Blog Tours 101 for Authors, Part 2: Why should I do a blog tour?

Blog Tours 101 for Authors
 Part 2: Why should I do a blog tour? 
By Audra Jennings, Litfuse Publicity Group  

Word-of-mouth is the most effective form of promoting your book. Think about the last author/book you were introduced to. Most likely, a friend who already read the book told you about it, or you saw something about it on someone’s Facebook wall. Even if you read about the book in a magazine or heard about it on the radio, you probably didn’t buy the book until someone you know chimed in on the book.

Blog tours are a way to get books into the hands of readers and let them do the talking for you. Serious bloggers are everyday people who love attention. It’s true, and I’m talking about myself (okay, I don’t know how serious I am compared to highly recognized bloggers). Bloggers who put a lot of time and effort into their blogs are passionate about making sure people are reading their blogs. They cross-promote their blogs on Facebook to all their friends and family, via Twitter to the following they have built, and other places to promote their blogs further.

Blog reviewers also post their reviews on consumer sites such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble. The more reviews you have on those sites from consumers, the more credibility it gives your book, and the more it boosts sales.

If a blogger falls in love with your book and writes a rave review, there is no more efficient and cost-effective way to promote your book.

Traditional media like TV, radio, magazines, and newspapers are still vitally important, but we often don’t have regular access to all of those means all day, every day. Think about how much news and other information you find online. Creating a buzz online for your book is a necessity in these days.

Also, traditional media outlets do online research to check out books they hear about. Is the book getting talked about? Should we check it out too? Online buzz about your book makes you more credible. Media contacts are online too—you know they get their ideas from checking Facebook as well.

It's also a good idea to offer some sort of giveaway on your blog or website during the blog tour in order to draw people to your website to enter. While they are there, they will be able to learn more about you and your other books.

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