The Business of Books – Why Every Author Needs a Marketing Strategy

Many authors believe that once they finish writing their book, the hard part is over. They assume that once their book is published, it will magically find readers, climb bestseller lists, and generate passive income. But here’s the truth: Writing the book is just the first step.

Without a marketing strategy, even the best books get lost in the noise. Every year, millions of books are published, and without a plan to reach the right audience, build awareness, and drive sales, your book could end up collecting digital dust on Amazon.

If you want your book to sell, attract readers, and open new opportunities, you need to think like a business owner—not just an author. In this blog, we’ll look at some ideas for marketing your book effectively.

Identify Your Target Audience

Many authors make the mistake of trying to market to everyone. The reality is, your book isn’t for everyone—and that’s a good thing!To market your book effectively, you need to be clear on who your ideal reader is. Before you even write your book, you want to ask yourself:

Who would benefit most from my book? (Entrepreneurs, parents, students, professionals?)
What problem does my book solve? (Mindset shift, skill-building, entertainment?)
Where does my audience hang out? (Social media, conferences, YouTube, LinkedIn?)

I recommend you also create a reader avatar—a detailed description of your ideal reader. Give them a name, age, profession, interests, and struggles. The clearer you are, the easier it will be to market to them.

Build Your Author Platform (Before and After You Publish)

Your author platform is your digital presence—the space where readers can connect with you, learn about your book, and engage with your content. The larger your platform is, the more books you are likely to sell so you want to start building your audience months before your book is released. Your platform consists of:

A professional author website – This should include your bio, book details, blog, and a way to join your email list
A strong social media presence – Choose platforms where your audience is active (LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok)
An engaged email list – Your email list is one of the most powerful marketing tools you own

Example: Author James Clear (author of Atomic Habits) apparently built a massive email list before launching his book, allowing him to sell millions of copies through direct outreach.

Create Pre-Launch Buzz

The worst thing you can do is wait until your book is out before you start promoting it. Your book launch starts months before release. You can create some buzz before you launch your book by:

Sharing behind-the-scenes content – Post about your writing journey, cover design, or lessons learned
Share snippets, quotes, or ask your audience to vote on the cover
Build an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) team – Give early access to book bloggers, influencers, and fans who will leave reviews on launch day
Host live Q&A sessions – Engage your audience with live discussions about the book’s topic
Run giveaways & contests – Offer free signed copies or bonus materials for those who pre-order

The pros suggest you get at least 25 reviews on Amazon within the first week to increase your book’s visibility.

Leverage Social Media (Without Being Salesy)

Most authors either don’t use social media at all or they only post “Buy my book!” and nothing else. To succeed on social media, you need to create content that is engaging, valuable, and shareable. Your social media posts might include: