Are you ready to hit the ball out of the park in 2026? Publicizing a book—or a brand—requires more than good intentions. It requires a roadmap. Without one, it’s nearly impossible to know whether you’re heading in the right direction or recognizing the milestones along the way. A thoughtful, strategic plan allows you to work smarter, not harder, and gives your efforts purpose and momentum. Below are 26 ways to map out your year ahead and build a publicity strategy that actually moves the needle.

1. REALLY FIGURE OUT WHY YOU ARE WRITING (WROTE) A BOOK

Describe in detail (write it down) why you’re writing a book; what are your goals/ what do you hope to accomplish? The why helps guide the process from here on out. Are you ultimately trying to sell a product, idea, service?  Is the book a lead generator?  Are you trying to educate or help people? This will be used as your guiding light throughout the process.

2. IDENTIFY YOUR AUDIENCE AND YOUR COMPETITION

Who will be consuming your book or content? Where do they read about the subject, and what social media platforms do they primarily use? Where do your customers consume news—blogs, social media, online news sites, or print publications? Consider demographics such as age, gender, interests, and hobbies, along with what your audience struggles with and what their pain points are. Just as important, decide what you want from them: to buy the book, follow your social media, read your blog, attend events, or engage with your brand in other ways. The answers to these questions help define your path to success.

At the same time, research your competition. What other books currently exist on your topic? Read them. How many are there, who is their audience, and how are they positioned? Study distribution methods, pricing, cover design, and the credentials of the authors already in the marketplace. Ask yourself why your book is different, why a reader would choose it over others, and why the media should care. Reverse engineer the marketing and publicity efforts behind comparable titles to identify trends and opportunities. Down the road, this research will also help you identify media outlets that covered similar books, allowing you to approach them with a clear “If you liked X, you’ll like Y” strategy—because this research isn’t just for Amazon.

3. GET A WELL-BRANDED WEBSITE

Hire a professional (there are many out there) to build you a modern, clean website built with a clear brand message that tells your story well. You want your website to be simple enough that it doesn’t take an hour to scroll through and get the message. Journalists are busy people (like the rest of us). Once they see your pitch, one of the first things they’ll do is click on a link to your website. You want to WOW them! There are key elements you’ll want included in your website (such as a punchy bio, link to your social media pages, and a call to action) but most importantly, it needs to have a contemporary feel. 

4. GET YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA SET UP, CREATE CONTENT, SCHEDULE POSTS, AND ENGAGE YOUR FOLLOWERS

Set up your social media platforms early—you can never start too soon because building an audience takes time. Decide on two primary platforms (Instagram, Facebook, X/Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, etc.) and create a contemporary, consistent look across them. Start acquiring followers with thoughtful, relevant content, remembering the 80/20 rule: talk about your own “stuff” only 20% of the time and focus the rest on value, conversation, and connection.

Once your platforms are established, build a content creation system. Use a content calendar to plan posts around timely topics, awareness months, and news related to your book. Batch-create content by writing for short, focused blocks of time, and include strong visuals to boost engagement. Use a scheduling tool to stay organized and ahead of the game, making sure all images are properly licensed or free to use.

Finally, don’t post and disappear—be social. Engage with your audience by responding to comments, liking and sharing relevant content, cross-promoting across platforms, and interacting with readers and accounts aligned with your work. Consistent engagement builds trust, amplifies reach, and ensures you have an active, invested audience when you’re ready to promote your book.

5. PLAN YOUR LAUNCH

Get a game plan together regarding events you want to schedule; marketing plans like reaching out to book clubs, or starting a newsletter. Make sure you have a clear strategy because you won’t know how to get there without a road map. Additionally, planning out your launch allows you to bite off small pieces at a time so you don’t get overwhelmed. You can assign yourself a few tasks per week leading up to the launch. 

6. CREATE A LAUNCH EVENT

Create an event for your book launch party- even if it’s digital. It doesn’t always have to be at or with a bookstore. Are there other locations that make sense for your topic (i.e. perhaps use a children’s museum for a picture book). View this as a celebration for your local community; it’s close to home so you can invite friends and family, also. After it’s scheduled (plan 2-3 months out), you should work to get calendar listings to promote it (if it’s in person). These are typically found online so look for sites that cater to your local community. Create an event on Facebook and invite people to it. Get media attention for it (we’ll talk more about this later). 

