Marketing Resources
How to Market Your Self-Published Book in Australia
Build Your Brand
It is important to define who you are as an author and what kind of audience you want your book to attract. Often (but not always!) self-published books are written on a niche topic or within a niche genre, which may hinder the book’s success through traditional publishing. Even if you are producing more mainstream work, you must be marketing to people who will be interested in your book. Write an author biography to provide an overview of yourself and your experience, and ensure you are crafting a persona that reflects well on your work and anyone you may collaborate with, for marketing or future projects.
Create Your Author Website
Self-publishing, for the most part, now happens online – at the very least, authors should have a website. This will be the first stop for people searching online for your name or book title, and it should include your bio, information about your book, and some sort of blog where you can interact with your growing audience. For non-fiction, this can be a great place to discuss topical events in reference to your book, which will attract even more attention. You can also post updates on new books, upcoming events/festivals you will be attending, contests and giveaways, and so on.
For authors who have the time and resources to build their own website, platforms such as Squarespace, WordPress, and Wix all make it relatively straightforward, with step-by-step tutorials and a lot of options for customisation. Alternatively, you can pay someone to build a website for you – Fiverr is great for finding independent professionals to help you complete a project.
Have a Social Media Presence
While websites are great for collating information and maintaining your brand, social media can be just as important. Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok may not feel like the most professional methods of marketing, but their algorithms are designed to send your content to people already interested in your niche – in other words, readers and other authors within your genre. It is also a great place to have some fun with your audience, post updates on your publishing journey, and encourage other authors to do the same. In short, social media is all about fostering a community for yourself (and your book).
It can be overwhelming to decide which platforms are worth your time and energy. In the useful links below, you can find further resources that break down some of the most popular social media platforms, including what is involved in marketing your book on each site. Instagram and Facebook also allow you to automatically upload new posts to both platforms simultaneously, allowing you to work smarter not harder!
Utilise the Algorithms
Both social media platforms and online marketplaces employ computer systems to make decisions about what content/goods are recommended to their users. There are a few easy things you can do to make the most of these systems instead of being drowned by them. First, find creators that produce content within your niche, and note the tags/keywords they use in their listings or posts. You can include those in the blurb of your book wherever possible and include them as tags on social media and in blog posts.
Setting your book to pre-order will boost the number of sales made on the first day of your book’s actual release, which increases its chances of being put on a bestseller list for the day and getting even more exposure.
Finally, promotions, discounts, and giveaways can help increase the number of sales and reviews your book receives, and it is a great incentive for people to interact with you on a specific platform.
Have a Powerful Book Cover & Blurb
The first thing people will judge your book by (despite the idiom) is its cover! If you have some background in graphic design/visual arts, then perfect! Otherwise, it may be prudent to hire an artist who can design the cover for you – some great artists can be found on 99Designs, or once again through Fiverr. The more professional and polished your cover appears, the more likely it will be taken seriously.
Your blurb is the second part of your book that readers will assess. The blurb needs to be as powerful as possible – include only the best quotes from the book, create a powerful hook, and include some reviews.
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Australian Writers’ Centre - Book Covers That Sell Course
Get Book Reviews
Most readers will quickly look to the reviews of a book to see how it is currently being received and if others think it is worth the purchase. You can begin by asking family and friends to leave a review, which sets up your book’s credibility (and by extension, your credibility as an author). More importantly, contact people who already have a platform within your niche/genre to ask for a review, since their opinions will hold more weight within the community and foster greater attention.
You can also try partnering with a company or organisation relevant to your book for even greater reach. Goodreads allows you to create your own author page, which allows you to promote your book and interact with readers.
Put Yourself—And Your Book—Everywhere
Get out and network! Attend local festivals, become friends with your local bookshop, interact with reading/writing groups, reach out to other local authors, and engage with other creatives online through collaborations and interviews. The more active you are in the writing space, the more likely you and your work will be noticed.
SCWC has a list of various festivals, awards, and other resources to help with the networking process (links below), as well as a book launch program and a space for members’ books in our newsletter. We also run a Vintage, Book & Art Bazaar, where authors can apply to run their own indie stall — sign up to our newsletter for information on upcoming events!
Resources collated by: Rhiannon Chappell-Rollo, 2023
Updated by: Mya Hicks, 2026
