Secrets to Selling Books on Social Media: Social Media Marketing for Writers - How to Get Readers to Buy Your Book

Marketing for Authors #4

by Bethany Atazadeh, Mandi Lynn

Are you ready to learn how to sell more books on social media? Here are our 10 “secrets” to selling on socials!

Do you have a book published (or about to be published), but no matter how much you talk about it on social media, it doesn’t sell?

Here’s what most people won’t tell you: Followers do NOT equal sales! Growing on social media only plays a tiny role in selling on social media. We want to teach you how to attract the right followers who are ready to buy your book. Even more important, we’ll teach you how to engage with them in a way that turns a passive audience into excited readers and raving fans!

In book four of the Marketing for Authors series, we will touch on choosing the most effective platform for your books, as well as finding and building a valuable audience – but our main focus is going to be teaching you how to successfully sell your book online with confidence. Because the $$ amount in your bank account is not tied to your followers, it’s tied to actual sales.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction

195 pages, Paperback

Published October 7, 2021

About the author

Once upon a time, Bethany Atazadeh escaped into writing YA fantasy—and never came back. Now she’s the award-winning author of The Stolen Kingdom Series, a wife, mom of two, and professional chocolate taster (unofficial title), who shares her writing adventures and helpful tips she’s learned about publishing on YouTube. To find out when her next book arrives, sign up at bethanyatazadeh.com.

CONNECT WITH BETHANY ON:
Website: www.bethanyatazadeh.com
Patreon: www.patreon.com/bethanyatazadeh
Instagram: @authorbethanyatazadeh
YouTube: www.youtube.com/bethanyatazadeh
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Amazon Author Profile: https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B077FRKJGW

Reviews

[Bethany Atazadeh]

Do you enjoy posting on social media? Or do you find it stressful / frustrating / other less-fun emotions?

It's so fun to chat books and pretty pictures, but it's also a mental health trap sometimes... it can make you feel not good enough, distracted from your real life, confused when things aren't working or no one sees your posts, and so on...

You might be tempted to give up.

But what if you could understand the art of copywriting - aka writing a post designed specifically for your target audience that is not only fun for you to write / share, but equally enjoyable for your readers too?!

That's the goal with this book!

YOU'LL LEARN:
- the Know, Like, and Trust principle
- how to use a sales funnel (that again, both you AND your reader enjoy)
- three specific sales formulas (like this one I'm using right now, that help you make sense and have a clearer message!)
- ten posting templates to help you kick off posting with a bang
- tips for creating a content calendar plan so you know what you're posting ahead of time
- mindsets and limiting beliefs to watch out for and how to protect your mental health
- and so much more!

If that sounds interesting, the book is FREE in Kindle Unlimited, or the paperback is also officially available! Here's the link: https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Sellin...

<3 Happy reading and posting!

p.s. are you curious but want to know a little bit more first? I'm reading the first chapter out loud in today's YouTube video - watch here: https://youtu.be/DP4SjGJte60

[Janine · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fourth installment of the Marketing for Authors series brings us to the world of social media, going into the details and pitfalls authors can make while marketing their books online. Many times, authors feel like they have to be either "buy my book" all of the time or try to rack up as many followers as possible like an influencer, both having major flaws when it translates to sales. Each of the ten chapters go into common mistakes marketing online, and then details strategies into how to get potential buyers to get to know and trust you on a "hot lead" level and turn them into fans. Bethany goes into a casual conversation about her journey and the mistakes she's made over the years when it comes to social media, with Mandi chipping in at the end of each chapter. There are also many resources to further help you, with lots of great exercises. Even though I saw myself as somewhat social media savvy, I learned a lot and can't wait to implement these new strategies on my social media platforms!

[Shelby McCraley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a clear and concise read told to me by (what felt like) a friend. I managed to get through this book in one sitting which I appreciated. The information was attainable with plenty of examples and action steps. I just published my first book and wanted to get a handle on my Instagram to really grow and sell books. I can’t wait to employ the strategies and templates within my own social media.

[Holly Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this might be my favorite Marketing for Authors book yet! Even though I don't have a book to sell right now, I found myself bookmarking so many pages to reference in the future. And there was still a ton of content I could use RIGHT NOW even though I'm not published, such as content planning, author mindset, and more. I was so impressed with the different sales principles presented to us, most of which I hadn't even heard of before. This book is a MUST HAVE for all writers looking to have a presence on social media and anyone who wants to publish a book!

