Selling Books

Your Guide to Writing, Publishing and Marketing Books and Ebooks

  • Blog
  • Free Newsletter
You are here: Home / Book Marketing / Using Online Magazines to Promote Your Books or Writing for Free

Using Online Magazines to Promote Your Books or Writing for Free

October 4, 2008 by Peter N. Jones

Promotion is a must in any writer’s career and online venues are one of the fastest growing mediums. If you’re a recently published author – self or traditionally published – you have to promote yourself to get your name out into the public. If you’re a previously published author, you have to promote to keep your name out in the public.

Book promotion is a constant as a writer. In fact, its how you get people to know about you and read your writing, and readers are what writers and authors really love.

Online magazine promotion is one form of promoting your books or writing that can be a great marketing tool. If done right it can be highly effective. There are five general ways that you can promote your books or writing using online magazines, all of which will help you promote your book or writing.

1. Paid Advertisement or Classified Ad – Every magazine, even those on the web, is always looking for advertisement. It’s how they pay their bills. Likewise, many magazines have a classifieds section. You can use either one of these avenues to help you promote your books. Check out their rates and see what packages fit into your budget. If they don’t have anything that works with your budget, contact them, and see if they have any specials for the month or can offer you a promotional deal that won’t break you. Often, the classifieds are free or extremely cheap and they are read by your target audience – subscribers of the magazine.

2. Monthly Columnist – Some online magazines look for monthly columnists. This is your chance to write about the special topic only you know about. Share your wisdom with their readership and at the end of your column don’t forget your bio, which can include a short blurb about your latest book and a link to your site/blog. Check out your favorite online magazines and see if they’re in the need for a columnist or send an intro letter to the editor and offer your services.

3. Contribute an Article – If the online magazine doesn’t need a regular columnist, they are always looking for new content. They normally allow you to feature a byline and a short bio. This is an excellent way to share your knowledge with readers. It will introduce your writing abilities and place your name in reader’s minds. Use a query letter or email to approach an online magazine.

4. Host a Workshop – Some online magazines like to host special events for their readers. Workshops are a good way to introduce yourself and your book. Do you have a skill you can teach? Readers are looking for new things to learn. You can be the person who offers these types of workshops. You might even make a few extra dollars in the process, or be invited to speak or teach in other avenues.

5. Visitor/Member Community – Don’t underestimate making a comment or becoming a member of a magazine community – often called a forum. Members like meeting other members. Some magazines offer extra perks to their members, such as free promotions for being a member.

Make comments on the magazine’s blog and make sure to always include your links. This is a good way for readers to learn about you and if they’re curious, they click through to your site.

Online magazine promotion is worth the cost:

  • You reach your niche market.
  • Most promotions are archived, so it’s not just a one time promotion.
  • Your promotion can be viewed by readers for a whole year or more.
  • You build your reputation as an expert on certain topics.
  • New readers learn about you and your book.
  • You build a network with different online editors.

Check out your favorite online magazines and see how they can help you reach new readers and promote your books or writing.

Peter N. Jones is the Director of the Bauu Institute and Press. More book marketing tips and online promotion resources can be found on the Bauu Institute and Press Marketing page here: Marketing Your Writing and Books Online. For comments or questions you can reach Peter via email at pnj@bauuinstitute.com.

Related Posts :

Creating Effective Book Descriptions for Amaz...
How to Use Content Marketing To Presell Your ...
5 Overlooked Marketing Channels to Promote Yo...
Marketing vs Sales

Filed Under: Book Marketing, Book Publicity, Internet Marketing Tagged With: authors, magazines, marketing, promotion

Sell More Books!

FREE! Sign up Cathy Stucker's Selling Books newsletter. You will get useful tips and techniques for writing, publishing and selling books, plus member-only exclusives such as free webinars.

BONUS! Get instant access to Cathy's audio program on how to Build an Effective Author Platform!

I respect your privacy & will NEVER sell, rent or share your email address. More than a policy, it's my Privacy Pledge.

Recent Articles

  • FAQs About Children’s Book Illustrations
  • 5 Posts Every Author Should Write on their Website
  • Reducing Everyday Distractions So You Can Get More Writing Done
  • E.S.Danon – Moon in Bastet
  • Nicole Higginbotham-Hogue – Complicated Heart
  • OLUWAmuyiwa Omole – Re.Think CULTURE
  • Dale S. Rogers – Lighthouse on Tortola
  • What’s in a Name?
  • Sebastian Schug – A Guide to Exploring Abandoned Churches
  • Camille Cabrera – Catalina’s Tide

Pages

Contact
Contribute Articles
Contributing Authors
Free Newsletter to Help You Sell More Books
Get Interviewed
Publishing Resources
Subscribe/RSS
Privacy/Disclosure Policies

Categories

Agents Amazon.com Article Marketing Author Interviews Author Platform Blogging Book Business Book Design Book Marketing Book Proposals Book Publicity Book Publishing Book Reviews Book Signings Bookstore Book Titles Book Tours Cathy's Blog Children's Books Content Marketing Copyright Copy Writing Ebooks Editing Fiction Writing Freelance Writing Get Published Ghostwriters Internet Marketing Marketing Fiction Motivation Networking Non-Fiction Writing Oprah Winfrey POD Publishing Public Speaking Research Resources for Writers Running Your Publishing Company Self Publishing Social Media Special Sales Video Marketing Writers Block Writing

Return to top of page

Copyright © 2006 - 2021 Cathy Stucker · All Rights Reserved

Log in to your account