Book Trailer for Self-Publishers
As a self-publisher, finding creative, engaging ways to promote your book is absolutely essential to making sales. Networking and other typical venues will not bring a flood of sales; you will have to get creative and promote your work in a variety of ways. If you can create something that makes your book irresistible to readers…something that makes your book seem special…something that sets your book apart from all the other ones out there, would you do it? Here are some marketing options for self-publishers.
One of the hottest ways to promote your book today is with a video trailer. A video book trailer can be posted on YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, and a host of other various websites and social media channels. Millions of people watch videos online every single day, so it really is the perfect way to spotlight your self-published book. It’s also a great way to tie your topic to a video. If you have written about a popular subject, and name your video accordingly, you will be able to draw interest from people who already want to know about your product.
Here are a few other reasons you should consider using a video trailer to promote your book:
• Trailers add a visual element to your book. Books are all about words, and while words can paint a great image in the reader’s mind, that’s not going to happen if they aren’t interested enough to read your book in the first place. A video trailer lets you use visual images and sounds to promote your story in a compelling way.
• People love to share videos. Just think about how often you see videos in your Facebook feed or in emails. When people see a great video, they often want to share it with their friends. If your friends are proud to know an author, they could share it for you without even being asked!
• You have lots of creative freedom. When it comes to creating a book trailer, the possibilities are endless. There are no rules. You have the freedom to create just about anything you can imagine, giving you a great chance to promote your book in a fun and surprising way that could garner lots of attention.
How to be Successful Using a Book Trailer for Promotion
Just throwing together a trailer and putting it up on YouTube isn’t any sort of guarantee you’ll be successful. Here are some tips to help you get the most from your trailer:
• Be interesting. Show people something they haven’t seen before. Grab their attention and don’t let them look away until your trailer is done. Creativity is key! Practice, practice, and practice again until the content is perfect.
• Give viewers the information they need. Your book trailer needs to be informative. It should give potential reader an idea of what the book is about, and it should let them know how to get their hands on your book.
• Use an overlay on your video. Did you know that a video can have a website link placed on it, so that people who view the video can click through to your website and purchase a book? It’s called a “video overlay”, and it’s free from YouTube.
There are endless marketing options for self-publishers. The key to a successful marketing strategy is to spend time on initiatives that will work, and bring in sales. The Book Trailer is a trending opportunity right now, do a little research, and get started!
A book trailer does not have to be expensive. Many people can make a video from text and photos alone. If you don’t have actual video, be sure to add some music to your video which reflects the theme of your book and grabs the listeners attention. Most people who have a Mac computer can make a professional looking video with iMovie. There are options, explore them! Make sure the final product is perfect, however, because this video is a prime indicator of what is under your book’s cover.
Hopefully these marketing options for self-publishers can help you get your book out to the public.