I was recently part of a Facebook group discussion on book trailers. The conversation included pre-pubbed, published and multi-published authors and opinions varied. Here’s where I landed:
If your publisher is going to pay to create a book trailer for you…awesome.
If you have video editing know-how and time and think it’d be fun to create your own cool, non-cheesy trailer…awesome.
If you have to use your own money to pay someone else to create a trailer…well, that’s where I waffle a bit. But not because I have anything against book trailers. I think they can be a pretty smart move and I’ll tell you why in a second. The only reason I’d waffle is if paying for a book trailer takes away resources from other, possibly better marketing efforts.
For instance, if your choice is between a book trailer and a well-placed ad on an incredibly well-read, reader-oriented website (note “reader-oriented”–placing ads on websites designed for writers probably isn’t as effective), then go with the ad.
But here’s why I think book trailers can still be a good idea and aren’t just a passing fad:
They give you AND your fans something to do and something to share before your book releases.
That’s a big deal! Once your book is out, your marketing efforts generally center on getting people to buy your book. (Okay, yes, we’ve talked at length on this blog about how marketing is all about building relationships. That’s true, especially in a long-term strategic sense. But I’m talking short-term, tangible marketing right now.)
But in the months before your book releases, especially before it’s available for pre-order, it can be hard to know how to market. How to get people excited, invested and looking forward to your book. A book trailer is a great tool for doing just that. Done well, a book trailer can garner hype and get your fans talking. And that’s what you want. If it’s really sweet, they may start sharing it across social media platforms…and any time your readers market for you, it’s a good thing. 🙂
Some tips for book trailers:
-Keep them short. There are people who will take the time to watch a video who would never bother visiting blogs or clicking on sidebar ads. But even people who enjoy watching videos generally won’t stick it out if it’s too long. For a book trailer, especially fiction, 30 to 60 seconds is good. (Non-fiction can often go longer, because in those cases, sometimes it’s the author doing the talking in more of a Q&A setting.)
-Focus on using a book trailer before your book releases. Once your book is out, you want people reading the book, not watching a video about it.
-If possible, if there are going to be faces in your book trailer, use the same people from your book cover. Bethany House has done that for several of their trailers, including mine, and I love that! Some people prefer no faces in their trailer, so if that’s your preference, make it known to your publisher or videographer.
-Avoid overly dramatic music and wording. That’ll just make people laugh. And not in a good way.
-Only give your story’s basic premise in the trailer–the main hook. Don’t let your trailer get bogged down in details or subplots.
Those are my thoughts on book trailers. Again, there is a wide variety of opinions on trailers and they certainly aren’t a make or break marketing strategy. But they can be fun and useful when done well.
What are your thoughts and/or questions on book trailers? Have you seen any you especially like?
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