By now you know that using social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are a free and effective way to build an audience. Luckily, authors and booklovers have another option to connect with readers: Goodreads. Goodreads (Goodreads.com) is a book lover’s social media haven where members can keep track of books they love, books they hate, and books they want to read. Friends can share recommendations, readers post reviews, and members can even sign up to win books through the giveaway program.
Goodreads also has a special author program. (You can get the nitty gritty details here: www.goodreads.com/author/program). According to the nice people at Goodreads,
“The Goodreads Author Program is a completely free feature designed to help authors reach their target audience.”
Some of the promotional activities you can do include:
- Write a blog and build an audience of followers.
- Publicize upcoming events, such as book signings, virtual book tours, and speaking engagements.
- Share book excerpts and other writing samples.
- Write a quiz about your book or related topics.
- Post videos.
- Add the Goodreads author widget to your website or blog.
- List a book giveaway to generate buzz and encourage reviews and promote the giveaway using social media.
- Lead a discussion group for your readers.
- Participate in existing discussions.
Goodreads also has an excellent author program. Through the Goodreads Author Program, you can create an author profile that is connected to your books. There you can:
- Add your author headshot.
- Add a short biography.
- Share your list of favorite books.
- Write a blog or share a feed from your existing blog.
- Share upcoming events.
- Share book excerpts and other writing.
- Post videos.
- Write a quiz about your book.
Here’s how to get started:
- To join, visit goodreads.com. Then, either sign in or sign up for a new account.
- Search for yourself, and click on your author name. By clicking your name, you will be taken to your basic author page.
- Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click “Is this you?” to send a request to join the Author Program. It will take a few days to process your request.
- You will receive an email when your user account has been updated to an author account. That email will also contain more instructions on how to manage your author profile.
For more information on the Goodreads Author Program, visit goodreads.com/author/program.
