Wise authors and publishers today take advantage of various book promotion services  as they try to reach target readers. Some work indirectly through the media and reviewers, while others are direct, like websites and social media accounts. Besides those, one that belongs prominently in the promotional media are blogs. Many authors post to their blogs and receive coverage from others. Since their invention in 1994, blogs have gone through many growth phases and increased their audience exponentially. The biggest news about blogs in the 202s is that they have professionalized.

There are still guerrilla and upstart blogs, to be sure, but many have grown into trusted and reliable information sources for their readers. What was once a freewheeling, experimental space has become more organized and responsible. Like their online-media-cousins ​​​​podcasts, blogs typically cover niche topics and have highly interested and loyal audiences. In an era of media specialization, you can count on blogs to take the lead. With over 600 million blogs in existence today, you can find one on virtually any topic, often several covering a subject – which is excellent news for book promotion.

Book publicists today build relationships with bloggers in the same way they work with traditional media. Many produce impressive results by placing stories and interviews with their authors on carefully selected blogs. The PR they generate can have just as much effect as coverage in other media, and sometimes more. Blogs also provide other promotional opportunities. Some can help an author accumulate reviews, and others are excellent venues to run contests or other promotions. Following a blog and learning the audience before an interview or pitching a story or contest is wise.

Guest posting is another effective way for authors to promote themselves and their books on blogs. If you offer a guest post, ensure it's on-topic and appropriate for the blog, and mention your book only in your bio at the end. Trying a direct sell approach seldom works, and your post may not be published or could draw negative comments. It will be much stronger if you can contribute images or other visual material to accompany your guest post. Coverage on blogs and your guest posts make excellent additions to the media page on your website. You can post for site visitors to read them.