Make Money Self-Publishing

Make Money Self-Publishing  

A common question from aspiring authors is how to make money self-publishing.

“Yes” –  you can make money self-publishing. Many authors have found success and have generated income from self-publishing their books.

Self-publishing has several advantages. Authors control the publishing process; royalties are high; and, there is the opportunity to reach a global audience.

Here are 10 ways to make money self-publishing your books:

1. Royalties

royalties

When you self-publish a book, you earn royalties from the sale of each book. Platforms like Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) and IngramSpark allow you to set the price of your book and earn a royalty percentage.

 

2. Multiple formats & different platforms

Publishing your book in multiple formats and on different platforms widens your reach. This gives you the potential to make more sales and more revenue.  Not only are you appealing to different markets you are accessing markets throughout the world. 

3. eBooks

eBooks are a popular because they are easy to distribute, and readers can purchase and download them instantly. Authors can generate income from eBook sales by pricing them competitively and marketing them effectively.

4. Print-on-demand

Self-publishing platforms offer options to create print-on-demand (POD) versions of your book in both paperback and hardback formats. This means that when a reader orders a printed copy, it is printed and shipped on demand. You earn royalties from the sale of each printed book.

5. Audiobooks

Audiobooks

Audiobooks have gained popularity in recent years. This is another market authors can tap into.

Platforms like Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX) and Findaway Voices allow authors to produce and sell audiobooks, earning more royalties based on sales.

Publishing an audiobook gives you an additional income stream. They help you build authority in your space, and they create an entirely new experience around the content you’re sharing with the world.

6. Expanded distribution

In addition to online platforms, there are expanded distribution options. Think about making your book available in bookstores, schools, libraries, and other retail channels.

With IngramSpark and its distribution base of over 40,000 outlets, you can get your books into bookstores, schools and libraries. This broadens your reach and increases your earning potential.

7. PLR and ELR

Once you get your books into schools and libraries you can be eligible to receive income from the government’s Public Lending Right (PLR) and Education Lending Right(ELR).

In addition, for registered users, the Copyright Agency collects and distributes copyright fees for the copying and sharing of text and images.

8. Build a list of raving fans

Self-publishing provides an opportunity to connect directly with your readers. Build a loyal fan base.

By engaging with your audience through social media, email newsletters, email broadcasts, and author blogs, you can cultivate a following that supports your work and leads to increased book sales.

9. Market research

The self-publishing adventure really starts when you first decide to write a book. Before you even put pen to paper an author needs to do their market research. You need to discover whether or not you are writing in a profitable niche.

If you write a book and it has no market this could result in zero sales. You don’t want to become a very disappointed author, do you?

If you want to earn an income do your market research and write in a profitable niche.

10. Become an Author Entrepreneur

Once you have published your book and become an authority or established your author platform there are more ways then for growing your income.

The backend of self-publishing is to leverage multiple sources of income by scaling up your book business. Become an Author Entrepreneur.

There are multiple ways for growing your income:

  • affiliate sales,
  • eCommerce
  • freelance writing,
  • speaking engagements,
  • creating and selling online courses,
  • content writing for businesses,
  • organising writing retreats,
  • editing,
  • having your book adapted into a film or TV show,
  • merchandising, and
  • much more.

It’s important to note that while self-publishing offers great potential for income, success is not guaranteed.

Building an audience, marketing your book effectively, and producing high-quality content are crucial factors for achieving financial success as a self-published author.

The Self-Publishing Genius

Have you thought about becoming a self-published author?

The Self-Publishing Genius, my online program of 8 modules containing more than 70 video lessons is for aspiring authors who want to manage the entire publishing process themselves, who want to dive deep into self-publishing, and who want to generate multiple streams of income.

The program is designed for those who want their hand held with personal step-by-step guidance to help them navigate their way through the cyberspace maze of book publishing.

Find out more by getting your FREE ticket to my live masterclass.  Press the green button below.

