Hello, there. It’s me again, your friendly neighborhood book publicist, Robby Rob. I’m here to talk to you about content strategy and why it’s crucial to have a content plan in place as you embark on your book campaign journey. When you’re gearing up to release your next book, just know the writing doesn’t stop when you turn in your final drafts.
Content is a way to have a continuous renewal in your career as a writer.
Here are 4 reasons why content strategy is so important:
- Book coverage is shrinking
As book coverage continues to shrink, especially in print media, content strategy is a fun and edgy way to get coverage for your book without competing for space in a book column that may only feature 6 titles a month. With over 3,000 books published a week, this is certainly something to keep in mind.
- You can connect with readers before they even read your book
Reviews and book roundups are fantastic but content offers an opportunity for authors to connect with readers in a way that they can control. When I read an article that truly resonates with me (or maybe is just really funny), I tend to click on the writer’s name at the bottom or top of the piece. Instantly, I’m directed to the writer’s website and Twitter. As an author, it’s wise to create this space in your platform to gain more readers who are inclined to click on your name and be directed to your book.
- It does all the work for the editor
One of the reasons books coverage is shrinking is because media staffs are also shrinking and there’s simply no time to read 20 books each month. The greatest thing when pitching an editor is letting them know you can do the job for them. Providing content that’s ready-to-rock with strong SEO potential could make an editor’s day and it will certainly make yours!
- The possibilities are endless!
In Spring 2015, I worked with author and mental health advocate Kelley Clink and the release of her debut memoir, A Different Kind of Same (She Writes Press). Kelley’s compelling and candid memoir dealt with the suicide of her brother, his diagnosis with bipolar disorder, her depression and her own suicide attempt – all of this woven together in a beautifully written story that began striking a chord with readers. In working on the PR campaign for this book, we wanted to elevate Kelley’s platform not just as an author, but as a mental health advocate who’s seeking to connect with people who share similar stories. Content was key here to help build her credibility.
One of the first content pieces Kelley wrote was “10 Things I Would Tell My Son as Someone Who Once Attempted Suicide.” We pitched the piece to Woman’s Day (an outlet that doesn’t do much book coverage) and they accepted the piece for online content. In just under 500 words, Kelley’s piece went viral and in a week, connected with nearly ten thousand readers sparking controversy in the comments section. Redbook also got wind of this and shared it on their site as well. Bam, two major media placements. Then, we decided to pitch the controversy to broadcast media to create a segment on whether or not it’s OK to talk to your kids about mental health and suicide. In just a few days, I heard back from HuffPost Live and they agreed to do a segment with Kelley to talk about her Woman’s Day article, her book and mental health. Kelley was interviewed along with a panel of mental health experts who supported Kelley and her message.
Shortly following the segment, we were then able to pitch Huffington Post to get Kelley a blog account so she can continue the conversation. A week after that, Huffington Post granted us a login, thus creating more opportunities for Kelley to provide content and build her platform.
From a piece featured on a major women’s outlet to an interview on a national broadcast platform, to an expert gig on Huffington Post, this case study shows how one content piece can offer endless possibilities for your book campaign.
Now that we’ve talked about why content is important, here are 5 tips to consider as you work on your content strategy plan:
- The closer to pub date the better
Gone are the days of long drawn out publicity campaigns with heavy build up (consider Beyoncé and Adele). Pre-publicity is great but when consumers get wind of a product they’re interested in, they want it and they want it now. When working with an editor, make sure you’re working on a timeline that will feature your article near or post-pub date. Also know that with online editors, they can get the piece up at anytime. So if you’re a month out from pub-date and haven’t heard back yet, don’t fret!
- Consult your publicist on content strategy
If you happen to have a publicist, it’s part of their job to understand what kind of content you should be writing and what style format to write it in. If you have a topic you’d like to write about, your publicist could help you structure the piece in a way that gets it placed in major media outlets. Publicists know what gets covered and are tuned into what editors typically like, so they are a great help.
- Consider your audience
If you’re writing a piece on craft or an inside-look at your book, this is certainly something that would do well on Writer’s Digest, Poets & Writers or We Heart Writing, but not always in mainstream media. When looking to get placed in mainstream media, it’s not about whether or not the editor will find it interesting, it’s about whether or not their readers will find it interesting.
- Do your research
If there’s a dream outlet you’d like to be featured in, look at their articles and get familiar with the format that they prefer. If an editor can take a quick look at your piece and know instantly that it would work for their platform, it makes all the difference.
- Online media vs. print media
Print media opportunities are great; it’s such a rush to see a magazine at the check-out and know that your work is featured there, and also knowing that their subscribers are receiving that piece directly in the mail. But with online media your piece has the potential to go viral, to become a think-piece or a fun conversation starter, and the best part is, readers can click on your name and be sent directly to a retail link to purchase your book.
- Stay true to YOU
Only write content that you genuinely want to write and write it from the heart. The point of content strategy is to connect with readers in a way that gets them to check out your book. Readers can tell when a writer isn’t genuine. Stay real, stay true.
Robert Soares is our Senior Publicist and lives for pop culture, media and indie pop music and loves to analyze moves made by public figures in the name of PR. His hobbies include worrying too much about whether or not his friends have had anything to eat, mothering his friends with life advice, and making sure everyone he cares about is happy at all times.
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