Boost Your Writing Success: Mastering Goodreads, BookBub, And StoryGraph

Which platform is best? Let's discuss...

Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash

As a writer, it's important for you to be well-versed in platforms like Goodreads, BookBub, and the newest entry, StoryGraph, as they can be valuable tools in your marketing arsenal. Why? Because readers are a diverse group, and they hang out everywhere.

Each platform has its own pros and cons, and particulars about the way they work.

Let's dive into each one.

Goodreads

• Features: Goodreads is like a social network for book lovers. It allows writers to create profiles, interact with readers, join book clubs, and participate in Q&A sessions. It also offers advertising opportunities and the chance to host giveaways, which can be great for book promotion.

• Pros: The platform has a massive user base, offering broad exposure. It's excellent for building a community around a book and engaging directly with readers. The review system on Goodreads is also well-regarded and can help in garnering attention.

• Cons: The site can be overwhelming due to its size and the sheer volume of books and users. Negative reviews can sometimes be prominent, and the platform's algorithms can be a bit opaque in terms of discoverability. Plus, there’s this review-bombing stuff. More here.

BookBub

• Features: BookBub is more focused on book discovery and deals. It allows authors to promote discounted books to a large audience of readers. Authors can also create profiles, but the main feature is the daily email blast to subscribers, highlighting deals on books.

• Pros: It's fantastic for promotions and reaching readers who are actively looking for new books, especially if you have a discount or promotion to offer. The targeted emails can lead to a significant spike in sales.

• Cons: Getting a book featured can be competitive and pricey. Also, it's more about short-term sales spikes rather than long-term community building.

StoryGraph

• Features: StoryGraph is a newer entrant, focusing on personalized recommendations. It offers detailed tracking of reading habits and moods, and authors can create profiles. The site’s algorithm is tailored to reader preferences, which can help in targeting the right audience.

• Pros: Its personalized approach can be a boon for niche or genre writers, as the platform can better match books to readers who are likely to enjoy them. It's also ad-free, which creates a more user-friendly experience.

• The interface is cleaner than Goodreads, more up-to-date, and user-friendly.

• Reviewers can use half and quarter-stars to rate books, which allows for more accurate ratings.

• There’s no affiliation with Amazon, and emphasis isn’t put on traditionally published books.

• Many people claim that The StoryGraph provides more apt recommendations than Goodreads, and because The StoryGraph is more data-driven, it can help authors more easily target their niche audience.

• Supports local bookstores, which is more helpful for authors who wish to promote their books outside of Amazon.

• Authors can query beta readers and reach out for reviews.

• As of this time, there’s no way to connect your social media accounts to The StoryGraph.

• Cons: Being newer, it has a smaller user base than Goodreads or BookBub, which means potentially less exposure. Also, its features and algorithms are still evolving.

Understanding these platforms can help you make informed decisions about where to focus your social media and marketing efforts.

For instance, if you’re looking to build a long-term community and gather reviews, Goodreads might be the way to go.

On the other hand, for a writer looking to boost sales with a promotional offer, BookBub could be more suitable.

Remember, each platform has its unique strengths, and the best choice often depends on the specific goals and needs of your writers. More here ⬇️

Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash

How To Best Use These Platforms

Leveraging these platforms effectively is key to boosting the visibility and success of the writers you're working with. Here's how you can maximize each platform:

1. Goodreads

   • Create an Engaging Author Profile: Ensure you have a complete and engaging author profile. This includes a professional photo (or your best selfie!), a bio, and links to their website or social media.

   • Interact with Readers: Encourage writers to interact with their readers. They can respond to reviews, participate in Q&A sessions, and join book clubs related to their genre. Don’t be too salesy.

   • Host Giveaways: Running book giveaways is a fantastic way to generate buzz. Winners often leave reviews, increasing the visibility of the book. I like that for the ebook giveaway, GR does all the fulfillment via Amazon (not for print, though - that’s on you).

   • Use Goodreads Lists: Get the writers' books on relevant Goodreads lists. This can be a great way to increase discoverability among readers browsing those lists.

   • Promote Events: If you have any book readings, signings, or online events, promote them on Goodreads to engage the local community.

2. BookBub

   • Focus on Deals and Promotions: Use BookBub primarily for promoting discounted books. The platform is excellent for flash sales and getting a quick boost in numbers.

   • Optimize BookBub Profiles: Just like Goodreads, ensure the authors’ profiles are complete and engaging. Include links to their other works and their website. What I like about following people on BookBub is that they differentiate between author and readers - extremely helpful.

   • Targeted Email Campaigns: When running promotions, use BookBub’s targeted email feature to reach readers specifically interested in the genre your writers are publishing in.

   • BookBub Ads: Consider investing in BookBub Ads. They can be targeted very specifically and can be a good investment for promoting new releases or sales.

3. StoryGraph

   • Highlight Unique Book Features: Since StoryGraph focuses on personalized recommendations, emphasize what makes your writers' books unique in their profiles. This could be the mood of the book, themes, or specific character types.

   • Engage with Niche Communities: StoryGraph is great for niche genres. Encourage writers to engage with communities within their specific genre, as the platform's users are often looking for tailored recommendations.

   • Track and Share Reading Habits: If your writers are also avid readers, encourage them to use StoryGraph to track and share their reading habits. This can humanize them to their audience and create deeper connections.

General Tips:

• Consistency is Key: Regular updates and consistent engagement across these platforms can keep the momentum going for a writer’s work.

• Synergy Between Platforms: Use the strengths of each platform in a complementary way. For instance, Goodreads for community building, BookBub for sales promotions, and StoryGraph for niche targeting.

• Encourage Reviews: Across all platforms, encourage readers to leave reviews. They are gold in terms of boosting visibility and credibility.

Each of these platforms offers unique opportunities for writers to connect with your audience, increase your book's visibility, and ultimately drive sales. These platforms are also helpful in balancing your presence.

And, always keep the focus on creating authentic connections with readers – that's where the real magic happens in book marketing!

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Got Branding? Join me TONIGHT!

I’m thrilled to be the featured guest on Vennie Kocsis’ XSpace tonight (Tuesday), 1/16, at 6 pm pst/9 pm est to discuss author branding.

Click now to set a reminder - it’s recorded, so you can always listen to the replay): https://twitter.com/i/spaces/1BdGYrLLypXJX (No special equipment required.) Perfect time to ask your branding questions.

Sponsor:

Thank you, Booklinker, my exclusive advertising sponsor for 2024! Free universal book links for all authors. Super easy to use. And they have a fantastic blog here.

See you next week!