7. GALVANIZE YOUR TRIBE

Galvanize a tribe of friends and influencers online you can count on to help you spread the word via social media, post reviews on Amazon, tell their friends, host events, etc. Obtain blurbs, quotes, and reviews from this tribe early on in the process. Brainstorm a list of persons, reach out to them with an authentic “ask,” assuring them you’ll make it as easy and painless as possible to help you get the word out. Pull at their heartstrings by telling them the backstory of how you got to this point. Be specific in how they can help/ what’s required of them. And, create specific steps for them to help. You’ll even want to write sample social media content for them to utilize. 

8. PLAN TO ENGAGE THE MEDIA

Brainstorm aspects to add in that are publicity related, i.e. location, characters, awareness months (August is Childhood Blindness Awareness Month), political stances, and other timely tie-ins. Are you able to promote your book leading up to May for Mental Health Awareness Month? What are your hooks and angles that will get the media’s attention? How will you rise above the noise? Remember, they’re getting dozens of pitches per day; what will make yours stand out? 

9. WRITE PRESS MATERIALS

You’ll want one main press pack that contains all the vital information a media outlet will need. This will include a short synopsis of the book, a short and captivating bio, timely hooks, segment ideas (for radio and TV), links to your social media pages, website url, and further contact information. Assets like a great headshot and the book cover image are helpful, as well. This press pack will be your main press material. You’ll write individual pitches for different media outlets, depending on their focus. For instance, you’ll have a separate pitch (a pitch is really an email that serves as a “cover letter” of sorts to get their attention) for parenting outlets vs. a self-help publication. Other helpful press materials include a Q&A with you, the author, which can also be used as Sample Interview Questions. 

10. REACH OUT TO LONG-LEAD MEDIA

Long lead media outlets need an advanced review copy (also called ARCs or galleys) at least 4-6 months prior to publication date. Most publishers will print 35-50 galleys and send out to a media list of approximately 25-30 media outlets. Other copies will be used to get blurbs, send to bookstores or influencers. Long-lead media outlets include: book trade magazines, print outlets that pertain to your topic such as women’s magazines or inflight magazines, and other top tier broadcast outlets like NPR. 

11. SUBMIT TO BOOK AWARDS

In the competitive literary world, book awards offer validation, credibility, and increased visibility. Winning signifies recognition by experts, boosting an author’s confidence and attracting readers, agents, and publishers. Awards lead to marketing opportunities, expanding an author’s reach and opening doors to collaborations. They contribute to building a professional brand, attracting sales, and creating a ripple effect for future success. Beyond accolades, awards inspire new creative endeavors, making them powerful catalysts for an author’s ongoing success in the literary landscape.

12. FOLLOW UP

Plan to follow up on all of your outreach, from the galley mailing to reaching out to event planners for signings. It’s unrealistic to think folks will automatically get back to you. Most contacts require multiple follow ups to get an answer. Be consistent and thorough and it will pay off in the end. 

13. GEAR UP TO REACH OUT TO SHORT-LEAD MEDIA

Short-lead outlets include your local and regional outlets, all online/ digital outlets, daily newspapers, radio and TV programs. Start a minimum of two months prior to publication date because there is a solid runway to take-off. It takes time to reach out to all appropriate outlets (remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day.) You’ll need to build media lists by purchasing resources/tools or good ole-fashioned Google research. This can be time-intensive so start this process early on. Reach out to journalists with individual pitches, letting them know why this is a fit for their particular audience. Again, remember that follow up! 

14. ENGAGE MICRO-INFLUENCERS AND DIGITAL CREATORS

Engaging micro-influencers can be time-intensive to organize, but it can significantly move the needle in terms of exposure and buzz. The goal is to build a concentrated wave of digital chatter around your book—particularly during launch week—by activating trusted voices within niche communities. Reach out to book bloggers, bookstagrammers (on Instagram), booktokers (TikTok), Goodreads and Amazon reviewers, and other content creators who are aligned with your subject matter and audience.

