by Kate Willson



Utilizing social media is by far one of the easiest and most financially sound ways to market and promote your self-published book – especially if you’re a student or underemployed aspiring writer. But with hundreds of self-published authors doing the same thing, it can be hard to find techniques that can set you apart.

While there is no guarantee that your book sales will soar by integrating social media, you can at the very least get creative with your marketing to help you stand out, solidify your brand, and earn more buzz surrounding your book. That said, here are three sophisticated but inexpensive techniques you can adopt to help step up your book promotion campaign.

Host a Video Podcast

One of my favorite tools from Google+ is the Hangout feature. While Google Hangout was originally intended for up to10 people to video chat simultaneously, you can use the tool to create a really fun and interactive video podcast that has the potential to go viral.

For example, you can create a video podcast of your interaction with guest speakers – these guest speakers can be editors, artists, or other individuals who inspired you or helped with the creative process. You can create a podcast showing the interaction between a few book reviewers giving honest feedback about your work.

You can also use the Hangout feature to answer fans’ questions about your book or even to conduct polls. Debating a change in your cover art? Take a poll. The possibilities are endless. Remember: Although you want to sell your book, you’re also working on developing a “brand.” Podcasts can help put a name to a face.

It’s important to note that Google+ doesn’t have a recording feature, so use this method to create a video podcast:

Download Camtasia .

. Create a private Google Hangout, but allow access to those featured in designated “Circles” (participants, experts etc.).

If you want the video podcast to be live, set to the general public to view.

If you want to ask questions where members of the audience can chime in on real time, enable the host (you) to selectively allow people watching the live video podcast to get some face time.

Use Camtasia and press the record button to start your podcast.

Save on YouTube.

Post YouTube link on social media accounts.

Design a Book Trailer

Another option that has the potential to go viral if done well is a book trailer. Similar to movie trailers, book trailers help your fans get a little taste of what your book will be about before it’s released or purchased. Some big-budget book trailers, such as the one made for Sense, Sensibility and Sea Monsters, hire actors and a production team to help get the message across. But you don’t have to do all that. You can use a slide show of artistic photos, book excerpts, and appropriate background music using Windows Moviemaker, iMovie or some other free slideshow software like Photoshow to get the job done. Again, post the finish product on all of your social media sites.

Host Contests

Last, but certainly not least, you can increase your fan engagement by hosting contests. You can post questions on Facebook, and those who answer correctly or just have the most creative answer can win an advanced copy of your book or some other sort of prize, such a gift card to a chain book store. Again, questions can also help you with the creative process from the very beginning. For example, not sure what to name your characters? Hold a contest!

Note from Molly: Check out my novels on Amazon, join my Reader’s Club for freebies and book news, and follow me on Twitter. This original content is copyright protected. Thank you so much. Mwah!