15 Ways to Promote Your Book for Free

Promoting a book as an indie author doesn’t have to break the bank. There are numerous cost-effective strategies that can help you gain visibility, connect with readers, and propel your literary work into the spotlight. Keep reading to learn 15 ways to promote your book for free.

1. Increase your presence on social media

If you don’t have accounts on popular social media yet, you should change that. Such platforms allow you to access a global audience, including potential readers.

You can become visible online with engaging and attractive content. Using attention-grabbing marketing materials in social networks, such as vibrant banners and ad images, is an excellent idea. 

You should update your pages regularly so that users can see that your account is active and up-to-date.

2. Write guest posts

Guest posting means writing a piece of content and publishing it on a website or blog owned by another person or company. This strategy allows you to reach a broader audience, establish credibility, and promote your books to a larger community.

Here are more tips for effective guest blogging:

• Select relevant platforms and blogs. They should have an established readership that aligns with your target audience.
• Pitch suitable topics. Your content must be relevant to the platform’s audience.
• Create high-quality content. Guest posts should be well-researched, engaging, and showcase your expertise or unique perspective.
• Engage with the audience. Interacting with readers in the comments section or through social media is an excellent idea.

To avoid paying to host your guest posts, you should find a platform or person with a blog that will benefit from cooperation with you. You can also work on barter and post their content on your resources.

3. Arrange giveaways

Giveaways can effectively create buzz, increase visibility, engage with readers, and ultimately boost book sales. 

This strategy also helps to build an email list or social media following. To enter the giveaway, participants may be required to sign up for the author’s newsletter or follow them on social media.

4. Start a blog

This way, you will showcase your writing skills and connect directly with readers. By engaging in conversations through comments and responding to questions.

Moreover, regularly publishing blog content can improve your website’s SEO. You can attract organic traffic from search engines, helping potential readers discover your books.

5. Collaborate with other authors

Cooperation with indie authors can help you reach a broader audience and find new readers. The essential thing here is to find fellows who write in the same genre and on similar topics as you. 

You can collaborate with other authors in several ways, for example:

• Write guest posts for each other
• Arrange joint giveaways
• Host lives or podcasts
• Share your experience
• Create a joint educational course for your fans
• Become beta or ARC readers for each other.

In any case, collaborating with another author can bring you both a lot of fun.

6. Create valuable and visually appealing content

Today’s digital world is full of content, but fortunately, not all are high-quality and attractive. That’s why you should stand out with valuable publications complemented by eye-catching visuals.

Use vibrant images, interesting graphics, and captivating videos to:

• Create a positive first impression
• Showcase your creativity
• Enhance shareability 
• Boost engagement and visibility.

In addition, visuals make content more readable, understandable, and SEO-friendly. 

7. Join Pinterest and update it regularly

You may already be using this platform for writing. It’s a great place to create inspirational mood boards and find valuable resources. However, you can also use Pinterest to promote your books, as its audience reaches 465 million people.

What content in the form of visuals to share? 

• Your book promo materials and book covers
• Checklists, tips, and quotes
• Book trailers, funny clips, and informative videos
• Maps and graphs.

It is crucial to publish regularly on Pinterest, ideally even daily. You may not see results in the beginning. But after 4-5 months, you will notice how much your reach has increased.

8. Use hashtags

Using the right hashtags can significantly increase the visibility of your book promotion posts on social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and even Facebook. 

Here’s a list of hashtags that you can consider using to promote their books effectively:

You should also use hashtags indicating your genre and location. But avoid adding many hashtags in a single post. 5-7 ones for one publication will be a reasonable number.

9.  Create a YouTube channel

YouTube allows you to connect with your audience visually and personally. Through video content, you can share your personality, passion for writing, and insights into your creative process. It helps to build a deeper connection with potential readers.

You can upload your book trailers, arrange Q&A sessions, read excerpts from your novels, show behind-the-scene content and your writing routine, and more. But remember that creating and maintaining a successful YouTube channel requires time, effort, and consistency.

10. Sign up for Substack

Substack is a subscription-based newsletter service combining Mailchimp, Patreon, and Medium functions. This platform is now gaining popularity, although it has existed since 2017.

What content to share via Substack?

• News and updates
• Book covers and other designs
• Excerpts
• Behind-the-scenes insights
• Expert articles on writing and self-publishing.

Moreover, Substack allows inserting polls, buttons, and other interactive elements without using external resources.

11. Start an author’s account on Goodreads

It would be strange not to use a platform specifically created for readers and authors. Goodreads provides a unique space for writers to connect with their audience, promote their books, and engage in discussions about literature.

When starting your author’s account, add your photo, bio, and interesting facts about you, and list all your books. On Goodreads, you can see your books’ reviews and ratings and communicate with readers. Don’t forget to answer questions you’re an expert in.

Goodreads has an Author Program that provides authors with additional promotional tools and resources. You share excerpts, host giveaways, and more through this program.

12. Engage with book clubs

 Book clubs provide a unique opportunity to connect with readers, generate buzz, and gain exposure to your work. They consist of avid readers passionate about discussing and sharing their thoughts on books.

Book clubs are usually happy to have the opportunity to invite a published writer to their meetings. If you make a good impression, there is a high probability that members will recommend your book to their friends outside the club.

13. Reach out to local libraries and establishments

Local libraries are usually enthusiastic about supporting local authors, providing an excellent opportunity to expand your reader base. Consider donating a few complimentary copies to them.

In addition, consider reaching out to local cozy cafes. Many people enjoy calm afternoons or evenings, drinking coffee and reading a good book. Visit these establishments with an offer to provide copies of your work, accessible for their customers to read on-site, free of charge.

14. Join online communities

Pay attention to Facebook groups and forums devoted to reading and writing. Joining a community relevant to your book’s genre allows you to connect directly with a focused audience more likely to be interested in your work.

Answering questions, participating in discussions, and sharing content related to your book can foster deeper connections with potential readers. In such communities, you can also find other indie authors interested in collaboration for mutual benefits.

15. Set up Amazon Author Central

Amazon Author Central is your dashboard for managing your author page. This platform empowers you to personalize your page, monitor your book’s rankings, engage with reviews, communicate with your readership, and access various other features.

You also can add your social media links and website so readers will stay informed about your most recent releases, upcoming events, and writing pursuits. This enhances the connection between you and your audience.

Summing up

Using these strategies, you can effectively generate interest, engage with readers, and expand your audience without breaking the bank. Even though these methods are free, you must invest time, desire, and effort.

You also need to constantly and regularly produce content to maintain interest in your book.