Finding & using (free) promotion sites

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ATP

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It seems to me that for independent/self-publishing authors, one of the chosen methods is to market themselves at listing-for-free book promotion sites.

I am not sure if the process is the same for a service or book targeted at the freelance market.

My questions are:

i) is the process of promotion at listing-for-free book promotion sites the same as promotion of a service or book targeted at the freelance market?

ii) if one wanted to promote across a _great_ many of either of these book promotion sites or sites dealing with freelancers, can anyone here recommend an internet (or even print) directory for either of these, if such is available?

iii) if not, does one undertake this process with the aid of an internet marketing company?

iv) or, all else failing, do you independently have to undergo the laborious task of hunting out these sites on the internet, and building a database this way?

Thanks.
 

ResearchGuy

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It seems to me that for independent/self-publishing authors, one of the chosen methods is to market themselves at listing-for-free book promotion sites. . . .
That might be a "chosen" method, but I am not at all persuaded that it is an effective one.

How often do you go rummaging around obscure websites to find books to buy? Why would a listing at such a site be persuasive to you?

I buy hundreds of books in a typical year (fewer lately, I suppose, for lack of room and too much of a backlog), and have never bought one in that fashion myself (or even learned of one that I can recall, for that matter).

On the other hand, I have bought plenty as a result of browsing at Barnes & Noble, some as a result of browsing at Borders, and some as a result of cross-references and recommendations at Amazon.com, as well as others from other bookstores or personal contacts (authors in organizations I am in) or as a result of looking for books by authors some of whose work I have already read. (I bought a used Donna Andrews paperback, the first in her mystery series, from a library booksale rack and then went to B&N and bought every sequel, for example.) Oh, and some via book clubs (I learn of them that way, but might buy elsewhere), and others as a result of reviews in Publishers Weekly or the Sunday New York Times book review section. The independently published or self-published books I buy (few of those, but some) are pretty much all purchases resulting from personal contacts, not happened across at obscure websites.

Your methods might be completely different, of course. If so, I'd be interested in learning about them.

--Ken
 

flashgordon

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I don't think many people buy from the random book listing sites out there. But that is not the reason to list your book there. From my viewpoint, the reasons to list on these free book listing sites (such as those book listing sites listed here) are as follows:

1) To build backlinks to your book's website or blog.

2) To gain more exposure - they say it takes 3-7 times of viewing something before it even registers in a person

3) Why not, its free and could lead to a sale or two

They are simply another component of an overall marketing/promotion package. I would not pay anyone to do it (unless you have money to spend). Just do it yourself.

Cheers.
 
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