Building Relationships with Book Bloggers and Reviewers

An avenue that I should have explored

Oct 19, 2024

As an author, connecting with book bloggers and reviewers can be a powerful way to get your work in front of new readers. Bloggers and reviewers not only help spread the word about your book, but they also provide valuable feedback and endorsements that can enhance your credibility. However, building a genuine relationship with them takes time and effort.

This post will guide you through the steps to cultivate lasting relationships with book bloggers and reviewers to boost your book marketing strategy.

Why Book Bloggers and Reviewers Matter

Book bloggers and reviewers have a strong influence on book discovery and promotion. Their reviews can lead to increased visibility, as readers often rely on trusted bloggers to help them decide what to read next. Bloggers also foster communities, and when they recommend a book, it often creates word-of-mouth buzz that can boost your book’s reach. A positive review can help your book gain traction and shape readers' opinions.

Research and Identify the Right Bloggers

Before reaching out to any blogger, it's crucial to find those who align with your genre and audience. Not every blogger will be a fit for your book, so take the time to read their reviews and understand their style and preferences. Many bloggers have submission guidelines, which outline what kinds of books they accept and how they prefer to be contacted. Follow these guidelines carefully to improve your chances of success.

You can use social media, Google, and book review sites like Goodreads or NetGalley to research bloggers who review books in your genre. Make a list of potential bloggers, focusing on those who have reviewed similar books and have an engaged audience.

Engage Before You Pitch

Building a relationship with a book blogger should start before you ask them to review your book. Engage with them on social media by liking their posts, sharing their content, and leaving thoughtful comments on their blog or posts. This shows that you are genuinely interested in their work and not just reaching out for a favor.

Regular interaction helps establish rapport, so when you do reach out with a request, it won’t feel transactional. The goal is to form a connection so that your pitch doesn’t come out of the blue.

Crafting a Thoughtful Pitch

When the time comes to approach a blogger, personalize your pitch. Address them by name, mention specific reviews or content of theirs that you enjoyed, and explain why you think they’d be interested in your book. This shows that you’ve done your homework and that your outreach is intentional, not a blanket pitch.

Your pitch should be clear and concise. Include a brief synopsis of your book, relevant details like release dates, and any links they might need. Offer a review copy, but don’t pressure them to accept. Let them know that while you’d love a review, you also understand if they aren’t interested or don’t have time.

Respect Their Time and Space

Book bloggers often receive multiple review requests every day, so it's important to be patient. After sending your pitch, give them time to respond. Don’t follow up too frequently—one polite follow-up after a few weeks is enough. Remember, some bloggers may not have time to review your book, and that’s okay. Respect their decision and move on.

By being considerate, you’ll leave a positive impression, and they may be more willing to consider reviewing your future work.

Building Long-Term Relationships

Once a blogger has reviewed your book, the relationship shouldn’t end there. Share their review on your platforms to show your appreciation, and make sure to thank them for their time. Building a long-term connection means staying in touch—update them on future releases or any exciting news related to your book, but don’t overwhelm them with promotional content.

Engage with their posts and offer to collaborate in the future, whether for guest posts, giveaways, or other creative opportunities.

Reciprocity and Support

Supporting book bloggers in return for their work is crucial. Share their blog posts, refer other authors to them, and mention them in your social media content. If possible, offer to collaborate on events like giveaways or even participate in guest posts on their blog.

Showing that you value the relationship beyond your book promotion helps foster a strong partnership. Bloggers are more likely to support authors who support them in return.

Leveraging Reviews for Marketing

Once you receive positive reviews, don’t hesitate to use them in your marketing. Pull quotes from the reviews to share on social media, feature them on your website, or include them in your book blurb. Authentic reviews from trusted bloggers can go a long way in building trust with potential readers.

Displaying feedback from reputable bloggers also provides social proof that can encourage readers to try your book.

Conclusion

I definitely plan on finding and building a relationship with a few book bloggers for both my fiction and nonfiction. It would be great to collaborate with them. I'm sure I'll enjoy some of the other books they review.

That's definitely a win-win.

Resources

I recently ran across this newsletter called Writing Wednesday by a cool guy named Matt Lillywhite. The piece that caught my eye is titled Chasing Views Won’t Make You Successful—But This Will. He talked about his success on Medium. That appealed to me because even after almost 2 years, I still don’t have the formula figured out.