Create a Youtube Account
Link to your website in the intro to your video, such as we did with “Love Like God” by bestselling author Caroline A. Shearer.
When you have multiple videos, create a playlist so that listeners can listen to all you offer in one click. Share your videos on Facebook, via email, etc. and encourage people to “like” them and to comment.
If you’re on a budget and need or want to create a Youtube account that works for you and your books, these are practical steps:
Trailers
Trailers are fun and becoming more the norm for books, but their actual effectiveness at getting new readers is still in question. If you want to create or pay someone to create a trailer, great! But, here are some other suggestions that might work for you!
Video
A simple tool is an author interview. Give potential readers a taste of what they’ll find in your book or books, and let them get to know you!
Stay away from the idea that your video has to be “fancy.” When you can do that, it’s great, but for now, put your intention on getting your message across in a professional, approachable way.
Pick or create a nice background (every item sends a message about you and your work.)
Write your lines beforehand, and know them well enough that they come across naturally.
Keep in mind the attention span of a video watcher. Will people really watch you talk for ten minutes? Or will 2 or 3 minutes be more appealing to a viewer?
When filming, speak all at once to minimize later cutting, or come up with distinct breaks. Pause five seconds at the beginning and at the end of any break so that it is easier to set your transition in the video editing.
The window to your soul is your eyes. Make eye contact!
The technical stuff: This is an option for those who are fairly advanced technologically and are willing to learn what they don’t already know. Find a free program download online, such as Adobe Premiere Elements, and watch tutorials as much as needed to develop a basic understanding of how it works. Keep your first outing simple. Plan on a “one-burst” talk, or set clearly defined breaks.
Emotional Element: Be patient with yourself. To get the product you want, you will have to spend hours on your video interview. That is ok! Go into it expecting to be patient and to enjoy the learning process, and the end result will be here before you know it!
Audio
An alternative or supplement to video is audio. This is a great alternative for those who aren’t quite ready to appear on camera or who want a quicker turnaround time than a video. A simple draw is to read the intro or a sample of your book. This gives potential readers a taste of your work and is fairly easy for you because your lines are already written. Use a static picture of your cover as the visual element.
The technical stuff: This is an easier option than video editing, but do be willing to learn what you don’t already know. Check your computer for a pre-installed audio recorder, or find a free program download online, such as Audacity, and watch tutorials as much as needed to develop a basic understanding of how it works. Keep your first outing simple. Plan on a “one-burst” talk. You will also need to download a program such as Adobe Premiere Elements to add your cover picture, but it’s a much simpler process than actual video editing.
Emotional Element: Expect that you’ll have a bit of a learning curve preparing the audio and picture for Youtube, but also be aware that this is an achievable task that will help you find new readers!
Information provided by Absolute Love Publishing. Also see our posts on Creating a Goodreads Author page, and Claiming Your Amazon Author Page.
