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When you self-publish a book, following through with a book publicity campaign is important to help assure its success. PR programs get key messages through to target readers that your book exists and is interesting for them to buy and read. One of the most valuable things about traditional publicity (media coverage) in the internet era is that it all ends up online. Therefore, if you are reviewed in newspaper articles or interviewed on TV, it will end up online, where it shows up in searches and can be read or watched on demand. The "lives forever" nature of media coverage online is a boon to book PR.
Publicity campaigns targeting the media also work hand in hand with your social media and blog posts when well-coordinated. The most effective marketing campaigns rely on various channels to reach your target readers. Experience shows that the more people hear about a new book, the more likely they will become interested in buying a copy. Combining traditional media coverage with an active online program shows time and again to be the best approach. When you're in many places where your target readers are in the audience, you improve the chances of getting their attention meaningfully.
There's a cachet given to books and authors covered by the media. Interviews and articles are seldom written as direct endorsements, but your presence implies acceptance. You can flip things around and know that books never publicized have a strong chance of ending up in oblivion. Another important component of book promotion today involves the book and author pages of large online booksellers. The content you add helps you appear in search results and makes your pages more user-friendly, which algorithms prefer. Check out your competitors' pages and see what they're saying.
Planning a PR campaign also includes developing and refining your key messages. They go into press materials and guide what you say when interviewed. It's rare for an author to do well in an interview unprepared. When you've developed and learned the marketing messages that will help your book, you have them in mind and ready to go. The goal is always to be informational or entertaining in your remarks and get people's attention. When you have them focused, you can explain more about your book and spark a sale. All elements of your PR campaign work together to sell books.