Register Now

Marji Hill

Author and Coach

Join Facebook Group: Fast Self-Publishing Online

No More Book Set Up Fees

No More Book Set Up Fees

No more book set up fees

 

IngramSpark recently made a major announcement – No more book set-up fees.

As of 1 May 2023, IngramSpark offers its customers free title setup. In addition, there are free revisions of your book for up to 60 days. This is very exciting news!

Given that IngramSpark no longer charges book set-up fees you, the author, can upload and self-publish your book for FREE.

The past

Up until May this year, IngramSpark charged a $49 fee. This was always a barrier at its point of entry.

Sometimes a self-publisher could get a promo code that waived the fee. Still, to get this you needed to be a member of the Australian Society of Authors (ASA) or a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors or else you could access the promo code in some other way.

Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) on the other hand never charged a fee so KDP was a more attractive option for self-publishing.

Game changer 

The IngramSpark announcement is a game-changer and is exciting news for self-publishers!

In addition to removing the upload fee Ingram has also removed the $25 fee to revise your book. If you’ve made a mistake – No problem. You can revise your book for free so long as you do this within 60 days of the book’s first production date.

Backend fee

However, there will be a fee at the backend. While most authors will enable their books for distribution to the 40,000 outlets – bookstores, retailers, libraries, and schools that Ingram Content Group supply there will now be charged a global distribution market access fee equivalent to 1% of the local list price when sold.  This will take effect from July 1, 2023.

At the same time, IngramSpark will also introduce the Ultra-premium colour option, which will help those publishing coffee table books get awesome vibrancy.

These new developments with IngramSpark are game changers and will certainly challenge the ever-popular Amazon platform.

What is IngramSpark? 

IngramSpark is a self-publishing platform that allows authors and independent publishers to create and distribute print-on-demand (POD) books and ebooks to bookstores, libraries, and online retailers worldwide. It is a subsidiary of the Ingram Content Group, a leading book distributor and printing company.

With IngramSpark, authors can upload their book manuscript and cover design, set the pricing, and enable distribution throughout the world.

IngramSpark offers a variety of book formats, including hardcover, paperback, and ebook, and supports a wide range of trim sizes, paper types, and binding options. Authors can also order print copies of their books at a discounted rate.

Distribution

IngramSpark distributes books to a network of over 40,000 bookstores, libraries, and online retailers, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and independent bookstores. It also offers global distribution to over 200 countries and territories.

IngramSpark provides authors with tools to manage their book sales and distribution, including sales reporting and marketing resources. It also offers editorial, design, and formatting services for an additional fee.

Overall, IngramSpark is a popular self-publishing platform that offers authors an easy and affordable way to publish and distribute their books globally.

How to use IngramSpark

How to publish your book with IngramSpark is the topic of one of the modules in The Self-Publishing Genius. Find out more by registering for this FREE online, live masterclass by hitting the green button below.

Register Now

Marji Hill

Author and Coach

Join Facebook Group: Fast Self-Publishing Online

Can AI Replace an Author?

Can AI Replace an Author?

Artificial Intelligence

Since November 2022 the artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT has taken the world by storm. It has had a lot of attention for its detailed responses and articulate answers across many domains of knowledge. This raises the question can artificial intelligence (AI) replace an author?

Books about ChatGPT

During the first three months after ChatGPT became available to the public, hundreds of books appeared on Amazon about ChatGPT. A couple of examples are ChatGPT for Nonfiction Authors by Hassan Osman, and Write your book with ChatGPT by Tristan Mahlow.

My Question to ChatGPT

I posed a question to ChatGPT. I asked, “Can ChatGPT write a book?” This was the reply:

As an artificial language model, I am capable of generating text on a variety of topics, including fictional stories, non-fictional essays, and more. However, I am not capable of writing a book on my own, as writing a book requires a level of intentionality, creativity, and critical thinking that goes beyond the capabilities of AI language models.

