Any experience with marketing a book online?

Hi Matt, I haven't done this myself before but I'm working with a client who is about to publish a book that needs a good marketing push so I am interested in opportunities and options as well. One thing I thought of was to send some excerpts to music blogs. You could ask them for a review or plug and if they are interested perhaps you could send them a complimentary copy for review. As a freelance writer myself, I can attest that you will have much more success getting someone to review your book if they have it in their hands! It sounds like you're already doing a lot with forums and fan sites etc. I'd like to know more about the decisions you made and the results.

It looks like you're already doing a good job in marketing to your target audience. Reaching interested book buyers among the general public is always more difficult. Here are a few ideas:

• Put together a strong Amazon campaign as soon as your book is available including AmazonConnect, Listmania, tags, etc. Amazon is a great tool for helping casual buyers to find you.
• Participate on social networking sites for book lovers such as Shelfari, Goodreads, and LibraryThing.
• Create a solid media campaign. Getting coverage in the mainstream press is a another great way to reach casual buyers. I could see newspaper lifestyle or entertainment sections interested in a book like this.

Good luck!

Patrice-Anne Rutledge
Bestselling author -- CeM-certified online book promotion expert
Author, The Web-Savvy Writer: Book Promotion with a High-Tech Twist (Pacific Ridge Press, 2007)
Blog: The Web-Savvy Writer: Publish, Promote, and Profit Online

My first reply got lost in etherland because I'd forgotten to verify my (extremely new) account, but I really did want to post on this comment and this question.

This is so pertinent for me, too, because I have a couple novels that are already published and available on the internet through all of the usual entities nationally and internationally, but in only a few bookstores as far as I know. After being very comfortable observing people and the world from the 'shadows' the thought of doing an in-person marketing campaign never appealed to me and I have not done more than a few booksignings at the district library and a few bookstores. Since I'm an unknown novelist but frequently bugged by readers (love it!) and family to try to get these "wonderful, excellent, great" stories made into films, the thought that a an online marketing campaign would be a lot different in some ways appealed very much to me. Your reply to this question and the original question with all of its content have been very encouraging and stimulating for me; the juices are beginning to circulate...thanks so much.
n.kateus www.ipowerdirect.net

ReadWriteWeb had a fascinating article on marketing a novel on the Internet (though it does sound like pretty classic marketing strategy):

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/internet_marketing_for_novel_writers.php

Good luck!

Maybe try another angle. Find the networks and blogs that discuss the environment and let them know you have a book about Bono. They'll go nuts for it!

Best of luck on the book!

Great question Matt - I wish I had an answer.

But I do have a question.. Isn't this exactly the sort of thing you should be able to leverage facebook community and launch such a book.... maybe a great case study exercise - how to leverage facebook for the launch of an ebook. Surely there are millions of potential readers .... good luck

We started a Facebook group for the web site (atu2.com) a couple months ago and already have 1200+ members, which is cool. U2 fans tend to skew a little older these days, so we don't exactly match the traditional FB audience.

I've used FB to mention the book, provide updates, etc. It helps, but I think of it as preaching to the choir. I know our web site visitors, FB group members, blog readers, etc., will be interested in the book. It's trying to find the people who may not be interested that I'm struggling with. :-)

Did you publish at Lulu.com?

Dan - can't do that. I have a contract with the publisher and all that. It's like, a REAL book. :-)

the books on Lulu are quite real and offer you the chance to keep more $$. There are some great books on the site that sell quite a bit.

good luck.

You mean it's not a fake book?

I'm not really sure, I guess you could publicise it on your existing U2 website and ask other U2 websites if they wanted to review it on their website. It would be even better if you could have some kind of competition running where by the U2 band members signed one of the books, to draw attention to both your book and the website for those who are really into U2.

Um... other than that... adding it to places like Amazon and Google Shopping?