Does Blogging really sell books

[Sharon Dwyer]

Since I am new to all this blogging, I have to wonder does all this writing and reading pages of blogs and websites really sell your books. Everyone on these, and other, blogs and pages is there to sell their own books. Do people who are writers, or reader, actually go out and buy these authors books.

 

I would like to hear from people on this site and tell me if they find book sales increase expotentially with the time they spend blogging and reading other authors sites.

 

SL Dwyer

 

www.sldwyer.com

 ss

[Sharon Dwyer]

It sounds as if people reading blogs take the reviews to heart and go out and buy the books.

[Sumar Shahin]

I am wondering the same thing. I am also new to this blogging thing and would really like to know how it works.
Sumar Shahin

[M. Louisa Locke]

My blog. the Front Parlor, isn't primarily about reviewing books, instead it has focused primarily on my journey as an independent, self-published author. However, much of the information I got that helped me 1) make the decision to self-publish 2) get advice on how to self-publish and 3) learn about how to market my book all came from blogs by other writers.

In addition, as a self-published author who sells primarily in estores, there were few places I could get reviews of my book besides blogs-and the reviews I got certainly resulted in a increase in sales.

Next, when I won a contest held by the site Publetariat, and my blog posts began to be cross listed at that site last April, my sales doubled.

Finally, it was my comments to another blog KindleNationDaily that got my work noticed by the writer of that blog, and he subsequently featured a short story of mine-which resulted in nearly 200 sales on Kindle in a 2 day period, and in the month since that happened my sales trippled-so that I am selling on average 9-10 books a day and my book routinely is in the top best sellers on Amazon in its category of historical mysteries.

None of this would have happened without me participating in the world of blogging.

M. Louisa Locke
author of Maids of Misfortune: A Victorian San Francisco Mystery
and the blog The Front Parlor

[Sharon Dwyer]

Very interesting. Thank you for your information and continued great sales.

[Sharon Dwyer]

Sounds as if you have it figured out. How long did it take you to get your audience?

[Sharon Dwyer]

So you are the "go to" girl if I need some information on blogging?

[Zipporah Sandler]

I can say this...I've made money from Amazon.com from MANY books that I've reviewed that were sold straight from my site. So, the answer is YES.

[Sharon Dwyer]

So how does that work? Selling books from your site? I'm new at all this and am looking for information.
Thanks

[Alison]

I've had a few people comment that they're looking for a book because of the review I wrote. That always feels nice. While I don't think my blog will push anyone onto the best seller's list, but I think I'm probably responsible for a hand full of book sales from my teeny blog reading audience.

[Amy Henry]

You might want to do an archive search on the LA Times website for the last two months or so. A very good article stated that book bloggers are viewed by publishers as the KEY to new sales. So if publishers feel that bloggers that write about their books, how much more an author should feel.

An online presence is essential for authors...plus, it creates a personal connection for your readers. They can see you, your interests, even your cat. The main thing is to be honest and real, and avoid pushiness or the pressure to buy buy buy.

As a blogger for small presses, I know that I am helping sales. I can see people respond to my blog as well as see the clicks on my Amazon affiliates page and see that they actually purchased the book. I also get feedback from the publishers saying that sales often increase when buzz about their book, no matter how obscure, is out there.

I highly recommend you find a way to at least have a website, even if you don't blog. Reading other author's sites isn't as essential...you want to connect with readers, no just others trying to expose their book.

Good luck!

[Sharon Dwyer]

Hi Amy, and thanks for the reply.
I do blog here - just started - and I also have a website www.sldwyer.com. I have another blog at http://sl-dwyer.blogspot.com.

From everyone's reply, I have to say that blogging seems to be the way to drum up interest in the author and their books.

[Julie Smith]

If it weren't for blog reviews I've read (and reviews on Good Reads and Library Thing), I wouldn't have many of the books I now have. I love reading other 'regular' readers' honest opinions and seeing a book getting consistently great reviews on blog after blog (or even one blog if it's a blogger I regularly follow and whose opinion I value) is quite often enough to make me want to buy the book.