When it comes to marketing and promoting your books, it might seem totally overwhelming to find the best tools. Creating graphics and other assorted items can be a lot of work. That’s why I’m always looking for ways to work more efficiently, if possible!
Here are some free tools that may be helpful. Even if you’re already using them, there are additional features you should know about.
Dropbox – I’ve been using this for several years for file storage and sharing. One of the things I like about it is you can upload files, then create links so that others can download and/or view the files. If you use multiple devices, you can upload files from one device, then access them from another. I’ve connected Dropbox to MS Word on my laptop, so I can save my WIP directly to the Dropbox folder. That way, I never have to worry about losing my work.
Unsplash – When this site first came on the scene it was the place to find interesting royalty-free images. It still is, and I also use this platform to create collections of the images I like. For instance, if you want to create a collection of images to use as inspiration for your WIP, it’s easy to save your favorite images. Collections can easily be shared with others by using the link provided. Since images are royalty-free you can use them for blog posts (like this one) and in your book promotions.
Canva – This platform is extremely popular, though it’s not the only one of its kind (there are others such as PicMonkey and Adobe Express). You probably already know you can create mock-ups; book covers and social media posts. But you can also connect your social media to your Canva account and create calendars for sharing. Another thing I recently learned is that you can make printables. So, if you want to print items like cups, notebooks or t-shirts using your design, Canva has you covered. You can also make videos on Canva, which makes it great for creating IG stories and reels.
Adobe Express – This was originally called Spark (in case you’re familiar with that product). Now it looks a lot more like Canva. I’ve used it to create a video for YouTube and it was very easy. I added my own images and used their music. If you’re looking to create a trailer for your book, or other promotional video or image, give it a try. (If you already have Adobe Creative Cloud, this product is included.) It can also be downloaded to your mobile device as an app.
Voice Dream Reader – I use this text-to-voice app on my tablet when I want to hear my WIP being read to me. When you read it’s easy to skip things – or fill things in that aren’t there. And, to be honest, there are times when I’d rather just listen. The app can be downloaded to your mobile devices and be connected to file storage platforms, like Dropbox. What I like about this reader (as opposed to Word’s reader) is that you can choose different voices and accents. It comes with a set of voices, or you can upgrade for more.
Photo by Ella Jardim on Unsplash