Marketing a book on social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram can be frustrating at times. 

“If only,” you might think, “there was a social site dedicated to and populated with people who actually love and read books. T

Enter Goodreads — an easy-to-use, interactive, and low-maintenance social cataloguing site dedicated to authors a readers. It’s a match made in book marketing

With over 90 million members, Goodreads doesn’t have the same expansive user base of Twitter (192 million daily users) or Facebook (currently at 2.8 billion users at the time of publishing). But what it lacks in quantity it makes up for in quality as Goodreads is the most popular social networking website specifically for authors and readers. And because it’s owned by Amazon, Goodreads has powerful integrations that leverage the world’s largest bookseller.

Goodreads’ key differentiating feature is that it helps book lovers find the next book they’ll want to read. When a member adds a book to their “To Read” or “Currently Reading” shelf, or rates and reviews a book, the Goodreads algorithm gets to know that person’s reading interests better and will suggest similar books. As readers follow their favourite authors and connect with friends on the site, they’ll learn about the books those users have been enjoying, too.

For authors, spending time building a presence on Goodreads can have a big impact on your book’s discoverability with potential readers. Once you’ve signed up for a free account at goodreads.com, filled your bookshelf, and added your friends, you can begin working through these steps for marketing your book on Goodreads: 

Sign Up for the Author Program

A few weeks after your book is available for purchase on Amazon, it will automatically be listed on Goodreads. When that happens, you’ll be able to apply to have your Goodreads user account turned into an Author Program account.

The Author Program allows you to do all sorts of cool things unavailable to regular Goodreads users, such as making book recommendations of titles you love and running promotions for your book. You also gain the clear distinction of an author with their own verified profile page. Once you become a Goodreads Author, be sure to first read Goodreads’ author guidelines so you know best practices and don’t commit any public faux pas like rating your own book or replying to all the reviews of your book.

Optimize Your Author Profile

Once you’ve signed up for Goodreads’ Author Program, you’ll want to create a full and rich profile. Add a compelling bio, your website address, social media handles, professional headshot, and a link to your teaser trailer. You can also sync your blog so it automatically posts on your profile.

It’s also of critical importance that you’re using Goodreads. Share what you’re reading and your reviews of books, or add a couple books to your To Read list once a week. Readers love following a well-read author to get a peek at what books have inspired the words in the books they write. 

Direct Your Readers to Goodreads — and Enlist Their Help

When you encounter readers who have read and love your book, ask them to review it on Goodreads and add it to relevant book lists.

We can’t understate how beneficial it can be to appear on Goodreads book lists in their Listopia section. This is a section of book lists where readers compile different genres and interests. These lists not only help your book get discovered on Goodreads, but they’re also highly favoured by Google. For example, a Google search as simple as “best science fiction books with a female protagonist” returns a Goodreads booklist as one of the top results. To take advantage of Goodreads’ powerful lists, request that your supporters recommend your book to a suitable list.

Another simple way of raising awareness of your Goodreads presence is by leveraging the branded widgets that are offered in “Settings.” Add one to your website or email signature so your visitors can easily find your profile and add your book to their To Read list.

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Engage with your fans

One great aspect of the author side of Goodreads is that it makes reader engagement easy. Get started by enabling the “Ask the Author” feature on your author dashboard and answering some of the prompted questions. This way readers who find your profile can ask any questions of their own.

Goodreads also allows you to host a group Q&A with your readers using the “special group” section of your author page. You can schedule your group Q&A for a certain date and time and make it an event. Drive traffic via your social media accounts and email list — not only are you giving people a chance to ask you questions, but you’re also raising awareness of your Goodreads presence. And speaking of Groups…

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Get involved with Goodreads Groups

Dive into the Goodreads Group(s) in your genre. Don’t enter the groups posting about your book—unless explicitly stated in their FAQ, most groups forbid this—but do take part in any conversations about o books and news in your genre. Share your love, knowledge, and curiosity for all things that have to do with your genre. Due in part to the special badge beside their name, a verified author who provides keen input on discussions in groups gets positive attention. People interested in the author can then click on their profile, see their book listing, and follow them for updates on their Goodreads activity. As Goodreads says, “People go to Goodreads to talk about books, and authors who embrace this unlock the power to effectively integrate Goodreads into their overall online presence.” 

You may even discover some other authors to connect with outside of Goodreads. Consider the opportunities to support each other’s work, and to reach your followers on other platforms!

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to book promotion on Goodreads. There are many unique ways in which authors can tap into the different audiences and subject matter interests on the platform, but consistent engagement is key. For more information, we recommend exploring some of the excellent resources available on Goodreads blog.

As with so many things “book marketing,” a little bit of time spent strategically experimenting can have a big payoff. And that’s especially true on a platform that’s entirely devoted to the same thing you are: connecting readers with their next favourite read.