Tags

Today we’re publishing the results of a survey.  My survey question was ‘Do you think that blogging helps to sell books?’

Here are the answers I received; about 50:50 as to whether blogging actually helps or not. Thanks to all who took the time to answer my question.  I had a great response!

1.  I think it depends on how often you blog and the content you share. From what I’ve read it’s engagement we want then the book sales come as an offshoot.

2.  I think advertising helps sell books, I have my doubts about how much writing a blog helps. I suspect advertising on a bunch of targeted blogs would be more effective.

3.  I don’t think anything helps to sell books, other than a major media review, and a publisher advertising it and putting it in bookstore windows.

4.  Not sell books, but exposure. Getting your name out there helps. But, to actual selling, no.

5.   I think it’s the social engagement part of blogging that leads to more book sales.

6.   I believe in the end it does. The blog helps you expand and maintain your readership. They also will be reading and ready for your next book because they get to know you through your blog.

7.  I agree with the comments above…blogging is a great communication tool…building your audience is the issue.

8.  I think it helps to sell you. It gives readers a taste of you, and what to expect.

9.  I’m not sure if it actually ‘sells’ books, but it certainly increases exposure and brand awareness, which could translate to book sales.  Just MHO.

10.   I blog regularly as part of my over all ‘business of writing’ … I consider the blog as ‘My Brand’ and my writing (novels, poetry ,etc ,) as ‘My Voice’… “)

11.  I have experienced an increase in sales when certain bloggers talk about my books.

12.  I think, in the end, it possibly does. As has been said, it helps readers get to know you, then your books, then they are more likely to buy your books.

13.  I do book reviews and author spotlight posts on my blog. I’ve asked the authors if they got a boost in sales and many have told me yes. But I do agree that it is the author’s interaction with the blogging community that helps to sell books.

14.   I wish I had time to read blogs, but I don’t have a lot of extra time. Therefore, any time I get to squeeze in some reading, I’m reading any of the 5734 (and counting) books that are piling up in my TBR list. How do I accumulate so many? I have subscriptions to a few email book promotion services (Ereader News Today, eBook Stage, etc.), so I’m constantly downloading free and 99 cent books. I have many friends who are heavy readers. None of them read book blogs (to my knowledge, anyway). They, too, rely on BookBub, etc., word-of-mouth and other more traditional methods of marketing to determine what they’re going to read next.

15.   I believe it does if the comments from those who visit the book promotions are any indication. But it helps if the blog is linked to at least two or three social media sites as that increases the reach significantly. Also the level of participation of authors when they are promoted. I don’t think I would sell as many of my own books without the community of bloggers who are usually avid readers as well as writers themselves.

16.  Not really, no. Not in significant quantity. Selling ebooks is a game of chance and luck.

17.  I agree with the your comment above about blogs, but I’ll push back on the “game of chance and luck”. I have found various ways to market that definitely lead to sales. I [finally] started getting serious about running Amazon marketing campaigns. That has definitely helped. I signed up for Kindle Unlimited. I know not every author has had the same experience as me, but KU has led to a LOT of sales [or pages read] for me. I invest in email promotions (the cheaper versions of BookBub) twice per year for week-long 99 cent sales, and that leads to a lot of sales. Finally, Twitter has been a HUGE help in my sales. It takes some time, but its free and has been a fantastic tool. Right now I’m taking a month-long course with Traci Sanders, too, specifically learning how to better utilize Facebook. I highly suggest her “course” to any indie author.

18.  I would like to think it does, somehow…

19.  The blogs that work best are blogs about your subject matter. E.g. if you write > historical romance > Italy – blog about Italy and romances. You want to avoid blogging about stuff hundreds of authors feature because it doesn’t help you to gain a following.

20.  I believe it does. I think if we have blog followers who enjoy what we write, many are willing to investigate our books. I know by the reviews my books get that many are from people who follow my blog, mixed with many I don’t know – another good sign that not only people I know are buying my books.

21.  Blogging has been a huge suckhole for me. I hope yours catches fire.

22.  It does if its a topical in the moment subject.

23.   I buy many books because of blogging.

24.   I do not believe it has helped me. Twitter – yes, Facebook – doubtful, Blogging – no. But I still believe it is essential to have an author website. It is just one part of leaving a tiny imprint on the huge Internet.

Here’s my answer:

No, I don’t think that blogging helps to sell books, but I’ve enjoyed connecting with lots of new cyber friends through blogging, who are mainly authors themselves and are looking for ways to boost their own book sales.  However, I have sold a few books by blogging, but on the whole I would say that blogging does not really help in the quest to sell more books.

Have you any results of a survey you’d like to share?  Click on the link below to add yours, or check out other blog hoppers’ survey results:

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.