Top Ten Tips For Authors and Goodreads
What Is Goodreads?
Goodreads is a web-based networking site for readers and book recommendations. Founded in January 2007, the primary mission of the Goodreads site is to help people find and share the books they love. Goodreads is now owned by Amazon and is linked seamlessly to the books people buy and want to read on Amazon.
Readers and book lovers who join Goodreads can see what their friends are reading, they can track the books they’re reading, they can find book recommendations tailored to their tastes, and they can find books that they want to read later.
So now that you know what Goodreads is, how does that help you as an author? The best answer is: what do authors want most? Readers of course! The best place to find readers is the largest site targeted to readers; as of this writing, Goodreads has 80 million members.
Your first step is to set up your Goodreads Profile Page, which is the foundation for engaging with readers and promoting your book on Goodreads. Next, you will set up your Goodreads Author Page, you will receive an official Goodreads Author Badge, which will help you alert your fans to follow you on Goodreads. Your Goodreads Author Dashboard will give you statistics about your books and your readers can see what you’re up to and what you are reading.
- All great authors are readers, and by establishing your Goodreads profile as a reader, you instantly add credibility to the potential readers of your own books. Goodreads is primarily a site for readers, and readers support and promote other readers, including readers who are also authors.
- As an author, you can create your author dashboard, including the books you have read, the books you have written, the books you have reviewed, and links to your blog and author website.
- By reviewing books by other authors, you show that you are willing to help others before you ask for help (reviews) from others. Reviewing books is the best way to get noticed on Goodreads.
- You can and should reciprocate by asking your fans to review your book(s). The more reviews, the better for you, even if some of the reviews are negative.
- Realize that the primary reason you are on Goodreads is not to sell more books, but to be active on the site. That will eventually lead people to buy your books on Amazon or on your own website.
- Goodreads is an excellent site for fiction authors and for nonfiction authors. However, being a nonfiction author on Goodreads has an additional benefit: nonfiction authors can start a group around the subject matter of their book(s).
- You can also ask your readers to list your book in specific categories in the Goodreads Listopia section, where your readers to vote on your book to move it up the list.
- If you are blogging for your book and to promote your brand, you can connect your blog URL to your Goodreads account. Not only will your blog posts automatically show up in your account after setup, but your fans will be notified weekly about each new blog post.
- If you have a WordPress website and a My Book Table plugin, you can integrate your books on My Book Table with your Goodreads Author Page.
- Signing up for the Goodreads Blog and Monthly Author Newsletter will keep you in the loop for news and advice to optimize your Goodreads Author Program.
Along with your own author website, your email list, and your Amazon Author Central Page, participation in the Goodreads Author Program will go a long way to maximize your marketing efforts to sell more books.
If you need assistance with your book publishing or author marketing needs, please contact the professionals at Detroit Ink Publishing. We look forward to working with you!
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