That being said, I can certainly assist and provide support to human authors in a variety of ways, such as generating ideas, providing research material, or even offering suggestions on language and style. Ultimately, however, the actual process of writing a book, including conceptualising the plot, developing the characters, and weaving the narrative together, is a uniquely human endeavour that requires imagination, empathy, and personal experience.

The answer then to the question can AI replace an author is that at this point in time, AI can assist an author to write a book but not totally replace the author.

Here are some ways Artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to help write a book.

Can AI replace an author

Content generation

AI-powered content generation tools can be used to write a book automatically. These tools use natural language processing (NLP) algorithms to analyze large amounts of text and generate coherent sentences and paragraphs that make up a book. Authors can provide a general outline or topic for the book, and the AI generates the content based on that input.

Language Translation

AI can be used to translate a book written from one language to another. This can be useful for authors who want to reach a global audience and publish their work in multiple languages. Translation tools use machine learning algorithms to learn the grammar, syntax, and vocabulary of different languages and accurately translate the text.

Editing and proofreading

AI-powered editing and proofreading tools can be used to improve the quality of a book’s writing. These tools use machine learning algorithms to identify grammar and spelling errors, incorrect word usage, and other common writing mistakes. They can also suggest alternative phrasing and sentence structures to make the writing more clear and more concise.

Book recommendation

AI can be used to recommend books to readers based on their interests, reading history, and other factors. This can help authors reach a wider audience and increase the visibility of their work.

Revolutionise the book world

Overall, artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionise the way books are created and published, making it easier and more efficient for authors to produce high-quality content that reaches a global audience.

To learn more about self-publishing your book register for my FREE online class and I will walk you step-by-step through my system – The Self-Publishing Genius.

 

Register Now

Marji Hill

Author and Coach

Join Facebook Group: Fast Self-Publishing Online

Market Your Book Early

Market Your Book Early

Market your book early

 

Q: When should I start marketing my book?

A: Market your book early.

A smart way to build an audience for your book and generate interest in it is to start the marketing strategy even before your book has been written or published. 

Market your book early because you can build up a huge following of potential readers so that when your book is released, you’ve already got an audience to promote it to. Create a book buzz.

Validate your idea

Before you start writing validate your idea. Assuming you want to produce a book that sells write in a profitable niche and define your target audience. Who will read your book? Consider, then, the goals for your book.

Draft metadata

In this early phase of creation draft your metadata – your author bio, a title and sub-title, do some research into Amazon categories, make a list of possible keywords, and draft the book description.

Plant the seed

Start planting the seed for your forthcoming book. Build your author website where you can share updates about your writing process, snippets of your book, and other related content. This will be your author hub and the foundation for your marketing strategy.

Use the website to build an email list of potential readers. Offer exclusive content to your email subscribers or social media followers; provide behind-the-scenes glimpses into your writing process or early access to your book.

Create social media profiles for you as the author, share updates and interact with potential readers. Use social media ads to promote your book to a wider audience.

Book fairs and events

Market your book early

Attend book fairs and events in your genre and network with other authors and potential readers. You can also promote your book by giving out bookmarks, business cards, or other promotional materials.

Create a media kit

Once your target audience is defined organise your marketing message with promotional hooks, “sell sheets”, author photographs, professional book covers, and book trailers so that potential readers get a taste of your book. Share this on your website, on social media, or YouTube, with potential book reviewers and local media.

Launch team

Organise a launch team. Give Advanced Review Copies (ARCs) to your team because these can be the source of book reviews when your book is published. You need reviews because many people will buy a book based on other people’s recommendations.

Once you have solid reviews, your success is almost guaranteed.

At the same time try to get blurbs or endorsements for your book to help with the marketing when the book is released.

Remember to build relationships with your potential readers on social media and your email list. This way, when your book is finally published, you’ll have a loyal following of people who are eager to read your book.

Start your marketing campaign early. You’ll thank yourself later when your book is on the way to success. 

If you want to learn more about self-publishing your book then join my FREE online live masterclass where I’ll walk you step-by-step through my system – The Self-Publishing Genius.

