Use a book blog to promote your book

A book blog is one of the simplest, cheapest, most powerful ways you can promote your book. (The master of the book blog is Seth Godin.) Here are a few tips for creating your own successful book blog:

1. When you sign up for the blog, use the book name (or your name) for the email and blog address.

This makes it easier for readers to remember your name and your address. For example, my main blog address is http://tonylevelle.blogspot.com.

2. Use your book title and subtitle as the title of the blog.

Thus, the ideal blog title for my book Digital Video Secrets would be: Digital Video Secrets: What the pros know and the manuals don't tell you. This makes it easier for readers to find the blog when they do a Google search on the book title.

3. Make it easy for your reader to buy the book.

Put an image of the book cover and a spiffy yellow "BUY NOW" button in the upper left side near the top of the blog. Perceptual studies show that is the "hottest" spot on a web page. People will look there and click there before any other spot on the page. For an example of how to use this "hot corner." Here's a good example of how to use the upper left-hand corner of the web page.

4. Write short posts, and post frequently.

Instead of posting one 800 word entry once a week, write five 150 word posts and post them five times a week. When writing for the web, serve your meal a bite at a time instead of a plate at a time.

5. Start your book blog as early as possible.
Start a book blog the day you start researching your book. During the months before the book is published, write about your research. In the months after the book is published, write about new things you learn, answer reader questions, and announce events like book signings and house parties.