The Ultimate Children's Book Launch Marketing Checklist
Marketing is a huge part of publishing your book. But I know so many of us think:
That’s just not me.
I don’t know how to market or use social media.
I’m scared to put myself out there.
Take a deep breath with me. You absolutely CAN market your book, and I can tell you how to start: your book launch campaign.
The best thing to remember about marketing is: it’s all about you! No really! You’ll want to share your work and make it personable so that people can relate and see the real you behind the magical creation.
And your book launch is the very center that can make that happen - that is, actually getting your name and your book out there. It’s good to think about your book launch not just as one day but as an entire strategic period to market. Don’t make the mistake of focusing only on the book release day.
I’ve built a comprehensive checklist in the three phases - before, during, after - to ensure you have a perfect path to follow and your book can have the best possible start. Throughout it all, remember to keep it personable and make it as easy as possible for your readers and reviewers to find and buy the book. The moment people are confused or bored they’ll no longer bother to figure out how to get to your work!
Follow these critical preparatory steps to perfect your marketing campaign.
Before Your Book Launch
Distribution & Setup
First things first: How will buyers find your work? Once people have to work too hard to find it they won’t want to anymore! So we want to have your book as easy to find as possible. There are technical ways you can make that happen!
So no matter which platform you use to set up your self-published book make sure you know the basics to ensure it is discoverable and distributed.
Metadata
This aspect is descriptive data that helps readers and systems find and manage your book, acting like a “sales force” that helps make it discoverable on many platforms including retail sites, libraries, social media, and web searches. It is the powerhouse of distribution online!
It includes items such as your title, subtitle, author name, description, genre, and tags. Include as much information as you can in the fields they offer you.
If you don’t tell the program what the title of your book is - it won’t be able to find it!!
Categories
While this might sound like a vague thing we all generally understand, categorization of your book is a lot more critical than you may think. For your own work, choosing 7-10 relevant and niche categories is key to helping discoverability and keeping it high on search lists. Try starting with general categories that fit your children’s book, from there start researching subcategories, and subcategories’ subcategories.
The point is to get as specific as possible so that you stay relevant on that smaller list. That way when people start in the big category and subcategories are suggested to them, yours will be further up the list because it's on a smaller scale of niche books. They will also help with organizing, shelving, and most importantly searching for books so customers can find what they expect.
Keywords
Often on the platforms themselves, there are further keywords that can be attached to your work. These should be tailored and niche to your work.
Think of specificity within genre and sub-genre, themes and topics, characteristics, time periods, character types, tone, or plot. Try also looking at competitors in your categories and what key words they might have used. Research and implement 7 backend keywords to make it discoverable.
Depending on what self-publishing platform you use these features might be found in different places. But, regardless they will be present and you must make use of them. They are how the internal programs help users discover books they are looking for.
Audience & Media Prep
Now that you know how to make your book discoverable, it’s even more important you’re seen too! Today, having an audience before the book is published sets you up for success. There are multiple ways you can make sure that happens!
Social Media
The biggest space you must be a part of to make this happen is social media. A presence on any platform like Facebook, Instagram, X, or TikTok is the lynch pin of marketing. It is there that you can create a consistent author brand (what do you want people to know about you as a writer?), and create promotions.
If you have no idea where to start with social media, don’t worry! Start by downloading the app and then filling in information as it prompts you to do so. Take a couple days to become comfortable with the features and abilities on the app. Google any of your questions. Once you understand the functions, start curating your audience - these can be family, friends, other authors, celebrities you admire or follow. Then when things like illustrations start moving on your book make announcements! A cover reveal is a great example.
Review Strategies
Once you have early copies of your book you’ll also want to start a review strategy. Gather a list of early readers who can read and review your book to enhance your ratings immediately. This way reviews can be posted on Day 1 of publications and other readers can trust your work. Great early readers are often family, friends, or even advanced readers from communities online.
