This book offers useful and practical advice, tips, checklists, and worksheets to help authors confront the daunting prospects of selling their work. The first section guides the author toward identifying goals, establishing priorities, and understanding their target market.  The next section offers practical steps for establishing an online presence.. The worksheets are an excellent point of reference for both understanding what having an online presence entails, be it a website, blog, or social media, and thinking about how to get established online.

📚 📚 📚 📚 📚

ONLINE MARKETING FOR BUSY AUTHORS is a terrific guide with brilliant step-by-step instruction for getting your work OUT THERE! Fauzia Burke, a digital book marketing guru and pioneer, shares the 411 on:

-Personal Branding
-Audience
-Dreams and Goals
-Website Design
-Mailing Lists
-Blogging
-Engagement Strategies

She takes online marketers from beginner to confident strategist, showing where to start, where to spend one’s precious time, and how to pull it all together with finesse, with ever helpful worksheets, tips and checklists. Highly recommended! 

Thanks to Berrett-Koehler Publishers and NetGalley for the review copies. Opinions are fully mine.

#OnlineMarketingForBusyAuthors #NetGalley

Hi there
I review hundreds of books for writers and authors on my writing blog and I found this book told the reader only a few of the important things that authors need to do to market their books online. Not enough to fill the fill. The book also did not explain to new authors how to do the activities. I work with thousands of authors very new to book marketing and they are most often so new to online marketing that they have no idea where to start or what to do. The book would benefit from more 'how to do' rather than just telling the author what is needed. In a nutshell: Lots of puff but not enough. I don't give negatives reviews so if it okay with you, I prefer not to review this book on Amazon  :)

<p>For self-publishing authors, marketing your book can be overwhelming. There you are, you just edited your manuscript for the 10.000th time and you literally could not wait to hit that damn publish button. But now you have to start marketing your book. Shit! That is actually quite scary.</p>
<p>For someone who never ever did any marketing, for someone who might not be as knowledgeable about social media, digital marketing can seem impossible. But as a self-publishing author, you NEED to market your book. You can OR spend money and hire an agency OR you can do it all yourself. And most authors choose for the latter… and fail miserably!</p>
<p>This book gives authors a primer in marketing. Yes. A primer. As a marketer myself – a book marketer, I can say that this book, although it contains a lot of information, is nothing more but a base you need to start from.</p>
<p>In fact, even though the information was great and the writing was good, the information conveyed by the book is easily found online on websites such as the kindlepreneur. Yes I would actually recommend reading books on marketing before starting your marketing efforts. However, I do not know if this book is the best one to buy. You might already know a lot of the things the book talks about – again, everything is very basic, or it might not apply to you.</p>
<p>I feel this book might be helpful for a lot of non-fiction authors. Yes, indeed, some of the info such as building mailing lists is applicable to fiction writers as well – however, everything seems geared towards building an author brand that screams ‘expert’ or ‘thought-leader’.</p>
<p>I never really had a ‘that is such a good tip’ or ‘that is an amazing idea’ moment when reading this book, a feeling I often have when reading blog posts or marketing whitepapers.</p>
<p>This book is nothing more than a well written primer. You will be able to find most of this information for free online. Nothing really outrageous, time-saving or actually ‘new’ is being said. Would only recommend for people who are just… clueless.</p>

This book is a fine jumping off spot not only for authors but also for anyone needing to build an online presence. It covers all the basics and gives explanations for why and how things matter. The additional resources are helpful.

Written in a clear manner the book assists even the most inexperienced author or marketer a plan to follow to begin building a personal brand and engaging a local community.

Online Marketing for Busy Authors: A Step-By-Step Guide by Fauzia Burke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a much-needed primer for authors needing a kick-start on their marketing campaign.

A lot of it isn't news, but being reminded of everything that's necessary and to highlight a few steps we might be missing, it's fairly essential. 

Big takeaways: Every reader, every kind of contact, needs to be earned by a real voice, a personalized message. It's unfortunate for the author who would rather spend his or her days actually writing and polishing the stories that they are so invested in, but it's still important. And kinda obvious. 

No one likes spam or blather. Take your time with each person, build contacts, build relationships, make real friends. Then ask for help, especially after you've given it first.

Does this sound daunting for confirmed introverts like myself?

Oh. Yes!

I don't have any issue with treating anyone like they are real people. It's the amount of headspace required to build vast networking empire that makes me want to quail. I don't think I'm any good at any of that. I don't out and mix with people. At all. 

If I'm talking with people about things that get me excited, and so much DOES get me excited, then I'm as right as rain. But ACTIVELY asking for help in the much-vaunted art of begging without actually seeming to beg? 

It sounds so phony. It sounds so self-serving. It makes me squirm.

And yet. And yet. Writing books is an almost solitary endeavor... at least at first. Some of us are forced to accomplish miracles in a perfect vacuum. 

