The Big Bad Book Blog

Photo courtesy of Hubspot

We’ve written a great deal about building your platform and especially about the benefits of blogging and writing articles to demonstrate your expertise to your audience. Still, you’re always looking for more ways to drive traffic back to your online presence, and ultimately to the bookstore to buy your book.  Another excellent way to achieve this is by serving as a guest blogger.

A guest blogger is someone who does a single post for another individual or group’s blog. This can be a one-time deal or a recurring column, but either case allows you to tap into someone else’s audience. There are many great blogs out there for you to choose from. You can locate blogs related to your platform in a number of ways:

1. Go to the top magazines or associations in your topic. Chances are the editors of the magazine or leaders of the association have at least one blog (sometimes they have several—each one for a different beat).
2. Ask for referrals. Find out from your network what other blogs your audience is following.
3. Check out the competition. Other authors and experts in your field already have a line in with your audience. Grease the wheels by offering to swap guest posts.
4. Look at the blogroll of your favorite sites. Most times bloggers feature the blogs they follow on their tool bar. This is a great (and fast) way to locate additional blogs. You can use sites like Technorati (link) and Alexa (link) to evaluate which blogs have the most traffic so you can develop your strategy and start by focusing your time on the blogs with the largest audiences.

Once you’ve identified blogs related to your topic, you will want to craft a pitch. Before you contact the blogger, check to see if they have posted writer’s guidelines. If so, follow them to the letter. If not, send them a short pitch that includes a specific idea for a post topic and identifies exactly why that post would be of interest to their audience. Close with a short paragraph about your qualifications. Here’s an example of a typical pitch letter:

Dear blogger,

The world of publishing is changing fast. Many of your readers are trying to navigate this evolving landscape, but it can be overwhelming. I propose a post that looks at the pros and cons of each book publishing option available to authors, complete with a short checklist readers can use to identify which route is best for them.

I work at an independent publisher and write articles and white papers related to publishing. You can view samples of my work at www.bigbadbookblog.com.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Author

There are a few other things to consider when pitching a guest blog post:

1. Research the outlet beforehand to make sure it’s appropriate. Bloggers don’t want to get pitched by writers who are outside of their subject area and who don’t have anything to offer their readers.
2. Read some of the posts and make sure that you are providing something unique. If they’ve already done a post on the subject, craft a new angle or choose a different topic.
3. Be considerate of the blogger’s brand. They are building their platform and readership too. Don’t try to hone in on their turf.
4. Keep the self-promotion out of your post. Often you are allowed a short bio and a link back to your website or blog, so focus on creating value and leave the promotion out.

Above all, don’t be afraid to ask. Most bloggers work hard to fill their editorial calendar and are happy to have someone fill in (as long as the topic is relevant). Also, don’t be afraid to consider having someone guest post on your blog as well. They will bring their readers with them and will often add you to their own blogroll. In the realm of social media and blogging, paying it forward really does pay off.

Twitter is a powerful tool. It allows you to connect directly with people of similar interests across the globe. Still, for many people it remains a confusing social media void shrouded in mystery.

In reality, Twitter really is quite simple. This fun video shows you how easy it is to get started and how it works.

We also found this one that explains twitter keywords and hashtags, which are important for targeting your reader.

Now that you have a basic understanding of how to utilize twitter, it’s time to focus on what you should actually say or “tweet” about. Like with anything you do to build your author platform, you need to be answering the reader’s question—“What’s in it for me?” Even at 140 characters, readers are still looking for value. You can provide it through:

News: What’s hot and trending in your topic right now.

Links: What resources are available to educate, inform, and entertain your reader.

Tips: Quick tips and insights to help your reader improve or enhance their lives.

Throughout your posts full of news, links, and tips you also want to sprinkle in some self-promotion and engagement with your readers. A good rule of thumb is to keep promotion to about 20% of your content and focus the rest on providing value to and engaging with the reader.

A few quick tips:

• To add links and still keep your posts to 140 characters, use Tiny links or Bity links
• Add keywords designated with hashtags (mentioned in the video above). This will allow you to get your post in front of people outside of your network. If your tweets are interesting and informational, they’ll start following you.
• Don’t worry about mass. It’s not about how many followers you have, it’s about having the right followers who are interested in your topic and view you as a great resource/expert.
• Social media is a two way street. Engage with readers, answer their questions, and share other people’s informative posts.