[Lesley Barklay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not usually a person who enjoys reading non-fiction, but the conversational style of this book drew me in from the beginning. In this non-nonsense book, Atazadeh (and Lynn) outline useful tips to use when interacting on social media in order to promote your books.

I have an e-book copy of this book, but I intend to purchase a paperback so that I can go through and highlight and underline tactics I want to try, and points I want to remember. I loved Atazadeh's explanation of the know/ like/ trust principles, as well as the various strategies to use when writing posts that pique interest and bring value to your audience.

I'm certainly going to be more mindful about what I post, and I can't wait to try out some of the 'mad-lib' style templates in chapter 7. Thank you, ladies!

[K.R. Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have not read the other books in this series, so can confirm this book works well as a standalone.

The tactics here are applied to writing and author-related business decisions, including specific templates and examples from Bethany's own book launches on social media. I have also completed some sales training for my business, and I was reassured to see similar (non-sleazy) advice within this book. Having Mandi's tips and perspective alongside was also super helpful to see how techniques could be applied in multiple ways. 

Disclaimer: I received an Early Reader Copy as I support Bethany on Patreon, and although I was not asked to review this, I review all the books I read.

[Jessica Whittam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super helpful! A must read for authors wanting to improve their sales. I thought I knew enough about social media but wasn’t seeing the results when I turned to this book. So much I hadn’t thought and so many tools I will be using straight away. Definitely changed my mindset in the best way! Highly recommend.

[Lola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great resource for authors and hoping-to-be-authors alike! I really enjoyed the familiar, conversational voice the information was relayed in, and what helpful information it was! Great book, I highly recommend it!

[A.M. Molloy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my second book read in Atazadeh and Lynn's book series on marketing for authors. My first was the Book Sales that Multiply. (I don't have the whole series. I only bought the ones I thought I needed to learn the most on).

The formatting was a lot cleaner and better in this book and I found the information very helpful. I will admit, I thought the book would have more details on specif social media platforms. It was one of the main reasons why I bought it. Instead, it was information that could be used basically on any platform. I'm not mad about that. The information given was very useful and I did learn some new and great things. I just wish it dived a little deeper into certain social media platforms. (Though I guess they can't since social media is constantly evolving and if they did, the information could become irrelevant in like a year or two whereas now it should be relevant for a long time despite the changing times).

If you are an author looking to grow your author platform and readers, this is a great book. I recommend it (as well as the series as a whole).

[Jackie Castle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book! Okay, it opened up a whole new way of thinking about marketing and social media.

I've wanted to try to do more organic marketing this year and I happened to catch one of Atazadeh's videos on social marketing and scheduling. In one of her videos, she mentioned this book and I decided to give it a try.

There are loads of great tips and help for authors who are not able or don't want to spend a ton of money on ads. She is also living proof that her theories work. I've begun implementing some of what I've learned and I can see a difference with my posts and the interaction they get.

Want to understand how social media marketing works? Give this book a try. I highly recommend it and I also will be checking out her other "Secrets to" books.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Social media is by far the most intimidating part of being a self-published author, at least it is for me. The book gave me tools, context and great examples. There’s still much to learn and the social media game is ever-changing but this book is a great starting point.

[Britt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well thought out

I was not the target demographic for this book, however I went through the book anyway.
This books ideal reader is someone who has never published before, and DOESNT know a lot about promoting themselves and their work.
The chapters are short, but provide information in an easy to read manner.
Authors who have a few books under their belt won’t find a lot of new information, but that being said I don’t think that should be counted against this book.
It is an amazing resource for newbies getting into the industry and is an amazing resource to have.
Having it on KU is a bonus because the reading goes by quickly, and I think it helps expand the knowledge along for those who need it at a fair price.

[Kristianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an incredibly helpful resource that's perfect for any indie author just starting out on social media. I loved how thorough Bethany was in covering each of the platforms and the most common sales formulas. And I appreciated that she wrote in an easy-to-understand way, without having to use all the complicated marketing jargon. I haven't seen too many books on social media specifically for books, so I snapped this up right away. I'm excited to start using many of these strategies right away for my own bookstagram, as well as for my clients! (I think I highlighted like half the book, lol!)