But selling books? It requires word of mouth and therefore a constant building of relationships. We have to use our tools REGARDLESS of our strengths. :) Alas.

I guess it's time to start making friends and begging them to do the things we're unable to do! lol

A fantastic book for authors who need to understand the world that online marketing can bring to them. Useful for both traditional and indie published authors, Burke breaks online marketing down to the very basics and makes a subject that is often daunting for some into something that seems possible for anyone to pick up.

Online Marketing for Busy Authors serves as a good crash course in marketing, especially for emerging authors who do not have the benefit of a major publishing house's marketing department behind them. While these actionable tips may not guarantee sales, they certainly can't hurt. It's good to hear from someone who has actually helped books become bestsellers. Burke's success and experience in the industry sets her far apart from the herds of unsuccessful writers pushing books about how to become successful writers.

Informative read. Though 90% of the same advice can be found on the internet so not something unique. Still it was good if for nothing then for enforcing the ideas one already knows.

A good beginner guide for author's wanting to begin to tackle social media. If not marketed to beginners others more experienced will be upset if they purchase.

I found this book to be helpful. I am a poet and an author so I found Fauzia material to be useful in building my own marketing strategy. Especially, the Twitter information since that is my go to platform.

Much more useful than I could have anticipated.
Well writtem, informative, and most importantly, relevant in todays busy world

I love that this book focuses on brand as the cornerstone of digital marketing. As a publishing consultant and educator, I have recommended Burke's Online Marketing for Busy Authors as one of the five essential books for every author's bookshelf.

The book Online Marketing for Busy Authors by Fauzia Burke, a leader in online book marketing and consultant for authors, explores essential aspects of marketing such as personal branding, reader profiles, goals, and much more. It offers a plethora of resources, exercises and integrated worksheets.

Fauzia Burke really does the job she set out to do in this short yet immensely helpful book. Since there are several good points to it and very few negative points, I’ll start with the latter: it is indeed too short. That’s it. I loved it so much I craved for more information, examples, explanations, and resources! I was satisfied with the book when I reached the end yet disappointed because I wanted to dive even more in Miss Burke’s experience.

As for the good points, prepare to be overwhelmed (no, really, this book is fantastic for authors like me who have no idea how to market their books!). In the first pages, the author makes it clear what to expect from her book and what its structure is (three sections in order to make the best gradual use of it – a step-by-step approach). I must admit what I loved most about this book is how straightforward it is: Miss Burke’s tone is friendly yet she doesn’t kick around the bush. She gives precise and direct information with just enough detail so as not to bore the reader. Plus, the information shared by the author is highly relevant to the field and does exactly what the title of the book implies. In other words, it makes you think about YOUR own online marketing strategy and find guided solutions for you. Her examples are clear and easy to understand.

This book also includes worksheets, advice, and quotes, which are all useful and well thought to help us. There’s even space for the exercises in her book – it’s close to being interactive! It really feels like the author, Miss Burke, truly wants to help us, starting from the basics and expanding on that newly learned knowledge. Her vocabulary is inspiring and diverse; it is also laced with kindness and even sometimes a pinch of humor. Thus, the writing is quite enjoyable and conveys the intended messages. Do you want to know another fabulous point about this book? It is free of typos and mistakes of any kind! That impressed me, I must say. It made my reading flow like a river (now, don’t you just like my failed attempt at poetry here?).

Miss Burke is always professional! Her twenty years of experience really show in all the information she gives us and how she does it too. She covers a wide range of topics and gives in-depth but short explanations throughout the book. Not only does she tackle what we can get out of each marketing effort, but also the why, which professionals rarely do. There are constant reminders of your goals and marketing strategy in every chapter so you don’t lose your focus. The author also provides tips on how to best use social media and certain platforms, which she deems the best in terms of online marketing.

Her views and guidance on the different marketing efforts are realistic. Miss Burke also makes use of good questions that prepare you and make you think about your own strategy. There are also lists of things to do that cover the steps you need to go through in order to succeed at that particular marketing effort. This book demystifies marketing for authors. It makes me feel more confident about my own online marketing strategy, which I’ll now tweak a bit thanks to Miss Burke! One of the best things about Online Marketing for Busy Authors is the tools (a.k.a websites) it gives us to learn more about our niche and potential bloggers, customers. It also provides the tools for us to find help, tips, and ideas. Lastly, Miss Burke does a recap of everything learned at the end of her book, which is a useful refresher training!

Fauzia Burke, the author of Online Marketing for Busy Authors, hit the bull’s eye with her book. In my opinion, she covers all the essential points and makes it interesting, even for a marketing newbie like me. Because I found it very helpful and true to its blurb and title (and also her own experience as a leader in online book marketing), I give it a rating of 5 out of 5. There were no major bad points, only the fact that I wished her book was longer so I could learn about marketing even more. This book is perfect for fans of Joanna Penn and James Scott Bell for it gives practical tips to achieve your own online marketing with no nonsense explanations of how to do so, a particular manner that reminds me of those two great authors. If you’re an author or an aspiring one who’s lost in all the marketing you need to do, Fauzia Burke’s Online Marketing for Busy Authors simply must be on your shelf. I have the conviction it will make you even like online marketing, just as it did with me.

