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You have finally finished writing your book. After putting in hundreds of hours of work as well as blood, sweat and tears, you have a copy in your hands. Now, all you have to do is sit back and wait for the book to sell, right? Wrong! As an author, when you finish writing your book the work has just begun. Promoting your book is just as important and nearly as time consuming as writing it in the first place. However, if you do not put in this time and effort, your book will never get the attention it deserves. One strategy for promotion is the online book tour. Learn more about how you can “tour” using social media, blogs and other online tools to build excitement and reach a huge potential readership.
Blogs
The “Blogosphere” is an amazing thing. Think about what topics your book covers. There are probably a large number of blogs out there that are closely related. Contact those blog owners and see if you can guest post on the site. This is not something you should feel shy about at all. Most blog owners will love the content, especially when it comes from a published author. Work out the details about publicity. You will likely be creating an interesting and informative post that benefits the blog owner, but with a link or call-to-action pointing towards your book at the bottom of the post. This offers a win-win situation for you and the blog itself.
Social Media
While you probably already use your Facebook page and Twitter feed to promote your book, you can create a more interactive approach to help promote the book. Encourage your followers to Tweet about your book and promise a “re-tweet” for each post. This gives your followers encouragement to post about you and gives them a connection to Twitter-at-large. With Facebook, you can create a group setting where you can host an informal meet and greet or Q&A with your readers.
Podcasting
You will work with podcasters just like you would bloggers. Get in touch with the industry leaders and ask if they are looking for any interviews or guest hosts. Many people who listen to podcasts while they commute or exercise may not follow the blog world, so you can reach those who wouldn’t otherwise find out about your book.
Live Chats
Whether audio or through text, there are a number of ways you can host live chats. This is an excellent way to interact with your readers. Skype is one option, though it does limit the number of readers you can interact with at one time. A live chat through IRC or a program like Yahoo chat is excellent—especially if your readers already use these services. Finally, you may consider installing a basic chat program on your website or blog and utilizing this. However you do it, chatting with your readers will allow you to make connections you would otherwise never make.
As you can see, once you are published, your work is not finished. You may choose to make some “real world” appearances as well—especially if you want to build your local readership. However, you can build a lot of interest and reach many fans by “touring” online. After all, getting your book into the hands of readers is your goal. An online book tour can do just that and will keep you busy—until it is time to start writing your follow-up!