I had to revamp this post from last year because reader magnets are still a powerful and simple tool for building your fanbase and your personal brand. If you’re not be familiar with the term reader magnet, you’re probably familiar with their use in practice. This is because reader magnets are a common way of marketing books, and building a following. They work by offering an incentive to your readers—the glorious carrot! Below I’ll explain what reader magnets are, and when and how you can use them to sell more books and earn more fans. So, read on!
What is a Reader Magnet?
So, a reader magnet is just a marketing strategy where an incentive is offered to engage with your content and build a loyal fan base. Something that draws in your audience, well, like a magnet.
Here’s an example: Say you want to encourage your audience to sign up for your newsletter, subscribe to your blog, or pay for access to your Patreon or Substack. Well, you should offer an incentive to do so! It’s very similar to product promotions. Like when you get a free sample by spending a certain amount on other products. And we’re all likely familiar with how well that works. How often have you bought the bigger size, or a set of something over a single item just to get some little gift for free!? Reader magnets follow this same concept.
Use Reader Magnets in Ethical and Effective Ways
Using a reader magnet is sometimes described as an ethical bribe. But I don’t see it that way. I see it more as an exchange, or a “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” scenario. I believe it’s better to think of them as a gift and a thank you. The more value you provide your reader, the more likely they are to become invested in you and your message, and, the more likely they are to remember you and tell others about you. Seems like a pretty good deal to me.
This means that if you’re offering something to your readers for free and they support you by subscribing to your newsletter or blog in exchange, you still have to offer them continuing value via more valuable and relevant content on a regular basis. Basically, it’s following through on whatever you’ve told them they’re signing up for.
With this in mind, it’s important to know what you’re capable of—or how much of your time and energy budget you can realistically spend. So if you promise a weekly newsletter with updates on your book, for example, that means you can’t slack off and send out something every month.
So, What Can Using Reader Magnets in Your Marketing Strategy Do for You?
I recommend using reader magnets if you have something enticing you’d like to offer, such as a free eBook, a worksheet, or a Top Ten Tips sheet. They’re a great way to encourage potential readers to take interest in you and your work!
Reader magnets are also a way to keep your readers interested in your work. By subscribing to your blog or newsletter, or even following you on social media, readers stay in contact with you, which means you have a reader base to connect with and sell future books to!
And of course, having a lot of blog subscribers or followers on social media channels can give you that much more influence and clout. It will get you noticed and keep you in the spotlight.
Also, when your readers follow you or subscribe to your blog or newsletters they get to know you. This builds trust, and instead of feeling like you’re trying to sell them your next book, you’ll be giving them the inside scoop on your next exciting work.
Where do I find these potential subscribers, you ask? These can be the readers who follow you on social media, readers you connect with through other venues like conferences and book events, or through networking. You just want to make sure that your giveaway and your continued content is relevant and valuable to them. No one wants more of what essentially amounts to spam in their inboxes. Good Lord, we all have enough of that!
Some Ideas on Using Reader Magnets
Reader magnets can be anything from a free eBook to exclusive content or swag. But they should:
- Be enticing
- Be valuable to your target audience
- Relate directly to your work and/or other books and writing
- Leave them wanting more of your content
Where to use them:
As for where to use a reader magnet, my first suggestion is always on your website or at the back of your book. Of course, you can always use reader magnets on your social media channels and promotional marketing too. Don’t be shy about asking readers to subscribe to your newsletter and of course, mention your enticing reader magnet as a bonus gift for them.
So, try them out on:
- The back of your book
- The home page of your website
- Landing pages on your website
- In social media promotions
- Added to your other promotional materials
Using Reader Magnets For Thought Leaders and Entrepreneurs
If you want to promote your books or professional services, it would be smart to give away a bit of valuable information to prove your expertise. This could entice your target audience to either look to your book for what they need, or even land you some business if you happen to be a service provider.
You could offer things like:
- Free Consultations
- Webinars or recorded lectures
- Bonus videos
- Discount on services
- Exclusive Content like podcasts or other audio files
- Downloadable, printable resources and worksheets
- Tips Sheet
For Authors of Fiction
Fiction authors and creative nonfiction writers can use reader magnets in the same way, but your target audience will likely become enticed to sign up for your newsletter, blog, or become a patron of your Substack for different reasons.
Here’s a few ideas for reader magnets:
- Offer the first chapter of your next book for free
- Exclusive content that’s not published elsewhere
- Explainers on characters motivations and backgrounds
- A free eBook short, such as a novella
As mentioned above, there are many ways you can give away free little gifts that entice your target audience to become more engaged and invested. Whether you’re using reader magnets to get more followers on social media, to sell your book, or promote your expertise, they can be a super-effective marketing strategy! And feel free to get creative with your offers and giveaways. It can be pretty fun as far as marketing is concerned and it can pay off in a big way if you do it right.
Have you used reader magnets successfully before? Tell everyone about it in the comments on the original post! 🙂
