Best Book and eBook Marketing Experts

What a good book marketing package includes

Book marketing gigs range from listing improvements to full launch campaigns. Check that the package states:

• Listing work: description, categories and keywords.
• Ads: which platforms, and whether ad spend is included.
• Launch plan: timeline and activities.
• Newsletter and promotion sites, if used.
• Review outreach that follows store rules.
• Reporting: sales, rankings and ad results.
• Duration and follow-up.

Ask the marketer to start with your book page. A strong description, the right categories and a clear cover make every other marketing activity more effective, because they decide whether visitors actually buy.

How to brief a book marketer

1. The book: genre, length, series details and release date.
2. Readers: who the book is for, and similar authors.
3. Your platform: newsletter, social media, website.
4. Budget for the service and for ads.
5. Past results, if the book is already out.
6. Goals: launch rank, steady sales, series read-through.

Build your own reader list. A newsletter of readers who asked to hear from you is the most reliable marketing tool an author has, because you own it and can reach them for every future book.

For a series, focus on the first book. Readers who enjoy it often buy the rest, so marketing the entry point usually gives the best return.

Ask the marketer to review your book's first pages as well as the listing. Many readers use the preview before buying, and if the opening is slow or has errors, ads will bring visitors who leave without purchasing. A quick review can reveal whether the book is ready for paid promotion.

What drives the price

• number of books and platforms
• ad management and ad spend
• launch planning and timeline
• description writing and keyword research
• promotion site bookings
• the marketer's experience in your genre

Keep ad spend separate from the marketer's fee, and review results regularly. Stop ads that do not pay for themselves.

Red flags

• Guaranteed bestseller status or ranks.
• Paid or fake reviews.
• Bulk downloads or clicks from bots.
• Ad spend hidden inside the fee.
• No genre experience.

Genres behave differently. Romance, thrillers and fantasy often respond well to ads and series promotions; non-fiction may rely more on search and expertise. Choose a marketer who knows your genre.

Before marketing, make sure the book is ready; see our book editing guide and book cover guide. For an audio version, read our audiobook guide.

Track results per activity. Use separate links or codes for newsletters, promotion sites and ads where possible, so you know which ones actually sell books. It helps you spend your next marketing budget on what works for your genre, rather than repeating everything.

Quick pre-order checklist

• My cover, description and first pages are ready.
• The plan follows store rules on reviews.
• Ad accounts and budgets are in my control.
• I know which results will be reported.
• The marketer knows my genre.