This is a great book if you’re working with a big publishing house and have a team you can work with. It’s not so good if you’re an indie author.

Fauzia Burke works with A list celebs and she clearly knows her own business very well. I liked the first part where she suggests authors figure out exactly what their book is about and what they want from publishing. Too many of us miss out on this part, and it’s fundamental. 

The overview of different ways to engage audiences over social media channels and the intros to using tools like mailing lists is solid. So are the notes on how to connect with others in the business. 

If you’re working with a publishing house team, and it’s your first publishing experience, this book will help you ask the right questions so you can develop your own marketing methods that compliment their efforts.

For me the most useful parts were her thoughts on patterns of engagement. I’m an indie author and have spent a couple of years building up my basic skills, my backlist, and my bank account and now I’m ready to go into promotion in a proper way. So there were lots of things here that I was interested in, like how often to blog and how to use my mailing lists better. 

However, I would have liked to see her thoughts on cover reveals, teasers, street teams, rafflecopters, group reads, buying advertising spots and blog tours, the common promotion strategies every author working online uses today. 

This book has its points, and I’d hire Fauzia if I had the budget but overall, as a self-help book for indie authors, I found it disappointing.

This is a terrific book for authors interested in utilizing online resources for promoting their writings. While the content tends to be aimed at an Internet novice, more experienced authors can use the tools offered by Burke to reevaluate their current online marketing efforts.

Burke asks, “How do you prevent your brand from getting lost in all the social media noise? The answer: Be uniquely you. Aim for authenticity” (page 9). Sounds simple. Right? But how exactly do you accomplish that? Burke offers step-by-step guidance, including coming up with your own “brand statement” that will help you devise content to share on social media.

“To become a well-known and well-established professional author you have to be ready for the long haul, so adjust your expectations and remember that building an effective brand is a marathon, not a sprint” (page 15).

To maximize the benefit of social media, “You need to know where your readers spend their time and what social media sites they visit” (page 19). Burke provides information to help evaluate your audience and learn which platforms they most likely use.

There’s also an extensive exercise for setting realistic goals and priorities for the marketing of your book.

Burke offers detailed advice on how to maximize your usage of various outlets. For example, regarding using a Facebook author page to advertise an upcoming event, “you can target people who live five to twenty miles from the event location. We have used this type of advertising for many of our clients, and every time we have seen bigger turnouts than expected” (page 45).

This book isn’t only about utilizing social media, it’s also about other necessary online marketing essentials, such as managing your website and your mailing list. Burke includes terrific advice, checklists, and exercises to make sure these tools are helping you achieve your goals. 

“Your most important marketing task is to keep your Super Fans happy and engaged” (page 74).

I know personally, I don’t send out a regular email to my readers, because I don’t want them to think I’m “spamming” them. However, Burke gives great advice, which I want to immediately put into practice. She says, “don’t do it only to promote a new book. You should communicate with your fans even when you have nothing to promote” (page 75). This makes sense! I suppose if you only email fans when there’s something to promote, that will feel more like spamming than emailing regularly will. Plus, Burke offers valuable advice regarding content to include in your email newsletters.

I’ve marked up ONLINE MARKETING FOR BUSY AUTHORS with post-its, highlights, and notes, and I’m ready to put what I’ve learned from it into action.

My favorite line from the book: “No amount of social media is going to help you sell a book that is not well written” (page 92).

[Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review. My review is my own opinion and was in no way influenced by anyone else.]

Well written & laid out with some useful Q&A exercises to define your goals & 'brand'. 
Useful for a brand new beginner - more experienced authors will probably have seen the advice here already.
More useful for non-fiction writers than fiction.

I requested this on a whim - I aspire to be an author one day and thought it might be good to read. I skim read it for the most part.

It was through, easy to understand, and packed full of information that was neatly organized and easy to follow. 

I'd say it seems pretty useful for a self published author especially.

Useful information for someone with no knowledge of the subject. Less useful for someone already using online marketing.

Book Marketing for Authors - Fauzio is comes highly recommended. She has been in business since 2005 and has helped promote over 2,000 books.  She offers practical advice and gives examples that you can relate to. I loved her example of comparing marketing to your newborn.  In chapter 2, She includes worksheets to help you follow along and track your own personal stuff.  
The book is divided into three phases.  Phase 1 is getting organized, where she gets you to thinking.  She provides tools and gives recommendations on some of the things she uses.  In Phase 2 you are putting these thoughts into action.  Again, she provides both practical worksheets, tips and checklists.  
I recommend buying the paperback edition so that you can fill out the worksheets and checklists. 
Although I am not an author, I felt the book provided some great tips that I am putting into action for my book review website.