What Is A Virtual Book Tour?
January 8th, 2010 | 
Author: What Is A Virtual Book Tour?
This is one of the many questions I’ve had to answer since starting on my nationwide virtual book tour on November 1 2006 November 30 2006 to promote my first selfpublished promoting eBook “A Complete Guide to Promoting Selling Your SelfPublished eBook.”
Because I feel that this is a wonderful way to promote your books whether they are in print or electronic format I feel that we need to know just what is involved so that others can benefit from this wonderful promotional venue for getting the word out that your book or eBook exists.
Penny Sansevieri CEO and founder of Author Marketing Experts Inc http://www.amarketingexpert.com bestselling author and internationally recognized book marketing and media relations expert claims the Virtual Author Tour which is her biggest Internet program is the single MOST effective way to promote a book because it actually works.
And it does work.
If you want to start your own virtual book tour you can but there are some things you need to think about to get the most exposure.
The first thing you need to do is line up interested blogmeisters who would be willing to host you. To find them put your topic in any known blog search engine and pay them a visit. Don’t spring it on them all at once but visit their blogs comment and let them get to know you first. Build up their confidence in you.
The main thing you need to think about is to find those blogs which get a creditable amount of trafficand hopefully updated dailythat would be interested in hosting you. The blogs that might be interested would be of course those interested in your topic.
Once you get your virtual book tour established start announcing it on all your blogs and websites. You need to get people interested and create a buzz before the big day.
To help explain the virtual book tour better here are a few questions and answers that better explains.
How long should my tour be?
I’ve seen tours last for an entire month but that’s entirely up to you. It depends on how much time you want to devote to it. I chose a monthlong tour and it’s turning out to be quite successful.
Why should anyone want to do this? Should I offer incentives?
Sure incentives really work. I offered a copy of my eBook in exchange for a review but you have to be very careful with this. If the blog or website has low traffic it may not be economical to do. When this happens offer them a sampler of the eBook so at least they know what it’s about.
How are sales after something like this?
The thing is a virtual book tour is just like any other book tour. Yes the goal is to make sales but that will happen. What you will want to do with this is get your selling page on as many blogs and websites as possible so the search engines will link up to you. Long after your tour is over you’ll find people visiting your site and buying your books or eBooks.
Why can’t I just comment in people’s blogs about my books instead of going through all that?
Because you’ll come off as spam. No one wants to go to their comment section and see someone else promoting their books. The virtual book tour may require more effort but people will see how much effort you are putting into this. Leaving your book information in the comment sections of blogs is a big nono and opens you up to being condemned from ever posting there again. Not only that but a virtual book tour is so much more personable and gives you a chance to answer questions that others might have questions about.
Setting up your own virtual book tour takes commitment and you need to be very organized but once it gets going you’ll enjoy the tour. In order to get those sales which is what the virtual book tour is all about it’s just like any other book tour but without having to leave the comfort of your own home.
If you would like to follow me along on my first ever virtual book tour visit my blog at http://selfpublishedebookpromotion.blogspot.com/2006/10/virtualbooktour.html.
Use the Internet to your advantage and start your own virtual book tour!
Dorothy Thompson
About the writer: Dorothy Thompson is the editor of The Writer’s Life www.thewriterslife.net one of Writer’s Digest Top 101 Websites for Writers and the author of the selfpromoting eBook “A Complete Guide to Promoting Selling Your SelfPublished eBook” available at http://www.thewriterslife.net/promoteebook.html.
Related posts:
Posted in e-commerce