Online Marketing 101 .

Online marketing is comprised of many components. Each component is a stand-alone effort that produces a given targeted result. But when they’re all engaged together, it forms the basis of a full marketing plan. To follow are some areas of marketing and some suggestions on how to use them.

Press Kit: Before you begin a marketing effort, you have to get things in place. And a press kit is a necessary tool. A press kit contains all the pertinent information about the author and the work, including previous press coverage. This kit is provided to writers and publications that may want to review your book and/or interview you. It is important and professional to have one. Contact me if you’d like a reference for someone who does this type of work. 

Social Marketing: Social marketing is of great importance because by now nearly everyone from your six-year-old cousin upwards to your grandmother has a Facebook account, Twitter Account, Google+, or otherwise. These sites are a bountiful resource with a high outreach in which to feature your work in a semi-personal setting. Most of the people you reach are likely friends or friends of a friend.

Most people who have online profiles are likely to check in to their account at least two or more times weekly, others will do so daily.

“The point is…if you’re f**king off then you be f**ked in the end.”

Accordingly, fox4kc.com posted an article on March 28, 2013 based on a study conducted by FB (Face Book) revealing that the average cell phone user checks in on his or her page an average of 13.8 times daily — upon 15 minutes after waking up, a number that was even higher for persons between the ages of 18 to 24 years old who checked their accounts almost immediately.

it was shown that the average person spent at least 2 minutes and 30 seconds on FB. That’s plenty of time for a potential buyer to take notice of a clever ad featuring your book. The best part is that it can or will cost you absolutely nothing to do so. Twitter is another smart avenue in which to do so as well.

Networking is the key, but it’s not just about posting your ads or attention-getting posts. If you walked into a room and met a group of people that a friend introduced you to, you would like engage in conversations with them, not walk up and say “look at my book cover, buy my book.” So don’t think that you can do any different on social networks. Yes they virtually connect us with large groups of people absent physical presence, but that doesn’t mean we should behave absent social etiquette.

Don’t be afraid to reach out and say to the world, “Here I am!” But be tactful when saying “Please read my book.”

Most of all be sociable hermits live alone in the woods and are hidden from the eyes of potential buyers, and if you are afraid to speak out, then have a friend or someone you hire to do it on your behalf. But do it by some means, because in today’s marketplace you simply have a much harder road without using social media.

“The point is…if you’re f**king off then you be f**ked in the end.”

Get the word out about your work anyway you can among your fellow peers, and most of all get your status up. Popularity always equals better sales.

Blog: They have been popular since the early days of the Internet and show no signs of slowing down. Most people love to share their thoughts and comment upon popular issues. A blog can be easily started on blog platforms like Blogspot, a Google service, Helium, and/or many many others, or you can create your own blog (using prepacked software like WordPress, Joomla, Drupal,) or hire a designer that can design, create and configure it for you. But get one and us it.

If you have your own site (rather than using the platforms) then you’ll want to hire a marketing firm to do Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for the site. A website without online marketing is like a store in a basement with no sign out front.

Online marketing of your site, product and/or service is a daunting task however, requiring diligence and expertise. You have to compete with millions of other sites out there in cyber-land for the attention of your would-be audience.

But still, blogs are a great avenue for one to be seen and heard, promote yourself, help others, create an audience of loyal followers, and let people get to know you better through your words of wisdom. In fact according to a Xlibris blogging ad, they note that blogging has increased dramatically over the years and at least most Americans who visit a blog spend 3x’s more time on an average blog than on their own email; 50% find useful information; 19% refine their purchase information; 17% discover new items, and 7% make their purchase.

What this means to you as an author is that your book can be put directly in the face of new readers who can learn about your product within a smaller environment and avoid being overwhelmed by a site such as Amazon. Also with more information presented on a blog people will also get a better perception of who you are as a writer, which in turn can help you sell more books without you physically being there. Each blog created gives you a unique audience. Some blogs such as TMZ receive well over 12 million visitors monthly. Blog tours are also a great way to be seen by numerous individuals. Blog tours can range from as little as a 150 dollars up to several hundred. Most virtual tours usually consist of as few as 5 stops up to 20 for the bigger ones.