[Lanysha Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm probably going to read this book more than once. This book was quick, easy to read, and had tons of useful information! I love the focus on sales versus follower growth, which helped me get my mindset right and focus on getting sales, not followers. Ironically enough, after implementing a few tactics, I saw my follower count increase. I think there's much more to be said for tracking how this directly relates to sales. I plan to test pushing sales to my website to see if that has the outcome I'm looking for. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that is just starting in social media or anyone that needs some ideas for how to market their business.

[Jamie Fry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic marketing tool for authors!
If you're struggling to sell your book on social media or simply need new ideas or a mindset refresh, this book is a must-read! Social media can seem daunting and overwhelming, especially when you have a book to sell. Bethany and Mandi do an excellent job breaking the process down and even give templates for posting ideas! This book teaches you how to gain the right kind of followers and what your ideal engagement should look like over time. I found a lot of helpful tips that I hope to work into my social media content.

[Camilla Zahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book, packed with tips to decide the best social media for you, although very focused on Instagram, the platform both authors use the most. I really enjoyed the help with post ideas and how to build a calendar. I wish they had included some tips to make more posts faster (something I struggle with myself, not lack of ideas) but otherwise it was amazing.
Also, I’m reading this series backwards because of my personal interest in what each book entails and I can gladly report that you can read then as standalone books or out of order!

[Sumi Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got so much reading this book. I don't have a problem with being on Social Media and marketing my books, but I find the poor response a problem. People see posts and they don't react and that's why I read on. The authors informed that it's not about the amount of followers one has but the content one dishes out. And most of the time your followers won't buy the book no matter what I post. I loved the motivation behind not being afraid to make mistakes because that's what ultimately leads to success. And boy I needed that now.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book tackles a subject with which I suspect most authors, including myself, struggle: using social media as a marketing tool. There's plenty of practical advice that I've started implementing (e.g., making sure I focus on having the right folks on my social media rather than the biggest numbers). There are also useful templates to try ... and an honest admission that sometimes you just have to experiment and be willing to fail.

Highly recommended.

[Emma Couette · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really great resource for self-published and traditional authors alike! If marketing your book scares you, I definitely recommend giving it a read. I personally already knew a lot of the stuff in it, but it was honestly worth the read just to reaffirm what I thought i knew. I think the biggest asset was the caption templates and the chapter on limiting beliefs.

[Sonia Frontera]

Heaven sent

This book is a treasure trove of strategies to help you sell your books on social media. It is clearly written and explains in detail how to plan and create content that makes readers know, like and trust you, turning them into avid fans. I found it especially helpful as I pivot into new categories of content.

[Vicky Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an aspiring author, a friend recommended that I read this series. I picked this one up out of order, but I am definitely planning on going back for the others. Lots of great, well presented, information.

[Jason Prugar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great action plan, but a bit too rah-rah

Lots of good actionable steps, but a bit more rah-rah than I would have liked. I realize I don't need a lot of that, but many people do. Took me out of things a bit.

[Joanne Gentile · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much Mandi and Bethany for putting together this series of books to jumpstart my marketing process. I am truly enjoying them and can't seem to read them quickly enough. I have many fresh ideas and outlooks about what type of content to provide my followers on social media.

[Keira Roylance · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It gave me a lot to think about and things to do for marketing my book. I have been wanting/needing to learn how to use social media, and this book has given me a lot to think about and put into motion

[Mandi Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fourth book in the MArketing for Authors series, see what Bethany and I have to say about using social media to grow your readership and market your book all social media!

[Heather Kirchhoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

Secrets to Selling Books on Social Media has a lot of information in it! I learned so much from Bethany and Mandi. I highly recommend this series if you're publishing a book!

[Jenny Bunting]

It was fine.

[Patricia Morais · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some very useful advice but lacked some depth.

[C.K. Sorens · Rating 5 out of 5]

There were some nice tips and templates in this book that have helped give me new ideas on how to narrow my posting strategy a bit, and I can't wait to try them out.

[Fangirling Pain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really easy to read with lots of good info. I bookmarked a lot of pages.