Here are some popular hashtags related to writing and publishing:

#dearauthor: Notes and tips from industry professionals to authors.

#dearpublisher: Notes and questions from authors to publishers.

#publishing: News, trends, and information on publishing.

#pubtips: Tips on getting your manuscript picked up by an agent or publisher.

#writing: Information on the craft of writing.

#amwriting: Updates on what you are writing now.

#WIP: Work in progress.

#writegoal: Share your daily writing goal.

#womeninpublishing an #meninpublishing: Focus on the men and women in the industry.

#books: All things related to books.

If you have already written a book, or even if you are just considering writing one, you may have asked yourself what it is that publishers are looking for. Unfortunately, there is no magic formula a writer can follow for guaranteed publication. What works and doesn’t work varies by genre, publisher, and other factors outside of the writer’s control. Still, there are some basic elements every publisher considers when evaluating a potential project. Those elements are: content, market, competitive titles, and author platform. We will cover each element in basic terms for the purpose of this post, but we do provide greater details on each of categories in our free white paper “What Publishers Want.”

Content

Though certain elements vary between fiction and nonfiction, any book, no matter what the genre, must be compelling, marketable, and memorable.

Compelling: It must be a topic that people are interested in.

Marketable: There must be a significant number of people interested in the topic.

Memorable: The writing should be good and should stick with the reader.

Market

Publishing is a business. In order for publishers (and authors) to make money, they need to sell books. So, when publishers look at a project they ask themselves: What is the market for this book? Who would be interested in this topic? How many people constitute that segment of the population? How often do they buy books and for what reasons? You need to be able to answer those questions before you even start writing.

Competitive Titles

The next thing publishers consider is your competition. This is key for many reasons. First of all, it shows them who your market is and the size of your market’s demand. If books on your topic are doing well, they are more likely to consider your work. Second, publishers look at how your book differs from the competition. If you provide enhanced content, an innovative approach, new research, or a more user-friendly voice, then they will be more likely to consider looking at and possibly acquiring your book. However, if your book is too similar to an existing one (especially one that has done well), or if your content is weak or poorly executed in comparison, then a publisher will be less willing to consider your project.

Platform

We discussed this in great detail before, and we can’t stress enough how important it is when evaluating your potential success as an author. Publishers need to know that you have identified your audience, that you are speaking to the needs and wants of your audience, and that you are continually and actively engaged with them even before you have a book.

Understanding how your book measures up in terms of content, market, competitive titles, and platform is essential to your publishing efforts. Weakness in any area can be improved upon, but too many issues in one or more categories can seriously hinder your chances of being published.

With so much emphasis placed on Facebook and Twitter, many authors overlook the power of LinkedIn. However, LinkedIn holds greater potential for making platform-building connections offline, especially for those nonfiction authors engaged in speaking, consulting, and other business ventures. To make the most of your profile, make sure you include all of the following steps as you establish a LinkedIn presence.

1. Complete your profile. Fill in your work history, your experience, any awards and recognition related to your book or expertise, and a short bio. Include as much information as possible about who you are as an author, and make sure the information you include will interest the target audience for your book. Also make sure you a have a current, professionally taken photo.
2. Update your status. LinkedIn is all about professional updates, so only share links, events, or media coverage that pertain to your message an author and expert. Keep info about your cat or your last meal for private conversations.
3. Make your profile public. This way people can easily find you, both within LinkedIn and on the web.
4. Add links. You can add up to three links to your profile, including links to your blog and website. Be sure to add at least one link with information about your book (which is usually your website).
5. Make connections. Go through your Outlook address book, Rolodex, or BlackBerry to find potential connections from your existing contacts. LinkedIn’s quick connect feature lets you connect with people already in your Yahoo or Gmail email accounts.
6. Join groups. Find groups that cater to your audience. Make individual connections with members in the group and participate in events and discussions.
7. Get recommendations. Have people who have read your book or whom you have worked with in some way write recommendations for you. Be willing to do the same in return should the occasion call for it.
8. Set up your company profile. If you have a company or your own small press associated with your book or expertise, set up a company profile. If you have employees, you can invite them to update their profiles with their company affiliation.

