With more than 800 million unique visitors a month, YouTube is one of the most popular search engines. Do you have a YouTube channel? Have you made a book trailer for your book? If not, what kind of book trailer would you like to make for your book? Do you have a video camera? If you do and you’re not posting short videos, you’re missing out on a huge marketing opportunity. It’s especially useful if you’re trying to reach a global audience, as 70 percent of YouTube viewers are in countries other than the U.S. If regular video posts are still on your To-Do list, what are some of the most clever video posts you’ve seen, and how might you do something similar to promote your books or yourself as an author? Be sure to give us the link to your YouTube channel.
I've done one video on YouTube and made it private. You can only get to it by clicking on the link: http://youtu.be/ydqAJmVNa5Q I'd just woken up and look a bit like crap, but it was fun and a good learning experience. My idea was to figure out just how to do something like that from my iPad, and it went off without a hitch. YAY!
I attended a webinar last week called Book Marketing is Bull$h*t. At the start of the session, the host asked us to answer a poll. His question was: What avenues are helping you in your sales? Guess what the only option was that didn't get any votes. That's right, book trailers.
Like Pinterest, I think perhaps we're using them the wrong way. Instead of a trailer for a book, perhaps we should be exploring other options. YouTube is video, man! It has a billion (with a B) possibilities. As authors, we just need to figure out a way to tap into it and use it at its highest potential. I don't go to YouTube to find new books to read.
Ah! There's the million dollar question, huh? Where do readers go to find new books to add to their list?
I use:
- Recommendations from peers (Facebook and Twitter).
- Browsing the bookstore (I love a book sale!).
- Reading reviews on Goodreads (I read the ONE and TWO star reviews. If they're complaining about how the book made them feel, in a bad way, I usually enjoy the hell out of it. If it's talking about the bad writing, I know to avoid it).
- Keeping up with my favorite authors and jumping on it when they release a new book.
- Blogs that write reviews (I recently picked up Splintered by AG Howard this way).
- Winning giveaways (Jamie McGuire became a favorite of mine this way).
And, I ended up being a fan of a couple of authors from the last Author Blog Challenge. Tia Silverthorne Bach, Crystal Lee, Heather Topham Wood, and Ms. Sandi Tuttle (she's working on her book, but I love her blog!).
So, utilizing YouTube may be more about reading your book to your audience while they enjoy looking at the cover (please, for the love of Pete, comb your hair - unlike me - if you're going to use your face). I'm planning to work something up so I don't have to be on-camera but can still hook readers with an interesting story. I'm a photographer, too, so maybe imagery is the way to go. Something that compliments the story being told.
Being a graphic designer who's in LOVE with Typography, here are two of my favorite YouTube videos:
Font Conference
Font Fight
Confession: I watched them again after I linked them. Hehe
What have your YouTube experiences been like?
Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!
Jo
You're very brave Jo, being uncomfortable in front of cameras I could never do a video. Did you get much response/sales from it?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Justine! I don't know if it generated sales or not. It was only watched about fifteen times and that was wayyyy back in November. That book didn't publish until last month :) But, we'll see.
DeleteThe only video we've made was by my kids... and it's not on YouTube! I like the idea of book trailers, but don't watch them.
ReplyDeleteOddly enough, one of my sons has both a YouTube channel AND a radio show. I don't think a book trailer is the way to go when trying to sell a book... I could be wrong though (been known to happen) haha! Thanks for the comment, Melissa!
DeleteI agree that book trailers (as currently implemented) are probably the weakest use of Youtube by authors. Reading your book aloud is certainly one possibility. I listed some others myself in my blog response to the prompt today.
ReplyDeleteI don't know what could work, but I know we all need to tap into it; whatever it is... Thanks for the comment, Rundy! I'm off to read and comment the blogs that came in after noon yesterday :)
DeleteWhat You Tube has shown me is that it is difficult to shoot good videos without training. It is not a do-it-yourself project, unless you want your video to induce vertigo in your audience. I rarely watch self-made videos on blogs. Book trailers? Hardly ever watch. Incidentally, I find many of the books I read by going to my local library (an easy walk from where I work, fortunately) and browsing the "new to our collections" shelf. How old fashioned is that?
ReplyDeleteI used to do them for my photography business. I quit when I moved because of loss of client base and stuff. I've only seen a couple of really well done book trailers. Most of them are cheesy, at best. Thanks for the comment, Alana. I, too, browse books in person :)
DeleteAs an award winning videographer I work with clients to get their videos online and visible. Youtube is just one of those places the video is uploaded to. Youtube isn't just about funny videos, or how to videos. More and more people are starting youtube channels for more exposure. One of the benefits of having a book trailer is that it can live on your site. That video can be exactly what entices them to purchase your book when done correctly. I created two videos for my soon to be released book. One was a quick (that's key) video mentioning the book. The second was the book trailer. They are both on my site and I put that video up on my Amazon author page. Maybe I should do a post on tips for creating a book trailer.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great idea, Toni! I'll be watching for that post :) Congrats on the award!
DeleteA Power Point Presentation with voice over can work very well :-)
ReplyDeleteMerlene, I'm laughing. Only because I loathe Power Point :) But you may just have something here...
DeleteGood advice, I wonder if I could set Obi up so it looks like he's reading his book.... Must have a play!
ReplyDeleteOMG! How stinkin' cute would that be? I'll be watching for it, Ashley!
DeleteGreat post and thanks for the book love yesterday for my release! I have The Bird on my TBR list for review, I just have a couple of weeks of review books for blog tours and then I'm hoping to get to it.
ReplyDeleteYou're totally welcome! I've veered WAY off my review list and have just one book in front of yours :) I'm using it for my Indie Fever reading challenge hehe! Thanks for wanting to read my book. I hope it delights you :)
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