4.2.10: Virtual Book Tours
During the first thirty days of the virtual tour I am now conducting for my creative nonfiction client, his book was viewed 770 times on a single site. After his book trailer uploads tomorrow, his Google page rank will dramatically improve. And when the tour goes to genre-specific sites, he is likely to have a spike in sales.
This is the value of a virtual tour—massive or niche exposure to new audiences.
A virtual tour takes a book through online sites that feature content about the author and title during a finite length of time. Blogs and websites where content appears are called Tour Stops. The blogger or website owner at the Stops is called the Tour Stop Host. The person arranging the Tour Stops is called the Tour Provider.
What happens during a Tour?
Depending on the topic, the book is toured on blogs, forums, social networking pages, frequently updated websites, and video sites. Sometimes the content submitted by the Provider is passive, meaning no action is necessary by the author after it posts, and sometimes the content is active. With active content, the author has the opportunity to interact with a site’s followers, as in a chat room or a site with comments enabled.
Content during a tour may include interviews, excerpts, author videos, book trailers, podcasts, review snippets, endorsements, cover art, headshots, candids, author essays, articles and guest blog posts.
How long does a Tour last?
Density of content over time is important in a tour, so stops are usually completed within a 30-45 day time frame.
Where does the Tour go?
It goes to both genre-specific and general book blogs & websites.
What does an author need to do to prepare for a Tour?
The author must email any interview responses or files that are requested by the Tour Provider and check in online when active content is running.
What are the benefits of a Virtual Tour?
First off, the author is going directly to his audience. Secondly, everything on the net leaves a footprint, so unlike print media which is here today and gone tomorrow, your blog, podcast, or book review will stay on the net forever – or as long as the site archives exist -which means new visitors to a site will still be exposed to your message months down the road.
More than 79% of the media now find their experts online, so virtual tours have the power to attract the media to (especially nonfiction) authors. With a virtual tour, you are leaving a bread trail for the media and new readers to find you.
For more information about custom Virtual Tours, visit Stephanie Barko, Literary Publicist at www.authorsassistant.com/Barko.htm
Stephanie Barko is a Literary Publicist specializing in nonfiction and historical fiction. Her award-winning clients include traditional publishers and their authors, small presses, and independently published authors. Services include book platforms, custom virtual tours, media relations, and more. Visit with Stephanie at http://www.authorsassistant.com/Barko.htm.