 

Register Now

Marji Hill

Author and Coach

Join Facebook Group: Fast Self-Publishing Online

Building Your Author Platform

Building Your Author Platform

 

As an aspiring author do you want to build an author platform? Your answer should be “Yes” as it’s an essential step to establishing a strong presence in the book world. 

Author platform

Building an author platform is not just about writing and publishing your book. Nor is it about doing lots of promotions to make sales.

Your Presence as an Author

Yes, you do sell your work, but you sell books because of who you are and the people that follow you.

An author platform is your name, your personality, your reputation, and the connections that you have. 

Authors who self-publish need a platform to promote their books and become successful. This is not only for self-publishers; it’s for all authors and for those who publish with mainstream publishers. These days publishers expect their authors to have an author platform.

When you have an author platform: 

  • you stand out from the crowd 
  • you are set apart

But building an author platform is not something that you establish overnight; it takes time to develop.

Building your author platform means that as time goes on you have a presence, a personality, expertise, and a brand. Your personality and branding come across in the online space as well as outside the internet.

You have a presence that is communicated to your followers in what you’ve written, the information about you, your blog posts, and your social media posts with all of this accumulating on a platform in which your personality shines through. 

It takes time

Building your author platform is a long-term process.

You start small and slowly over time your presence grows and is established. There is no end to it. 

You’ve got to work at it and let your presence evolve.

You will establish your brand and this helps your audience to recognise you and form an opinion about you. 

The foundation and starting point for building your author platform is your expertise, your personality, and the books that you produce. 

Steps to building your author platform

Author platform

Here are six steps to take to build your author platform.

1. Define Your Brand

Define your Brand. Identify your target audience, the topics you want to write about, and the tone of your writing. This will help you to develop a clear brand that will attract readers who are interested in your work.

2. Build a Website

Build a website. Your website should be the hub of your author platform. It should include your author bio, a list of your books, and information about your upcoming projects. You can also include a blog where you can share your thoughts on writing and your life as an author.

3. Engage on Social Media

Engage on Social Media. Social media is a powerful tool for building your author platform. Choose social media platforms that are most popular with your target audience, and engage with readers by sharing updates about your writing process. Share insights into your life as an author, and provide interesting links or articles that are related to your work.

4. Build an Email List 

Build an Email List. Email marketing is a highly effective way to reach your readers directly. Offer a free gift or incentive in exchange for readers’ email addresses and regularly send them updates about your writing and upcoming projects.

5. Network

Network with other authors. Collaborating with other authors can help you reach a wider readership base and build your reputation as an author. Consider guest blogging on other writers’ websites, participate in online writing communities, or host joint events or book launches.

6. Events and conferences

Attend events and conferences. Attending events and conferences related to your writing can help you network with other writers, publishers, and industry professionals. This can lead to valuable opportunities to showcase your work, gain new readers, and establish relationships that can benefit your writing career in the future.

Building an author platform takes time and consistent effort, but it can pay off in the long run. 

By following these six steps and staying focused on your writing goals, you can establish a strong author platform that will help you reach your audience and build your career as an author.

If you want to learn a lot more about building an author platform there is an entire module devoted to this topic in The Self-Publishing Genius.

I want to personally invite you to my FREE training where I’ll walk you step-by-step through The Self-Publishing Genius which will change your results forever. Click the button below.

 

Register Now

Marji Hill

Author and Coach

Join Facebook Group: Fast Self-Publishing Online

 

Never Revealed Before

Never Revealed Before

 

Let me take you by the hand and show you what I’ve never revealed before – that is, my system for becoming a self-published author.

That is, of course, if you want to get your hands on this information as soon as possible.

Feeling lost

Feeling lost

Have you ever wondered WHY you are feeling lost and unsure about how to get started with self-publishing a book?

Perhaps it is your know-how that’s lacking that can end up in your not having the confidence to make the decision to step out and give it a go. 

It’s scary and you may feel that you don’t have the backbone to embrace something new.

