9 ways to promote your books on the internet

   Here, the author was gambling and drinking fine whiskey. Don't do that with your book! Get scientific.

You spent years writing your book. Finally, you placed it with a publisher. Now it's coming out. 

It's not the time to be mysterious and introverted. (O.K., it worked for novelist Thomas Pynchon, but he's a fluke. You can't count on it.) 

You need to get a web presence! Here's how:

1. Create an author website.  Even if your publisher has a good website, it's a very good idea to have your own. If you can't create it yourself, get somebody to create it and keep it simple. Check out other authors' websites. Be professional but not stuffy. The exact design really depends on your books and your own personality. When someone searches for you by name, a link to this website will come up in search engines, so it is absolutely critical because it means you are beginning to control your web image and reputation. Generally author websites contain an author photo, bio, book titles and brief description of books, excerpts, and some thoughts about writing. Make it visually interesting but not too elaborate.

2. Create a social media presence. You can start doing this today through joining Facebook.com, Twitter.com, and LinkedIn.com, as well other social media, depending on the audience for your books. Don't look at these communities as exclusive clubs where you communicate only with close friends, but rather as networking and idea-generation tools. You want people to be able to find your books and you on the web. You can invite people to readings, show your book covers, and share articles using social media.

3. Create a short YouTube video or podcast which can be on your website. You may not be ready to do this right now, but think about it for the future. Read the book World Wide Rave by David Meerman Scott for ideas. This video or podcast, which should be quite short (2 or 3 minutes at most), does not need to be professionally produced. Some of the best videos that have "gone viral" were homemade and tell an amazing or humorous story. Videos are the most frequently shared items on the web - don't forget them.

4. Create or participate in podcasts where you read from your book or discuss the origins of your book with an interviewer. You can do this at home from your personal computer. There are also people who specialize in making podcasts in certain subject areas. Podcasts can be posted on your author website.

5. Ask for links to your website. Find opinion leaders in your subject area and ask for links from their websites to your website. You should, of course, reciprocate. This is a key component of creating interest in your site as well as leading search engines to you.

6. Define your target audiences/market. Then use relevant keywords and keyword phrases that would be used to search for information by each audience. If you are an author of general fiction or poetry, this may not yield much beyond "poetry" and "fiction," but be sure your basic subject matter is mentioned so it can be indexed. Let's say most of your poems are about the composer Beethoven. Be sure that the word "Beethoven" is in headlines on your website, so that readers interested in this composer might find you. You may discover a new niche audience this way.  If you wrote a book about your sailing trip across the Pacific, it's very important that the word "sailing" appear on your home page, especially if it's not in the book title, so your book will get indexed by search engines appropriately. This is not some slimey thing to do; this is being analytical. You want interested people to be able to find your work!

7. Approach internet bloggers and journalists to write about your readings and books. Check out blogs and on-line news sources for names of writers who might cover your topics in your city or around the world. (Of course articles in newspapers can also end up on the web.) Send these writers a short, informative email announcement about your book or your readings.  Make sure you add links from your website to these articles, if they are well-written. Sometimes these people will find their way to you. Always thank them!

8. Be interactive. Help others with their books and writing. Tweet about other authors' books that you like. Some may return the favor. Internet sites provide many places for like-minded people to form communities and help each other.

9. Use email wisely. Have a mailing list from readings and folks you know. Let people know when you have a new book out. Send out one announcement that contains a short description of the book, links to the publisher's website, on-line bookstores where the book is being sold, and your author website. Some people respond to post cards, but others respond better to email. You need both.

For some readers, this list may seem obvious, but I can assure you that I meet authors every day who are not doing any of these things. Get organized and create a public persona. You do not have to be an extrovert or a braggart. Instead, look at it as finding ways to reach people who will enjoy your work.

Harness the power of the World Wide Web and your book will be much more successful. Have fun!

Karen Braucher Tobin is not only an author but a Marketing MBA who has studied Search Engine Marketing. Her author website, which needs a lot of work, is: www.karenbraucher.com.