By BlueInk Review Staff
So you’ve gotten several reviews of your book. Congratulations! You are headed in the right direction when it comes to marketing your book.
But now what?
Here are 11 ways to maximize the impact of a professional review. Use it…:
1. On social media: Professional reviews are an invaluable source of content for social media. Posting your review on your Facebook page, for example, gives you another way to remind your friends that you have a book out there. You might say, “Just got a great book review from XXX. They praised my ‘keen sense of setting and character development’!”; then include a link to the full review. And while you’re at it, do the same on Twitter and other venues.
2. On your author website: The more professional reviews you post on your author website, the more readers will take your book seriously. Include a tab for “Book Reviews” at the top of the site and run excerpts or links to full reviews on that page.
3. On your book jacket. While many authors include excerpts from friends on the back of their books, this can backfire, as readers will know immediately that you likely couldn’t find anyone else to vouch for the book. Professional reviews carry far more weight here. Post excerpts from these reviews on the front or back of your book jacket.
4. On press releases: All authors should send a press release with their books when querying bloggers, mainstream press, bookstores and librarians. This is a time-saver that allows industry insiders to learn about you and your book at a glance. A compelling excerpt from a review at the top of the press release is sure to be eye-catching. And if you have many glowing reviews, attach a separate page to the press release with a full list of tantalizing excerpts.
5. On bookmarks: Take a praiseworthy line from one review (or more) and print it on your bookmark. This works as an eye-catcher for potential readers.
6. To make advertisements: A simple way to create an advertisement for your book is to take a thumbnail picture of your book cover and pair it with a praiseworthy line from a review. It takes little design expertise and is effective in its simplicity.
7. To get more reviews. One great review is terrific. Three are better. You’re much more likely to get positive attention from a review source if you already have a glowing review to send with the package. Use the first positive review as leverage when contacting other reviewers, as in: “My book just received a rave review from XXX, which called me ‘the modern generation’s Jack Kerouac.’ Can I send you a copy?”
8. In the Editorial section of Amazon and Barnes and Noble: Both sites have designated spots for professional reviews, in contrast to those written by consumers. Readers know immediately that they come from unbiased sources. If you don’t know how to do go about posting in these spots, scroll halfway down in this link for directions: https://www.blueinkreview.com/how-to-use-your-review/
9. On your email signature: Take an excerpt from the review and place it under your name on your email signature with a thumbnail copy of your book cover. Every person you email will see your book!
10. To improve your work: If your review didn’t bring the results you’d hoped, it’s never a total loss. Set it aside and read it again once you’ve had time to absorb the disappointment. Try to consider the reviewer’s points as dispassionately as possible. The reviewer is an uber reader who knows the genre; his/her comments are sure to help you when you tackle a revise or start a new writing project.
11. To boost your confidence: Authors often tell us a positive review helped them gain confidence and feel validated – which is no small thing. Writing is, by nature, a solitary endeavor. It’s easy to let self-doubt worm its way into your daily thoughts. A positive review from a professional source can give you the confidence to submit your book to contests and to promote it elsewhere with all your heart.
BlueInk Review offers serious, unbiased reviews of indie and traditionally published books. Our reviews are penned by writers drawn largely from major mainstream publications, such as The New York Times and Washington Post, and editors of respected traditional publishing houses. Select reviews appear in Booklist magazine, a highly respected review publication that reaches 70,000 librarians.
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A book review sitting quietly on one page while the rest of your marketing struggles is a little like hiring a salesperson and never letting them leave the office. I liked the idea of putting reviews to work in different places, from websites and social posts to promotional materials and other reader-facing content. A strong review can do more than confirm that a book exists; it can give potential readers a reason to care. Where have you found reviews most useful?
A book review shouldn’t have to spend the rest of its life sitting quietly on one review page. I liked the idea of turning strong review quotes into marketing assets for websites, newsletters, social posts, and promotional materials. It’s a simple way to give reader feedback a much longer shelf life while adding genuine social proof. Authors put so much effort into getting reviews that it makes sense to reuse them wisely. Which use of a review has worked best for you?
A good book review shouldn’t have to retire after appearing on one website. I liked how this post turns a review into something authors can actually put to work, from sharing excerpts in marketing materials to using feedback as social proof and keeping the conversation going with readers. That makes the review feel less like an endpoint and more like another promotional tool. Which use of a review do you think authors overlook most often?