By BookBaby Author Philip Kinsher

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Goodreads is arguably the most important social media site for independent authors. The platform facilitates author-reader interaction, book discovery, and community engagement. And with over 65 million members and 30,000 new reviews each day, there’s simply nothing else that can compare. In short, if you’re an author, you need to be there, and what’s more, you need to know how to promote your book on the site.

Establishing a strong presence on Goodreads

Promoting your book on Goodreads can be an effective way to connect with readers and increase visibility. Here are some book promotion strategies you can use.

Become a Goodreads author

Before you can start promoting yourself on Goodreads, you first need to create an account and apply for its Author Program. To do so:

• Sign in or create an account, and then search for your most popular book via ISBN, ASIN, or title.
• On the book, click on your author name. Scroll to the bottom of your author profile page.
• Click “Is this you? Let us know!” to complete and submit the application.

Goodreads will send you an email when you’re approved within two business days. (Learn more at Goodreads.)

Create an author profile

Once you have an account, make sure you fill out all the relevant profile information, including a professional author photo and bio. This site is where many readers are going to encounter you for the first time, so you need to make the best first impression possible.

Connect your blog

One of the great benefits of being a Goodreads author is that you can sync your blog to the platform. (This is assuming you already maintain an author blog on your author website, which, if you’re not already doing, you totally should.)

Syncing your blog to Goodreads will be a boon for you because it will streamline your workload. Instead of managing two separate blogs, you can concentrate on just one. Secondly, it will allow you to drive traffic to your author website where readers can sign up for your newsletter — another promotional item you should seriously consider doing.

Engaging with the Goodreads community

Now that you have the basics set up, you can start engaging with the Goodreads community.

Read, rate, and review other books

Goodreads isn’t called a social media website for nothing. Book readers and followers gather here to discuss books, and if you want them to start discussing your books, you’re going to need to participate in discussing other books first. Read, rate, and review as many published books by your peers as you can. Join writers’ groups so you can all hype each other’s work.

Encourage book reviews

Encourage book readers to leave reviews of your book on Goodreads. Reviews can significantly impact a book’s visibility and credibility. However, always remember to follow Goodreads’ guidelines and do not engage in any unethical practices to manipulate reviews.

Run book giveaways

Goodreads allows authors to run giveaways for physical copies of their books. This can generate buzz and increase the number of readers adding your book to their “to-read” shelf. It’s a great way to create awareness.

Participate in groups

Join relevant Goodreads groups related to your book’s genre or theme. Engage with the community by participating in discussions and offering insights. Avoid being overly promotional; focus on building genuine connections with potential readers.

Use Goodreads ads

Goodreads offers an advertising platform that allows you to target specific demographics based on interests, genres, and more. Consider using Goodreads Ads to promote your book to a broader audience.

Connect with readers

Engage with your readers on Goodreads by responding to comments, thanking them for reviews, and participating in group discussions. Building a relationship with your readers can lead to more visibility and word-of-mouth recommendations.

Share updates

Regularly update your Goodreads status with news about your book, book launch, book signings, events, and other relevant information. This keeps your audience informed and engaged.

Cross-promote on other platforms

Share your Goodreads profile and book links on other social media platforms, your website, and in your email newsletters. Encourage your existing audience to connect with you on Goodreads.

Beyond Goodreads

As important as Goodreads reviews are, Amazon reviews may be even more important for your sales.

Remember that patience is key. Building a presence on Goodreads takes time, and genuine engagement is more effective than aggressive self-promotion. Focus on providing value to the Goodreads community and connecting with readers who are genuinely interested in your work.

This BookBaby blog article How to Promote A Book on Goodreads appeared first on and was stolen from BookBaby Blog .