The above will help you get your profile page up to a par, but LinkedIn has some other fantastic features that you will also want to use to boost your presence.

1. LinkedIn Answers:  Demonstrate your expertise and connect with your audience by answering questions on LinkedIn Answers. You can search open questions by category or date posted to quickly find which questions you have the authority to answer. The key is to be precise and to leave the self-promotion out of your response.
2. Document sharing. Share your articles and presentations with one of the many document-sharing plugins available. Some of the most commonly used include SlideShare, Scribbd, and Box.net. All three allow users to download your materials, are available from LinkedIn free of charge, and help you boost your SEO.
3. Social media plugins. You can add your tweets, blog posts, and Facebook posts to your LinkedIn profile. Just be careful—each platform caters to a different audience, who each want different information. If you are cross-pollinating with repetitive posts, people will turn off.

LinkedIn is always adding more plugins and features. Just check out the application directory on the LinkedIn toolbar for more information. You can also check out LinkedIntelligence, a blog focused on LinkedIn best practices.

Social media is an important facet of your overall marketing strategy. Just as with any social media effort, the key for LinkedIn success is to be consistent and provide value. LinkedIn is more manageable than most platforms, in that the status updates you write should be limited to only those items related directly to your book or profession, so you only need to update once a week or when you add new events, articles, and media coverage. You can set up email alerts to keep you updated on group discussions and LinkedIn Answers as they occur, so you don’t have to constantly check back.

Above all, don’t let LinkedIn or any social media platform consume you. Keep it simple, focused, and constrained to what is realistic for your goals and schedule.

Serving as an expert source and writing articles is an excellent way to build your credibility and promote your brand. Not only does it get you more publicity, but articles are also a great tool for connecting with potential clients and acquiring speaking engagements. Articles are quick, informative, and can be included in a speaker’s press kit or given as a freebie to clients.

To develop a database of articles, start by making a list of topics you can speak on, such as “10 Things Every Leader Should Know” or “5 Ways to Improve Your Health While on the Road.” Don’t worry if you can only think of a few. This list will grow as your career continues and as you research more outlets for your ideas.

Next, identify publications that cater to your audience and that submit freelance articles. Look on the publication’s website for the submission guidelines; it is important that you follow these to the letter. Ignoring guidelines is usually grounds for an automatic rejection and does not present you in a professional light.

Here are a few more tips for developing and submitting articles:

1. Make your articles concise and actionable.
2. Use startling statistics or third-party facts to support your ideas.
3. Tailor your article to the publication’s tone and audience. This may mean switching out certain terms. For example, you can substitute the term “customer” with “patient” if you are submitting an article on marketing to a medical publication.
4. Leave out the self-promotion—that’s what your bio is for.

Above all, provide value. If your articles don’t have substance, not only will no one want to read them, but media professionals will not want to print them either.

If you’re a nonfiction or business author, it’s easy to repurpose some your book content into an article. Simply pull out a page or a few paragraphs that focus on a central topic or concept and add an appropriate introduction or summary.

There are also many options for submitting articles for content syndication on the Internet. Content syndication can benefit your website’s search-engine ranking and enhance your web presence. Here are a few syndication resources:

Free Resources:

http://e-articles.info/ This free article directory provides useful free articles, tutorials, and information resources about various life issues. Subjects include Arts & Entertainment, Finance, Dating & Relationships, Business, Technology, Health & Fitness, Home & Garden, News & Society, Sports, and more.

http://www.articlealley.com/ This site helps authors promote and syndicate their content on a large scale. Web content managers from thousands of partner sites use Article Alley to source free content they can include on their own websites.

http://www.articlesbase.com/submit-articles.php Similar to e-articles.info and Article Alley, Articles Base allows authors to submit articles to a comprehensive database. Articles Base is unique in that it includes an author bio box where you can promote your own webpage and personal brand.

Paid Resources:

http://www.isnare.com A $2-per-article submission charge makes syndication available to 1000+ websites.

http://www.rcplinks.com/Article_Submission.htm $25 for 100 links to your article.

Rules when submitting articles to content syndication services:

#1: No links allowed within the body of the article.

#2: No promotion of your company or book within the article itself.

#3: Links promoting your Amazon page or book website should live in the bio or “about the author” section.  Use links sparingly in this section as an article will often be rejected if there are more than three.