10 Tips for optimizing your Goodreads Profile
If you are a reader you would definitely have heard about the Social Cataloging website- Goodreads. This is the Facebook for readers. This is a community where you can meet a lot of awesome people, who enjoy different genres. You can participate in group discussions, voice your opinions and write awesome Goodreads reviews. But have you ever thought about the marketing potential of this reading community? It would seem an odd thought, still definitely a good try. Especially if you are an author who wants to market your work. Let us discuss how it can be done.
History of Goodreads
Goodreads was developed by Otis Chandler in 2006. The Idea of developing a social Cataloging website had occurred to him while he was browsing the shelves of a friend. And the idea became very successful as Goodreads have 90 Million subscribers as of 2019. Definitely a good sign that reading isn’t dying, right?
On Goodreads, it is easy to browse books. Almost every book from different historical eras is available here. You can just scan the barcode and see the book for yourself. You can update what you are reading, and how far you have gone ( There is a progress bar where you can update your progress), and join Groups. For example, if you are a Stephen King fan, there are groups, where you can post and discuss his books. If you are a Haruki Murakami Fan, you can do the same as well. You can also browse quotes by famous authors, highlight selected passages, and this is why this site is much loved by readers from various corners of the earth. Goodreads has some competitors like Library Thing and Libib but the competition isn’t fierce. Earlier, there was a website named as Shelfari, but it later merged with Goodreads. Later Amazon had acquired Goodreads, and you can access it on Kindle as well. Goodreads recommendations are a useful tool in finding hidden gems. For example, as I’m a fan of Albert Camus, I saw Meursault Investigations, by Kamel Daoud. So I would like to say Goodreads is very relevant for voracious readers.
Goodreads is definitely an option for getting the right books. While perusing the Goodreads recommendations, you can see a lot of relevant books, which could aid in selecting the right one.
Goodreads reviews are a safe place to find good books, as they are mostly written by expert readers. I remember finding a lot of books by following a reader. This is why it is safe to assume that this is a marvellous place for readers.
Writing nice Goodreads reviews will also aid in your command over the language. It will also increase your awareness about the world in general and will help in how to find your own comfort zone when surrounded by fluff.
For kids, encourage them to write and read nice Goodreads reviews as it would help them in developing creativity, thus laying a strong foundation.
Goodreads reviews are important also in finding the relevant links to our needed books, as this is a reading oriented community whose sole aim is to help each other.
Now let us go back to the main Question- How can we market on Goodreads? Is it even possible? What are the difficulties one will face while marketing? Are there ways to market without appearing spammy? Hopefully, we can find answers to each of these questions.
Define your Purpose
Why are you here, in this community for readers? You should have a purpose. You should have a sound strategy. You have just published a book and you want the whole world to know that. But how can you do it in an organic way? Beware, people on Goodreads hates spammers. So spamming people’s inboxes will degrade you and your hard work.
Once you have defined your purpose, you can develop a strategy. How are you going to promote your book? Are you going to create a page for your book and post awesome reviews of other books to attract potential readers? Take a pen and paper and jot down the ideas. In this way, you can have more clarity about what you want to do.
Do not Fake it
As we discussed above, people on Goodreads are very intelligent. They can sift out the bad apples from the good ones. So do not even try to spam them. If you have anything to say, express it in the most natural way. Then people will understand and accept you as a part of the community. In this way develop your own writing brand and start communicating effectively.
Comment on other people’s reviews and group posts
This is also an important step. Bonding with another human being is all about mutual understanding. Who doesn’t want to share their opinion about something they cherish, they love with another person? Goodreads gives you an option to do that. Go through numerous posts by individual users and group posts, and make a sincere effort to understand them. Then start to connect with them. Write naturally, do not fake. The Tone of Voice should be friendly and confident. It must be like when the readers read it, he should feel instantly connected.
Do not Spam
Remember always that Goodreads is a reading community. You are here to connect with readers. We have seen some people promoting their works through messaging strangers on Goodreads. This is a spammy tactic and please stay away from this. You would alienate others by doing so and make your hard work go waste. Instead of spammy promotions, take your own time and interact. That’ll do.
Design your book Properly
Do it well, as it is very important. People would say do not judge a book by its cover but you know we all act on the contrary. A good design can instantly attract the reader and would make him buy it. Hire a designer if possible or you can do it yourself on platforms like Reedsy Reedsy is an amazing platform as they come up with different book templates.
Participate in Groups actively
This is also very important. There are groups for almost every literary genre and you have to choose wisely about the group where you intend to promote your book. For example, if your book is intended at young adults, do not post it on a group for the readers of Dostoyevsky. Do not post immediately after joining as people would think you are another spammer. Take your time, interact with the members, develop strong bonds with the readers, and then wait for your chance. When it comes, in a very polite, gentle way ask them to go through your book if possible. Most of them would.
Optimize your Goodreads Profile
Doing SEO for niches such as reading is a bit tough. There won’t be much high paying keywords here. Still, do proper keyword research, analyze and study the keywords and optimize your profile. If you are a Marcel Proust fan, say it on your profile. Tell your readers why you are there, and put the keywords wisely. When you optimize your profile properly, your chances of getting found by other readers will increase.
Put Goodreads link on your Website or Blog
This is also another important step. If you maintain a high-quality blog with a good amount of daily traffic, this wouldn’t be a bad idea. In this way, new people can send you friend requests and thus would usher you to the facades of new friendships. This would also make you bit popular too. You can also share your review on platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.
Write Amazing Goodreads Reviews
If you have that natural flair to write, do not hesitate. Write confidently. You can write reviews about books you have read and make sure that you have done the necessary research. Find your own writing style and make giant strides. If you are lucky, people will start noticing you and your book. Apart from that create a book page, and promote it on your Social Platforms.
Be Active and Consistent
This is another important step. People will forget you if you stop writing. Take your own time to build your brand, and updated about the latest literary trends. Engage in healthy discussions and be polite to everyone.
Conclusion
Be yourself. Do not fake. Be confident about your capabilities. You can easily build a fanbase by using a little commonsense. This sort of marketing is bit different but if you can find a way, you will succeed. Good luck!!!
