Writer's Ramblings on Marketing

Before I get going on this ramble, I want you all to know that I am going to have a special post on the 14th as part of a sort of Anti-Valentine's day blog hop being done by several horror writers. Be sure to come by and check out my post, and then visit the link to the other authors posts. It is sure to be fun!

Alright, so on to the ramble of marketing. My "real job" is working for an advertising company promoting programmatic advertising. A really great tool. I actually took the job in hopes of being able to pay for my own campaign eventually. After a year, I can't quite afford the campaign. But I love talking to people about programmatic.

Image Courtesy of Death To Stock

I have started a sort of mini version of the campaign on my own, hoping to boost sales to the point where I can afford a full campaign with my company one day. I love doing content writing, like these blog posts. I love creating ads, setting up blog hops, getting reviews, doing book shows and many of the other aspects of marketing. I love engaging with readers on Goodreads, Wattpad, and figment.

But I have spent more on marketing than I have made. I spend more time on marketing than I get to spend writing. I feel like no matter what I do, it doesn't seem to be making an impact. If I am lucky, any single social media post gets 20 views. I can count the number of people reading any single blog post on one hand (Thanks mom!)  My all-time website hits are less than most companies get in a month. I've tried doing Youtube video reviews, but the time and effort just weren't worth the limited exposure. I need to do more research on making videos more efficiently.

I am a jack of many trades, and a master of none. Sometimes I wonder if the time and money I am investing in promotion is a waste. I wonder if I would be better off investing that time in my writing exclusively. I wonder if I should hire others to do the marketing for me. And yet I cannot invest such huge amounts of money without knowing if I will get better results than what I have achieved myself.

Despite getting very positive reviews for all of my books, I have not seen that those reviews have helped with sales. Despite starting ad campaigns through social media, adwords, and other sources, I have not seen an uptick in sales. Part of the problem is that I make so little on each book sale that it is hard to recoup that in marketing. Part of the problem is that a lot of the "free" media that once was available has been diverted to those willing to pay. (I am totally calling out Facebook here!!!)

It is hard to build a grass roots campaign. I need people to share and tell others about my work. But how do I inspire you to share? How do I get in front of you wonderful readers when there are so many others competing for your attention?

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Are you wondering how you can help?  I know I am not the only writer struggling with this. You can help. Share your favorite authors. Help us get the word out about our books. Write a review when you read a book. Tell your social media fans what you are reading. Pin books. Retweet, share Facebook posts, share our blog posts, Tell us what you think.

Until next time,

Keep Reading!