap can also promote limited time offers or new releases, creating a buzz around your book. Swaps are a wonderful tool during a launch, a price promotion or a contest as well.
I love using Story Origin to help me find great swap partners, matching on genres, dates and more.
Free Promotions: No Cost/Low Cost Method to Steal Traffic
Participating in free book promotions is another proven strategy for building traffic without spending the kind of dollars you would spend on advertising. Platforms like Freebooksy, Fussy Librarian or eReader News Today offer promotional services where authors can list their books for free for a limited time, or for a nominal fee if you prefer a longer or more extensive promotion. If you want to spend the big bucks, Bookbub is the Cadillac of these sites.
By participating in these promotions, you expose your work to a larger audience, attract new readers interested in your genre, and encourage reviews. On sites such as Bookfunnel or Story Origin, many authors team up to host joint promotions, where a group of writers offers their books for free in a coordinated effort to gain visibility. These promotions are a great way to offer free downloads of your reader magnet, increase visibility, and introduce your work to readers who would never have discovered you otherwise.
Stealing Traffic: High Reward, Low Risk
Each of these stealing methods offers a unique opportunity to tap into other writer’s existing traffic to grow your author brand. Through networking and collaboration, you can leverage the power of other authors’ audiences to expand your own. Each of these methods offers tremendous value and little risk, so why not try them all?