Book Trailers & Creative Videos: Having a visual to market your book is never a bad thing. In fact you can create a simple video for absolutely no cost using free software such as Windows Movie Maker, a video editing program. Or you can utilize sites like gigbucks.com where you can find services beginning as low as a few dollars up to several hundred. There’s a budget for everyone. For example, I made this simple but effective video below for less than twenty bucks.

Videos and book trailers can be excellent attention grabbers and help build follows. You can use them as a direct or indirect marketing tool: you can post them on social media pages, email them to friends, and even include links to them in your email signature. Your video can  then be easily shared or reposted virtually anywhere on the internet or other electronic media sharing devices. And you can solicit niche sites focused on urban fiction in particular to include your video on their sites. For instance, here on dioncheese.com the upcoming social network  iUrban.org and/or the soon to be launched magazine Urban Fiction News. The more places you post it, the odds of someone new seeing your message will increase exponentially.

Email Blasts
Many websites like TargetedEmailsads.com target direct audiences that have not only given prior permission to receive marketing material, but have also been identified within the genre and/or demographic that you wish to target. Dioncheese.com, iurban.org, UrbanFictionNews.com will also be doing this for authors that sign up to the sites, and books that are reviewed and/or authors interviewed on those sites.

Most sites charge under a hundred dollars a month for such services. Most email blasts reach thousands of individuals who now have a direct opportunity to view and buy your book. Although the percentage of sales may be on the low side for some sites; the outreach investment is potentially high.

According to a website called Marketingland.com a 2012 survey shows that 91% of people were drawn into online stores due to online promotion.

Internet Advertising
There are many sites which offer free advertising in addition to paid advertising, and to be blunt you should heed this sound advice: You Get What You Pay For! Meaning; if you pay nothing you usually get nothing.Although it probably won’t hurt to take anything offered for free, you should exercise common sense in this area when it comes to your book.

If you pay nothing, the odds of your book being seen among thousands of other books having paid and unpaid advertisements are virtually nil; zilch. Bigger ads get more results just like a bigger house is seen better than a rundown shack in a wooded forest. If you are not willing to invest in yourself then why would you expect a consumer to do the same?

Ads can be very effective if done the right way. Having a beautiful book cover doesn’t hurt, but toss in a synopsis, author photo, and short bio, and the game changes dramatically. Without ads your book may as well be sitting in someone’s dusty old basement.

Reviews & Word Of Mouth
Word of mouth is your cheapest, and potentially most potent tool for advertising and starting a buzz. But recognize that you have to make it easy for people to promote you. Even the most ardent friend will only help until it requires effort. Then they’re gone.

Reviews and word of mouth usually go hand in hand. A written review is someone else’s opinion of your work; a stamp of approval of sorts. A book with no reviews is a book with no credibility. Most people will not purchase an unknown author unless someone gives it thumbs up. For example, have you ever debated about whether or not to buy a specific product such as a dress or shirt only to find yourself asking a stranger, friend, or otherwise… “Excuse me, but which of these do you prefer?”

I don’t know about you, but good or bad, I’d rather have a bad review then none at all. Why a bad one you may ask? The fact of the matter is, I’d prefer even a bad one to none because if I get enough of them it will let me know that I should save my money and toss my pen, or, either find a new market in which to advertise or write something new.

Either way reviews or word of mouth can make or break your career due to either negative or positive perception. Without them one will never truly know if his/her work as an author is truly appreciated by their fans. Enough said, stay tuned for more informative articles which will cover many topics within. I hope that many of you find this information as useful and post either your like or dislike of the content herein.

Think urban! and keep writing!