First, let me remind you that anyone can use Bookbub ads as part of their overall book promotion efforts — it’s not like their feature promotion option that you need to first qualify for, then apply for.

Bookbub ads are a great strategy to keep in your rotation because they’re a really adaptable way to support your other efforts.

When to use Bookbub ads as part of your book promotion

I hear from a lot of authors that have a hard time finding success with limited time discount promotions on their eBooks. They just can’t generate the high download numbers some authors swear by. And my first question is, “What else are you doing aside from dropping your price?” Sadly the response is usually “nothing” or something nearly as underwhelming. This is perfect example of when to use Bookbub ads to support your other work.

So the next time you do a limited time discount promotion on your book, put a new title up for pre-order, release one, or just want to revive some interest in the first books in your series – head over to the Bookbub Partner site and create some ads.

If you’re not familiar with the Bookbub Partner site you should first read this piece I wrote on how to get started with Bookbub ads.

Why Bookbub ads are a critical book promotion component

They are relatively inexpensive. This is key, because it allows you to test out different ads for different stages of your book promotion efforts. (And you can keep track of your plans for these different stages in my free monthly planner that you can download here.)

They have a flexible timeline. You can jump onto your account and get ads set up in less than 10 minutes and they can even start running that day. When most book promotion efforts take careful advance planning, this is a breath of fresh air.

Anyone can do it. I have to reiterate that anyone can use Bookbub ads as part of their book promotion, so this isn’t about traditionally published versus self-published, new versus old, it’s all-inclusive.

The targeting is straightforward. You can target readers by associating your book with one of Bookbub’s pre-set genre categories, and or you can target readers who follow popular authors in your genre. And a new feature they’ve added is letting you know how many readers follow these other authors you might want to target, so you have an instant idea of how many potential people you’re getting in front of.

The design is straightforward. Book promotion requires creativity, and I often recommend image applications like Canva to assist with these efforts. But in this case, all you really need is your book cover, and Bookbub will auto-generate a background that compliments your color scheme.

Tips for making attention-grabbing Bookbub ads

Always use your book cover. Covers sell books. So if you’re not sure your book cover will make the best first impression, it’s time to go back to the drawing board. And if you want to get creative, try Book Brush’s options for adding your cover to a tablet screen to really make it seem reader ready.

Get creative with background options. If you have other imagery from your book, or a scene that really speaks to your story, use that as your background instead of the auto-generated version Bookbub offers you. For example, if your story is set in the Pacific Northwest use an image of the wooded landscape.

Use a call to action that works. If you have something special to say, don’t miss this chance. Yes, “Read Now” is straightforward, but if your book happens to be discounted, saying “$.99 Now” is much more appealing.

Use legible fonts on custom images. If you’re using Bookbub’s options to create your ad they make this decision for you, but if you decide to use a super user-friendly site like Canva to create custom images that stand out from the crowd, be sure you’re using fonts that compliment your book cover and are easy to read. Sounds like a no-brainer but it’s easy to get caught up in design and forget to think critically. Stand back a few feet from your computer, is the ad still clear? You’ve got a winner.

Get started on your next level of book promotion

Between this piece and the one I wrote on getting started with Bookbub ads I hope you feel inspired to try these out as a way to better support all your book promotion efforts.

Remember, doing one thing in a vacuum isn’t a great use of your time, and it isn’t a great way to test what works for your brand or your buyer market – everything needs to be supported by multiple channels.

I know it sounds complex, but it’s really not, just focus on supporting each thing you do with at least two other book promotion strategies, in tandem, and I’m willing to bet you start getting a better return on your efforts.

If you found these tips helpful, please share with your own networks! It’s easy with these ready-made tweets!

Click to Tweet: Book marketing shouldn’t happen in a vacuum. So use these tips from @bookgal to maximize your Bookbub ads and sell more books! #bookmarketing #bookbub https://wp.me/p6TMt8-6Tc

Click to Tweet: Stand out from the crowd with these Bookbub tips that will support and maximize your book marketing efforts. Via @bookgal #bookmarketing #bookbub https://wp.me/p6TMt8-6Tc