Maybe it is too much of a challenging adventure.

You are frightened that you could make a mess of everything.

Doing things like handling your own marketing is outside your capabilities.

You are a creative, not a promoter. You don’t believe that you possess the necessary aptitude or skills for marketing online and building your author platform.

But the problem is you know that if you continue to ignore the marketing side of your book business you will become disillusioned when there are no sales and there is no income.

Goodbye to challenges

But you can say goodbye to those feelings of being lost, the frustrations, the procrastination, and not ever realising your dream.

Struggles with getting started will diminish your determination and drive to become a self-publisher. 

If you want to

 

  • experience the thrill of having your books published,  
  • open up pathways to multiple streams of income 
  • be empowered as a successful self-published author
  • experience the jubilation when you make that first sale and then have ongoing sales
  • celebrate and enjoy that sense of empowerment because of your self-publishing achievement, and
  • make your dent in the world

then The Self-Publishing Genius is designed just for you.

My role as a self-publishing coach is to help you navigate the ‘cyberspace maze’ that you as an author may experience when embarking on your journey.

The secret

Secret

I’ll let you in on a little secret.  There is something you haven’t been told.

It’s the secret to creating a book in 30 days, publishing it without breaking the bank, getting it to market within 24 hours, and launching it successfully even if you’ve never done it before.

The people who are getting great results in this area are playing by a different set of rules.

There’s something they know… which YOU DON’T.

Do you know what it is?

The answer

They’re using a secret which makes things much easier for them.

And if you were using it too then your results could be completely different.

I want to personally invite you to my FREE training where I’ll walk you step-by-step through my system which will change your results forever.

 

Register Now

Marji Hill

Author and Coach

Join Facebook Group: Fast Self-Publishing Online

How To Market Your Book

How To Market Your Book

 

Marketing

Marketing

“I don’t know how to market my book.” This is a real concern among aspiring authors. I understand you probably feel apprehensive about having to handle your own marketing to make sales when you first self-publish your book, so knowing how to market your book is a challenge.

There is a multitude of strategies you can use to promote your book and reach your target audience. Here are just 8 tips to help you start your marketing journey.

Target audience

Target market

Define your target audience. identify your ideal readers and understand their interests and behaviours. This will help you tailor your marketing efforts to reach them effectively.

Even before you start writing your book, you should make sure you know the kind of book you want to write, and who will want to read it.

Author platform

Build an author platform. Establish a presence on social media platforms, create a website or blog, and engage with your readers.  

Your website is where you establish your brand persona. It’s your hub.

Invite people to your website to learn more about you. It’s where people will go when they want to follow you and find out more about you. From here you will build a following and connect with potential readers.

Book reviews

Encourage readers to review your book on platforms like Amazon or Goodreads. Positive reviews can help boost your book’s visibility and credibility.

Book giveaways

Consider offering free copies of your book through giveaways or contests. This can create a buzz and attract potential readers.

With Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) Select you can do a 5-day free promotion to help you get your book noticed and build up those all-important reviews on Amazon.

Paid Advertising

Paid advertising is an option either on social media platforms like Facebook or Amazon.

Events

Participate in book events: Attend book fairs, author readings, local writer’s groups, and other book-related events to connect with readers and promote your book.

Influencers

Work with bloggers, or social media influencers to promote your book to their followers.

Email marketing

Email marketing

Email marketing is very powerful. Build an email list and send out newsletters or broadcasts to keep your readers informed about your book and other related news.

Creating and maintaining an email list is one of the best things you can do to secure the sales of your current and future books. You can develop a real relationship with your email subscribers and turn them into paying customers. 

Marketing a book takes time and effort. You need to be persistent and keep trying different strategies until you find out what works best for you.

Marji Hill

Author and Coach

Join Facebook Group: Fast Self-Publishing Online

Is Time Your Enemy?

Is Time Your Enemy?

 

time management

 

Many aspiring authors say that time is their enemy. Is this you? Is time your enemy?