One other good method to garner reviews is to prepare professional pitches. Draft and edit emails that pitch your book to local blogs or online magazines so they can write reviews or spotlight pieces on you too.
During Your Book Launch
Then the day finally arrives: Launch Day!! Your book is actually published. Hooray!
By the time you’re here, you’ll want to have made sure you’ve set up your launch campaign and got all those books in order.
Creating a launch campaign
Choose the event
Decide between an online, virtual launch or in person venue for a physical launch. Book a time and place at least a month in advance.
Create the invitations
Send out clear invitations, whether by hand or by email, with the essential viewing link or location address, date and time, and purchase options with links for your book!
Order physical books
Order a supply of copies to have on hand (even with an online launch) for signings, gifts, and potential events to follow. It helps to personalize your work too with small extras like thank you notes, bookmarks, or business cards for key supporters and early buyers.
Attend your launch
Get excited to show off all your hard work! Be prepared for presenting in front of your audience and doing a reading. Consider what questions people might ask in advance. Most of all, be proud!
On the day of, but after the physical launch is over, you’ll also want to remind any of your early readers to post their reviews that day so that there is immediate social proof of the value in your book.
Already launching, and ready to start writing the next one? Get started on the right storyline with my 7 Writing Prompts for When the Words Won’t Come.
You want to write, but when pen hits paper, the words won't come.
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Writing a children's book can feel next to impossible when you're staring at a blank page.
So I've put together 7 writing prompts not only to spark your creativity, but to prove that, in as little as 5 minutes, you can come up with a relatable story idea for young readers.
After Your Book Launch
Once your book is published, it doesn’t end there! Think of your work like a wee baby that needs lots of love, attention, and fostering in the right direction. Marketing your book after it's out keeps the momentum going and reminds readers you’re still here with lots worth sharing.
External Validation and Promos
Influencers, Blogs, and Newsletters
Remember how I suggested drafting a pitch email? This is the time to use it! Reach each out to individuals who may align with the topics of your books and suggest your work to them. You can offer ARCs or extras or cross-promotion to make it valuable to them too. But having others show off and support your work increases your audience and helps it grow in a new direction your own group may not be able to do.
And, if your work was accepted by any influencer or blog earlier, before launch day, now is the time to follow up with reviewers. Don’t let anyone forget about you!
Paid Promotions
If a budget allows you can also schedule low-cost online promotions. These might be minor paid ads or newsletter features, all of which help keep sales going after the initial high from launch day.
Author Appearances
While an online presence is absolutely essential, having a physical one too, and being known in your community creates a whole other network of support, sales, and insights you might not have known you needed!
School Visits
Set up professional school visits. Reach out to your local school administrators and be sure to determine your rate, time, and any minimum requirements (for example: they must buy so many books) for your involvement.
Once this is confirmed, create a presentation. You can delve into the topic of the book if it's specialized or the steps on how you made it if it's not. It’s not a bad idea to prepare a media kit for this, as well. That might include a slide show, a banner, a table for signings and even electronic payment methods if available for your use.
Library & Bookstore Signings
Organize events to sell books within your local community and beyond. Bookstores and libraries near you are great opportunities to catch the attention of people you might not have otherwise met. And though each store may have their own proceedings, many are open and excited to host local authors, as well as hold your book long-term on their shelves.
Create a Permanent Promotion
Develop a stable, ongoing marketing asset. A good example of this might be a free coloring sheet, or simple online ad. Having something that draws people back to you and your book will keep you relevant and remembered.
And that is the ultimate book launch marketing checklist! There are so many opportunities to get your name out there and share all the great work you’ve done with your book. Challenge yourself and choose one or two you can start with even this week. Keep all that hard-earned momentum you’ve made with your picture book going with your marketing!
If you’re still in the early stages of creating your book, don’t worry, you can start marketing now too! Even when writing your book you can be thinking about how to create it in a way that makes it attractive to buy and desirable for children to read. Want to find out how? Download my Children’s Book Blueprint, so you can start writing with marketing in mind, right from your very first hook.
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