Book marketing is a multi-pronged approach. Social media, podcasts features, outreach and more. Have you ever wondered how people get their books to rank higher on search engines to be found by readers? Here I decode how authors can use SEO to promote books.
As someone who started with publishing an online magazine that needed SEO to rank higher, I have had the added advantage of understanding SEO from a unique perspective. After over 2k+ articles published by writers worldwide, it’s taken years to get my brand name and authority of the site up there. It is often advantageous to both blog owner and guest poster to collaborate on articles.
Search Engine Optimization is important for your book sales and building credibility in terms of a relationship with potential readers. The good news is that your SEO ranking will also go high if you focus on marketing your book or individual brand. The only thing to remember is to plug in your book name, and relate it to the value the book provides via most searched keywords.
Here are some strategies authors can use to make the most of SEO:
- Keyword Research: Identify relevant keywords and phrases that your target audience is likely to search for. Tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs can help you find popular keywords related to your book’s topic, genre, or themes.
- Optimize Titles and Metadata: Ensure that your book titles, subtitles, and metadata contain relevant keywords. This includes your book’s description, tags, categories, and any other metadata fields provided by the platform where your book is listed (e.g., Amazon, Google Books). Ensure you use your name and the book’s name/brand name as often as possible when promoting both.
- Create High-Quality Content: Whether it’s blog posts, articles, or social media content you create, regularly focus on generating content related to your book’s topic or genre. This not only helps attract organic traffic but also establishes you as an authority in your field.
- Optimize Website or Blog: If you have a personal website or blog, optimize it for search engines by including relevant keywords in page titles, headings, meta descriptions, and content. Regularly update your blog with fresh, original content that appeals to your target audience. You can connect your blog to an SEO optimization tool that helps you see what steps you need to take to rank higher. It’s a lot of work per post but crucial for growth and visibility.
- Link Building: Build backlinks from reputable websites and blogs within your niche. This simply means linking back to your site via a reputable site. For example, I often feature writers/guest posts on RaisingWorldChildren.com via book reviews, write-ups on their niche, and/or tips on overcoming life challenges (book topic). The guest writer gets to add their website and social media at the end and I ensure the article ranks high for the topic we are talking about. If it’s a book promotion, I do a detailed review and use the author name as keyword search to help them rank higher. Guest posting, participating in online forums and communities on Facebook, and collaborating with influencers/bloggers can help you acquire quality backlinks, which can improve your search engine rankings.
- Social Media Promotion: Use social media platforms to promote your content and engage with your audience. Sharing your blog posts, book excerpts, and other relevant content on social media can increase visibility and drive traffic to your website or book listings.
- Optimize for Mobile: Ensure that your website is mobile-friendly. An increasing number of users access the internet through mobile devices, and Google prioritizes mobile-friendly websites in its search rankings. Optimizing for mobile can improve your SEO performance. In short make sure your links are easy to read/access.
- Monitor and Analyze Performance: Regularly monitor your website traffic, keyword rankings, and other SEO metrics using tools like Google Analytics, Google Search Console, or third-party SEO software. Analyzing this data can help you identify what’s working well and where there’s room for improvement.
By implementing these SEO strategies, authors can increase the discoverability of their content online and attract more readers to their books/indie-brand.
For any questions about the same or to feature an article/book on RaisingWorldChildren.com feel free to reach out to contact@raisingworldchildren.com
SUBMISSIONS TO RAISINGWORLDCHILDREN
1. Pitch 3 ideas to the email listed above for approval
2.Write an 800+ word article with 3 images
3. Along with bio, book image, and links to your social
For book promotions, reach out to above email as well.
Check out other articles on writing and publishing books here.
