The online environment has opened up entirely new communication channels. Social media presents a very important and effective opportunity for you to reach potential customers and create conversations around your message. You’ll want to update us on any noteworthy events: speaking engagements, book signings, and other promotional activities, as well as any important recent social media posts you’d like us to repost. Please be sure to send us links to your social media sites, web pages, blogs, Twitter handles, etc.

We urge you to explore:

An author website: Consider launching a website and blog. One of the best ways to drive interest is by writing posts that align with your book’s topic. Later on, we can link to your blog from our website.

Facebook: If you aren’t already on Facebook, you should set up a professional account and start networking now. Facebook’s reach is vast, and it’s an easy way to build your profile as you reach out to new colleagues and networks. And don’t forget to “Like” the Corwin page.

LinkedIn: Again, you’ll find important colleagues and networks to tap into in anticipation of your book’s publication. Join groups that best match your readership and be sure to contribute regularly. Be sure to follow us on LinkedIn.

Twitter: Join Twitter, follow other leaders in the field, and attempt to attract followers of your own. And don’t forget to follow Corwin on Twitter.

Related online discussion lists, groups, and forums: Are you aware of any online discussion groups or forums related to your book’s topic? By all means, join them.

One word of warning, despite our urgings that you self-promote: don’t overwhelm your colleagues with sales messages. The best way to attract followers is to engage them through your unique insight, content, and expertise. Sales will soon follow.

To aid with the online searchability of your book, please include the book product URL in any of your own promotions—on your website, tweets, Facebook posts, etc. The more outside links to your book product page, the more your book’s discoverability will increase, enabling search engine optimization (SEO).