How to Market Your Book Online in 2026: A Step-by-Step Guide for Authors

If you’re launching a book in 2026—or finally ready to take the marketing of your existing books seriously—this post is for you.

Over the past year, I’ve worked with 25+ authors across a wide range of genres, each with different goals, budgets, and audiences. Through hands-on testing with social media, influencer outreach, review campaigns, advertising, and more, I’ve narrowed down the strategies that consistently move the needle when it comes to reaching readers and selling books online in 2026.

That said, there’s no magic formula for book marketing success. Reaching your ideal readers takes time, consistency, and yes—a little luck. But when you commit to the right strategies and show up intentionally, results do follow. The recommendations below are the ones I’ve seen work again and again.

Here are 4 ways to market your book online in 2026:

1. Social Media

Building a following takes time—this is a long-game strategy. Content on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook can be discovered weeks or even months after it’s posted, and all it takes is one post landing at the right time for the algorithm to push your content to hundreds or thousands of new readers.

One of the biggest frustrations authors face with social media is not knowing whether what they’re doing is “working.” That’s because social media success is rarely instant. It comes from showing up consistently, experimenting with content, and creating posts that speak directly to your ideal reader.

To make social media work for you—and not feel like a waste of time—I recommend focusing on these three things:

Determine your content pillars
Content pillars are the core topics you’ll regularly post about. I typically recommend:

• Book promotion
• Reader engagement
• Behind-the-scenes of writing or author life
• One personal or interest-based pillar (reading habits, favourite books, hobbies, etc.)

These give you structure while still leaving room to be creative and authentic.

Develop a content calendar
Don’t post randomly—create a plan. A content calendar saves time, reduces decision fatigue, and makes it easier to stay consistent when writing takes up most of your creative energy.

• No release in the next three months: start with 2 posts per week, then build to 3
• Release coming up in 2–3 months: start with 3 posts per week, then increase to 4

For inspiration, look at authors in your genre who are doing well on social media—but always adapt ideas to fit your voice and books.

Engage, don’t just post
Posting content isn’t enough. You also need to be an active user. Follow ideal readers and similar authors, like and comment on their posts, and occasionally send a genuine, friendly DM. This builds relationships and signals to the algorithm that your account is active, increasing the chances your content gets pushed further.

If you’re stuck at five likes or a couple of hundred views, don’t panic. Keep posting, test new formats, engage consistently, and be patient. Growth on social media is rarely linear—but persistence pays off.

2. Influencer Outreach

This is my favourite way to market books, and here’s why: influencer marketing puts your book directly in front of your ideal readers by leveraging the trust and community an influencer has already built. Your book isn’t just being seen—it’s being recommended by someone readers already listen to.

That said, influencer outreach does take effort. Success comes from finding Bookstagrammers, BookTokkers, and BookTubers who genuinely align with your book’s genre, tropes, and tone. A strong match will always outperform a large following.

Before you start reaching out, create a 5-page media kit—a simple digital overview of your book. For authors, I recommend including:

• Book title, cover, and author name
• Book synopsis and pre-order or publication date (with a buy link)
• Tropes and themes
• A sample quote, Q&A, or exclusive content
• An author bio with social media and website links

I usually create media kits in Canva.

Next, identify your influencers. Start with 25 and add more as you go. Use hashtags related to your genre and tropes to find creators, then check their bios for contact details or collaboration info. If there’s no email, make a note to reach out via DM.

I recommend organizing everything in a spreadsheet with influencer names, contact info, links, outreach status, and notes. This makes tracking responses and follow-ups much easier.

When you’re ready to reach out, use an email template—but personalize every message. Mention their name, how you found them, or a post you enjoyed. Small details make a big difference.

In most influencer campaigns I run, we offer a free copy of the book (ebook or physical) in exchange for a review and/or post. Some influencers charge for features, but many still participate in gifted collaborations.

Once an influencer agrees, confirm their preferred format and a general posting timeframe. Flexibility is key, but having a rough date helps you stay organized.

Influencer marketing is powerful because it reaches new readers in a way ads and organic posts can’t. You’re borrowing trust, not attention—and that makes all the difference.

3. Social Media Advertising

I prefer a holistic approach to advertising. I look at it as something that supports my organic posting, acting as a flowing river that carries my content faster than the algorithm can.

I often use posts and reels that performed well organically to help amplify what’s already resonating with readers, instead of trying to force something brand new to work.