Your problem is you don’t have enough time in the day to get on with your writing.

You want to write a book. You are ready to write it. You’ve gathered together a lot of knowledge, done the research, and you believe you have something to say that will benefit others.

So why haven’t you done it yet?

The truth is, writing a book is challenging and there is so much going on in your life.

You want to get your book written and actually complete it. 

Manage time

When Time is your enemy you must learn to manage it. By mastering time well you can achieve everything you want in life.

Here are 12 tips for managing your time effectively.

1 – Set Priorities

Determine the most important tasks and complete these first.

time management

2 – Plan ahead  

Create a daily or weekly schedule to plan your time and make the most of it.

3 – Minimise Distractions

Avoid distractions like social media, emails, drop-in visitors, and the mobile phone.  Turn off notifications or put your phone on silent.

4 – Use a timer

Set a timer for a specific amount of time for each task. This will help you focus and work more efficiently.

5 –  Eliminate time-wasters

Identify tasks that take up a lot of time but add little value to what you are doing.  Eliminate them.

6  – Delegate tasks

Delegate tasks to others to free up your time and focus on more important tasks.

7 – Take breaks

Regular breaks can relax the mind and refresh it. This can help increase productivity.

8 – Use time management tools

Use tools like calendars, to-do lists, and time-tracking apps, to help manage your time.

9 – Avoid multitasking

Focusing on one task at a time is more effective than trying to do multiple things at once.

10 – Evaluate regularly

Regularly evaluate how you are spending your time and make adjustments as necessary.

11 – Stay organized

Keeping a clean and organized workspace will help you find things quickly and reduce wasted time.

12 – Be flexible

Be open to changes and be willing to adjust your schedule if the unexpected occurs.

So you now have a number of tips on how to manage time.

In conclusion, focus on how you are spending the time that you have available. If you master your time well you will be able to create a life balance. 

time management

It won’t be always about sacrificing the activities you like to do. Your book will get written when you achieve time mastery.

When you manage your time successfully and practise it, you will make time to pursue your creativity, become more productive, build in your life’s obligations, and still have time for some rest and recreation.

The top secret to time management lies in understanding why you are pursuing a creative goal like producing a book and then learning to prioritise tasks. It is this ability to prioritise and select the tasks that matter which will drive you forward to your ultimate goal.

 

Marji Hill

Author and Coach

Join Facebook Group: Fast Self-Publishing Online

Where To Publish My Book?

Where To Publish My Book

 

 

“I don’t know where to publish my book” is a common question from aspiring authors.

If you dream of becoming a published author, in today’s publishing landscape you can try to get a publishing deal with a mainstream publisher or you can self-publish. 

But should you want to skip trying to negotiate a deal with a traditional publishing company choose a self-publishing platform that suits you.

IngramSpark

 

distribution network

Alongside the Amazon platform is the IngramSpark platform.

Based in Tennessee in the United States IngramSpark was established nearly 50 years ago and is the largest book distributor in the world, serving both physical and online bookstores.

When you publish with IngramSpark you are connected to one of the publishing industry’s largest global book distribution networks. It makes titles available to over 40,000 outlets around the world. These include retailers, libraries, schools, and eCommerce companies including Amazon, Barnes & Noble and others.

Ingram owns the world’s most technologically advanced print-on-demand company. This is Lightning Source, which produces books at multiple facilities across the globe. 

Print on Demand (POD)

Print on Demand (POD) is a printing technology. It means that your book is only printed once when it is actually purchased. As soon as a customer buys a book the POD book is printed and shipped to the customer.  There is no need for the author to hold inventory saving them thousands of dollars as a result.

Very simply with IngramSpark, you

  • publish your book on its platform
  • your title is plugged into Ingram’s distribution network
  • The retailer (bookstore, library supplier) orders your book through IngramSpark’s distribution channel.
  • IngramSpark prints physical book orders and ships them to the customer, retailer, or library.
  • Authors receive book royalty payments for each book sold.

