Over the time, many book enthusiasts had often talked about the benefits of Goodreads, well that is good however still many of us who are deeply indulged in the literary world does not know much about Goodreads! Therefore, before going to those points, where I shall highlight the benefits of Goodreads let me give you a brief introduction of Goodreads!
What is Goodreads? Goodreads is a website for book lovers. With a Goodreads account, you can keep track of the books you have read, the books you are reading, and the books you want to read. You can also follow friends and authors to see what they are reading, leave reviews, and comment on reviews written by others. Nevertheless, finding your next title through Goodreads does not have to be entirely on you. The site helps users discover new books to read, through its curated lists and detailed individual book listings.
Here are some more information that you should have regarding this book promoting & author-supporting platform, Goodreads. Goodreads is a book-centric review website that launched in January 2007 and was acquired by Amazon in 2013. Goodreads is free to use, and you can access your account via the Goodreads website or the iOS or Android app. Moreover, thanks to the Amazon connection, Kindle users can rate books and add them to their Goodreads shelf straight from their device. Well, once you sign up for a Goodreads account, you will be prompted to review books you have already read and add them to your bookshelf so that Goodreads can provide curated recommendations of what to read next.
Now, since we have gathered ample amount of basic knowledge regarding the purpose as well as functioning of Goodreads, so let us focus on our main issue. Well, here are 5 ways describing that how Goodreads helps authors in connecting with readers –
1) Author Program: Goodreads has a program called the Author Program, where authors can create a profile on Goodreads and use it to promote their books. The service is available for authors with published books and those whose books will roll out soon. The Author Program is completely reader-centric and will fetch author’s book a better reach. Using the Author Program, you can opt for advertising options to reach millions of readers, run book giveaway campaigns to create a buzz, and interact directly with readers and participate in discussion forums. Since the audience you are targeting is readers, the lead conversion ratio is bound to be high as well.
2) Listopia: Listopia, in Goodreads terminologies, means a list that has almost all possible categories and genres of book covered. Readers add books to relevant lists and vote. Listopia then lists top voted books in one particular category. Add your book to a category that you find appropriate along with other books on the same genre. Choose ten books in the selected category and start voting. Ask your readers to vote for your books to gain more popularity. The more vote your book gets, the higher it will rank in the list.
3) Interact: Having an author page on Goodreads is not just enough. You need to interact with your readers and reach out to them. On Goodreads, you can do several activities that catch the attention of your readers. For instance, you can publish a blog and share it with your followers, advertise your book, share other articles you have written, conduct a quiz about the book you are publishing, and do video posts. The more you are active on Goodreads, the more you will create a buzz about your book.
4) Ask For Reviews: Goodreads is one of the best places to receive honest reviews for books. Since people on this platform are genuine readers, reviews will be authentic and reach thousands of other readers. Connect with your readers and communities on this platform, give them a copy of your book, and ask them to give a review. The more the reviews, the more your book will get added to readers’ “To Read List.” Brace yourself for some negative reviews as well. Nevertheless, this is always a fruitful effort.
5) Book Giveaways: With the book giveaway feature, you can give away your print book for free to readers and get reviews from them. In this, you set a definite period of time up to which the giveaway campaign will run. Goodreads then randomly selects winners and notifies you of their contact details. You have to then send them the copy of your book for a review. If you do not have a print book, Goodreads offers the Events option where you can set up book launches, go on a blog tour, and conduct e-book giveaway programs.
Written By NEEL PREET – Author of the Books, Voice From The East (2016); Journey With Time Place And Circumstances (2018) & Indian Defence Files (2021).