“What type of social media ads should I run then?”

Not all ads are created equal, especially for books. The goal isn’t to “sell” immediately—it’s to attract the right readers and warm them up.

• Boosted high-performing content
  Start by boosting reels or posts that already did well organically. If a video, quote graphic, or trope-based post is getting saves, comments, or shares, that’s a sign it resonates. Putting a small budget behind it helps get it in front of more similar readers.
• Video-first ads (especially short-form)
  Reels, TikToks, and vertical video ads consistently outperform static images. Think:
  – “If you love ___, this book is for you”
  – Aesthetic mood videos
  – Tropes + vibes
  – Short hooky excerpts or dramatic lines
• Traffic or engagement ads (not sales-heavy ads)
  In most cases, I recommend starting with engagement or traffic objectives rather than direct sales. These ads help build awareness, grow your audience, and retarget warm readers later—especially important if you’re a newer author or launching your first book.
• Retargeting ads
  If someone has watched your videos, engaged with your posts, or visited your website, they’re already interested. Retargeting these people with book-specific ads (preorders, launches, discounts) is where ads really shine.

Here are some more tips for running successful social media ads:

• Start small
  You don’t need a massive budget. I often recommend starting with $5–$10 a day and testing from there. The goal is to gather data, not burn money.
• Let the algorithm do its job
  Avoid overly narrow targeting. In 2026, ad platforms are very good at finding the right people if you give them strong creative and time to learn.
• Focus on hooks, not perfection
  Your first 1–3 seconds matter more than anything! If you can’t stop the scroll, the ad won’t work—no matter how good the book is. Test multiple hooks, captions, and visuals.
• Think long-term, not overnight success
  Ads work best when paired with consistent organic content. Someone might see your ad today, follow you next week, and buy your book a month later. That’s normal—and that’s success!
• Always send readers somewhere intentional
  Whether it’s your website, a preorder page, or your profile, make sure there’s a clear next step. Confused readers don’t convert.

Social media ads aren’t magic, but when used strategically, they can significantly speed up your visibility and help your books reach readers who are already looking for stories like yours.

Think of ads as a support system—not a replacement—for showing up consistently and authentically online.

4. Review Campaigns

Gathering reviews before release day is one of the most effective ways to give your book momentum on Amazon and other retailers. Reviews help with visibility, social proof, and reader trust—especially in the crucial first few weeks after launch.

So how do you actually get them? This is where review campaigns come in.

A review campaign is a coordinated effort to encourage early readers to read your book and leave an honest review around the time of its release. There are a few effective ways to run one:

Use review platforms
Platforms like BookSirens, BookSprout, and NetGalley connect authors with readers who actively look for advance copies to review. You upload your book, set basic preferences, and readers opt in. Once they leave a review on the platform, it’s often cross-posted to Amazon and/or Goodreads. These platforms are especially helpful if you don’t yet have a large audience.

Work with bloggers and influencers for reviews
Some book influencers and bloggers focus specifically on writing long-form reviews rather than promoting their content on social media. Reaching out to these reviewers can result in thoughtful, detailed reviews that readers trust—especially on Goodreads and personal blogs.

Timing matters
I recommend starting review campaigns 6–8 weeks before release, to have reviews go live during release week and shortly after. You don’t need hundreds—having 10–25 early reviews can already make a noticeable difference.

Set clear expectations (without pressure)
Always ask for honest reviews and never require a positive rating. Amazon is strict about review manipulation, so transparency is essential.

At the end of the day, the goal of a review campaign isn’t just numbers—it’s credibility. Reviews act as social proof, helping readers feel confident in buying your book and increasing the chances of it being shown to more people on platforms like Amazon, Goodreads, and BookBub.

A strong review campaign won’t guarantee bestseller status—but it will give your book a much stronger foundation for visibility and long-term sales.

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I challenge you to choose one strategy from this list and start working on it this week. Maybe that means committing to consistent social media posting. Maybe it’s finally tackling influencer outreach or launching a review campaign. Whatever you choose—just start.

Let’s make 2026 the year you feel confident in your book marketing and proud of your launches. Even if you don’t have a new release on the horizon, these strategies can breathe new life into your existing books and help them reach the readers they were written for.

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And if you’re ready to invest in hands-on support, I offer Social Media Management for Authors, Book Marketing, and Author Coaching services.

Thanks for reading!