In Australia, the books are printed at the IngramSpark facility in Melbourne. With Amazon, the printing facility is in Sydney.

Where To Publish My Book

Book distribution has always been a major stumbling block for self-published authors. With IngramSpark authors get the same access to book distribution channels as major traditional publishers.

If your goal is to get your book into bookstores and libraries you need to go through IngramSpark.This is because IngramSpark’s distribution service allows distributors (like bookstores and retailers) to order your book directly through the IngramSpark publishing platform.

bookstores

When starting your self-publishing journey do your apprenticeship with Amazon. It’s free and user-friendly. Down the track, however, if you want to develop your career as an author and self-publisher consider using both platforms. 

There is a cost with Ingram and it is not as user-friendly as Amazon but if bookstores and libraries are your markets then IngramSpark is your platform.

Could you be interested in the Secret To Creating A Book In 30 Days, Publishing It Without Breaking The Bank, Getting It To Market Within 24 Hours, and Launching It Successfully Even If You’ve Never Done It Before?

If this is you I want to personally invite you to my FREE training which will start in February (date to be advised) where I’ll walk you step-by-step through my secret which will change your results and perceptions of being a self-published author forever.

 

Marji Hill

Author and Coach

Join Facebook Group: Fast Self-Publishing Online

Good Metadata for Book Sales

Good Metadata for Book Sales

 

Good metadata for book sales is a strategy that needs to be part of an author’s marketing arsenal. Quality metadata helps the discoverability of your book. This in turn can boost sales.

Incorporating quality metadata into your sales strategy is basic for all successful indie authors.

What is metadata

Metadata

 

Metadata is information that describes your book. It includes the title, subtitle, price, publication date, ISBN, author bio, book description, and any other relevant information that readers use to find your book.

Metadata lets librarians and booksellers know which category to place your book and where to shelve it. BISAC codes, for example, explain a book’s genre and help its positioning.

Metadata is information that can be used in many places.

A lot of time and energy might be spent creating good book metadata but once it’s done, you’ll have a great marketing tool that helps customers discover your book.

Metadata, together with relevant keywords and phrases, enables you to write a good author bio and book description. This helps search engines bring attention to your book when users search for relevant words or phrases.

Once you’ve created the metadata store it in its own, dedicated document file. This is a huge time saver. Draw on this metadata when you need it because there are just so many places this data can be used and placed. 

Keywords

Make a record of words and short phrases that you think potential customers might enter into a search engine or website to find you and your book. The more specific the keywords and phrases are, the more likely the person searching for those specific words will be happy to find your book among the search results. 

There are different ways for finding keywords. You can do a search on Amazon; you can use the Google Keyword Search tool to help you think of other keywords for your book; there is Publisher Rocket which is another great way.

Book description

Not only should your book descriptions grab the attention of customers, but they should also be informative, compelling, and full of keywords. When a customer comes to your sales page it should lure the customer in to make that buying decision.

Similarly, the author biography, should be succinct and keyword-rich. This author bio and the book description are your opportunities to make an impression, so make sure you’re using the right book metadata and keywords to do it.

Create a dedicated document

Create a dedicated document containing your book’s metadata. Keep this in a safe place and then draw on it when you need to use it to disseminate your book information to all kinds of places:

  • ISBN record 
  • Pre-publication data at the National Library
  • Publishing platforms like IngramSpark and Amazon
  • The online retailer where you’re selling direct
  • Website, author page, and book pages
  • Your Amazon Central author page
  • Public Lending Right(PLR) and Educational Lending Right(ELR)
  • Goodreads profile
  • Social media profile pages
  • Online interviews, guest blog posts, and other promotional appearances

Metadata

This master document with all your book’s metadata is invaluable. As I’ve already mentioned it will save you time; it will provide consistency; and, you will have a resource and information about your book that can be easily retrieved and disseminated.  This exposure will always mean a greater chance of sales.

Marji Hill

Author and Coach

 

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