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So I just finished a workshop on being a better guest blogger and there are some things that I found very helpful that I thought I would mention here for those that are thinking about doing a virtual book tour (blog tour).
The first is when setting up a blog tour, make sure you do your research: Find a blog you like; read their reviews, see what they accept, see what types of guest bloggers they have had in the past;Look at their comments. How many are there? Are they the same commenters day after day?
Next you're going to want to contact the blog's owner (or other designated contact person). Some (especially the more popular blogs) need at least a 5-6 month heads up to put you in the schedule. If you want to be reviewed by a busy site you need to approach early. There are some blogs that take one author guest blog a week. Even without a release date you can give a general idea of when the book is out. A given review site can take X amount of books in a month if you approach early even without the exact date they can put you into the estimate of what they can read.
When approaching the blog, make sure that your email is clear and concise. Make sure in your subject line you put exactly what the email is about: ex. Guest Blog Request from Author
After you post your piece, be sure to check back for follow up. This helps to keep readers engaged.
The one thing a blog can help you with is gain more readers. The blogger has an audience, so use it.
I hope this helps anyone thinking of using this promotional tactic.
The first is when setting up a blog tour, make sure you do your research: Find a blog you like; read their reviews, see what they accept, see what types of guest bloggers they have had in the past;Look at their comments. How many are there? Are they the same commenters day after day?
Next you're going to want to contact the blog's owner (or other designated contact person). Some (especially the more popular blogs) need at least a 5-6 month heads up to put you in the schedule. If you want to be reviewed by a busy site you need to approach early. There are some blogs that take one author guest blog a week. Even without a release date you can give a general idea of when the book is out. A given review site can take X amount of books in a month if you approach early even without the exact date they can put you into the estimate of what they can read.
When approaching the blog, make sure that your email is clear and concise. Make sure in your subject line you put exactly what the email is about: ex. Guest Blog Request from Author
After you post your piece, be sure to check back for follow up. This helps to keep readers engaged.
The one thing a blog can help you with is gain more readers. The blogger has an audience, so use it.
I hope this helps anyone thinking of using this promotional tactic.
