A press release is not an appropriate way to launch your book. It’s too long, no one reads them, and it’s overly promotional. Plus, you get zero exposure for your book under that title!
When you write a press release, people will read the first few sentences and then quickly move on. If those initial few sentences are strong, they may read the rest of the article, but that’s about all done well.
Press releases are also limited in length (one or two paragraphs at most). Many times, writers use them as free content to promote another site or product.
In this era of oversharing, writing a short, bland press release isn’t good for anyone. Your potential audience can skip over poor-quality content. Because nothing is interesting to find.
Writing a solid, engaging launch announcement is important. So don’t risk failing by using a press release as your main promotion tool.
Make the launch Press Release short and sweet
Writing a book launch press release is very different from writing an article or essay! You will not need much content for this piece, as there are only two main points you want to make.
The first is to tell people where you published your book and what format it is in. The second is to promote your launch event.
Your launch event can be holding a small talk about your book at a local bookstore, having a giveaway of a copy, or doing a reading with the speaker position that you have been awarded through your hard work.
If you are too busy after the launch event to do anything else. Then announcing a free chapter or two for readers is enough material to include in the press release.
Invite media to book launches
Many writers launch their books through social media marketing or by having a public event with giveaways.
By inviting members of the press to your events, you’re creating exposure for yourself while promoting your book!
Plus, most publishers need at least some form of disclosure when it comes to attending an event as a journalist. So this is normal and okay.
Inviting over media to your event is a great way to gain attention for your book and connect with new people.
Even if they don’t end up writing about your book in a journalistic capacity, they can still enjoy the event and networking opportunities.
If you’d like more tips on how to write a successful book launch, check out our article:
Tips For Writing A Journalist’s Story About Your Book.
Distribute the press release to all your social media profiles
After you have written your launch press release. Now is time to distribute it across all your various social media accounts!
Post the link of the press release on all your online profile pages (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) as well as any other relevant blogs or forums about writing books.
Some tips: Make sure to use appropriate length content and write concisely. People will likely be accessing these resources frequently. So make sure to keep things quick and easy to read.
Your colleagues, friends, and followers can help spread the word for you by sharing the link along with the comments:
“Author launches new book,” or something similar.
Create your book launch website
After you have done some research and gathered all your materials. It is time to create your book launch website!
Most likely, this will be your most popular site. Because it will allow people to read about and learn more information about your book and tour.
It’s important to make sure that the look and feel of your site are professional, clear, and direct – just like you. Your audience can tell when someone isn’t quite “with it”, and they will avoid interacting with them.
When creating your book launch website, consider using template sites or free templates from platform-specific websites such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bestseller, etc.
These template sites are designed for book launches so they are equipped with rich content, features, and layouts.
By using their style, you get credit for being familiar with their product while also giving yourself a head start in marketing for your project.
Prepare your book launch marketing plan
After you have written an engaging draft of your book, it is time to market it! While some people enjoy writing their press releases. Most professionals outsource this work due to time constraints.
Writing your press release can be fun if you have lots of time on your hands. But we recommend outsourcing this work unless you are a professional writer or can take time off from your job.
Press announcement writers get paid per word. So making sure your message is focused and short helps save you money!
A good amount of publishers will also have separate sections for their individual media contacts (for example, website editors, social media managers, etc.). It helps to ensure your message gets delivered properly.
Some of the more technical parts of writing a press release may seem complicated at first. But there are plenty of free resources online and within your community that can help you.
Offer a book launch contest
A great way to get some exposure for your new book is by writing a press release announcing its launch.
Most online tools have a free option that can be upgraded if you are more experienced. You can also write it yourself with limited permissions.
By doing this, you will get credit for the work of others, which helps boost your profile. You may also choose to include your personal story or why people should care about the book.
Some examples: “Learn how to cook like a pro!” or “Start working out today with our active lifestyle tips!” could be the main points in your announcement.
You can then link to the website or PDF version of the book. Yo can promote any events or giveaways related to the launch.
Encourage reviews
Even if you’re not asking for reviews, offering them is an excellent way to gain exposure for your book and boost its visibility.
People oftentimes feel that press releases are only done by large companies with big budgets. But this isn’t always the case!
By releasing a review request in the right way, you can get some great content and attention for your book.
Content marketers will tell you that influencers love getting review requests from brand. Because it boosts their social media presence. More followers = more exposure!
So, whether you have a budget for paid advertisements, you can still offer rewards to those who take the time to write a review.
Rewards like discounts at your site or coupons for products related to the book could be perfect incentives.
But even better than this is an honest review. If someone writes something good about your book, let them keep talking about it!
You can also add “reviews” to your website, cover pages, promotional material, etc. all which help spread the word.
Distribute a post-launch survey
After your book is published, it’s important to let people know about it! But how? You can use various mediums to spread the word including social media, blogs, and direct outreach.
One of the most common ways to promote a new book is by distributing a launch press release.
A launch press release is an announcement that says something like “Sarah Welch writes her first novel!” or similar wording.
It includes some type of link to where readers can learn more about the book (either through the author’s website or the publisher’s site), as well as their email address. So they don’t have to hunt down the information themselves.
That info is then distributed via social media, printed publications, etc.
Resource-
https://www.blurb.com/blog/how-to-write-a-press-release-for-a-book-launch/