Focus on authentic engagement rather than paid placements. Get them excited about your book, invite them to participate, and assure them you’ll provide all the assets they need—cover images, talking points, sample captions, and links. Ask participants to commit to sharing about your book on a specific day or within a defined window to help create momentum and visibility across platforms.

15. HIRE A QUALITY MEDIA TRAINER

Hire a quality media trainer for a half day or one day workshop based on your project. You’ll be amazed at what he/she can come up with and pull out of you, in the way of soundbites and talking points. A wise ad man who was the first national bestseller I ever worked with in the late 1990s would say, “You can’t read the label from inside the bottle.” This is so true, especially when it comes to knowing just the right things to say and how to say them during a media interview. You should walk away with not only solid talking points and soundbites, but the confidence to slay any and all interviews. 

16. PREPARE FOR INTERVIEWS

Quite a lot goes into being ready for media opportunities that come your way. Practice  what your media trainer has taught you (there’s no shame in talking to yourself in the mirror or interviewing yourself in the car during your commute.) Also, prepare your calendar and schedule to make yourself available for interviews. Clear time so that you can be flexible. We have to work around the journalist’s schedule (not the other way around). You might need to organize your day in a different way so that you can work in an interview.

17. WRITE CONTRIBUTED ARTICLES

One of the back-door approaches in today’s media landscape is to offer written content. Many media organizations have cut back and trimmed down staff to the point that having content provided can make or break your chance of getting in the door for that exposure. Figure out a handful of appropriate topics and write to those timely aspects. If you have two to three short articles crafted (think 500-700 words), you can easily add on if needed or tweak the contribution for what’s needed. 

18. MAINTAIN YOUR DIGITAL RELEVANCY

Stay up to date with your content, social posts, and keep moving forward so your message doesn’t “die on the vine.” You’ve spent so much time and effort to get to this point, maintain that momentum. Continue to extend your brand for the next big thing. You might be developing a speaking career, placing contributed articles/ listicles, serving as an expert on broadcast outlets, capitalizing on seasonality/ certain awareness months. You’ll need to be constantly developing ongoing social media content to consistently engage and grow your audience. 

19. BUILD ON YOUR BRAND

The grind doesn’t stop – social media posts, guest posts, articles, following influencers to be a resource, plugging into new and growing groups on Facebook, LinkedIn or other online communities- it all matters. What are other projects to build off your first or most recent book?  Using momentum/contacts for the next project is key.  Keep up with the news and respond to timely happenings/ news stories that you can comment on. 

20. SEEK OUT QUALIFIED CONTINUING EDUCATION

It’s why we developed the Author to Influencer Accelerator, an educational platform offering nearly 70 workshops to take one from preparation to promotion, at your own pace. Listen to the workshop, print off the handout and fill it out based on your project as your roadmap for that topic/ action item. Get involved in the private Facebook group to get media leads, hacks, tips, suggested articles, and over inspiration. Tune into the monthly Power Hours for free, built in consulting. And, if needed, use the member benefit of purchasing blocks of time for additional PR services.

21. EXPLORE AI TOOLS FOR CONTENT CREATION

AI tools like Perplexity or ChatGPT are invaluable for streamlining book promotion tasks. Use them to brainstorm creative ideas, draft engaging social media posts, or outline blogs, saving time and reducing stress. They can also help you craft press materials, optimize SEO for your website, or even edit promotional content for clarity and tone. By automating time-consuming tasks, AI frees you up to focus on high-level strategy and meaningful connections with readers. With the right approach, these tools become powerful allies in amplifying your book’s reach.

22. CREATE A SUBSTACK OR NEWSLETTER

Building an owned audience is increasingly important as algorithms and platforms change. A newsletter allows you to communicate directly with readers, share deeper insights, and create a consistent touchpoint beyond social media. It can be used to share essays, behind-the-scenes updates, commentary tied to your book’s themes, or timely cultural observations that reinforce your expertise.

23. START A PODCAST

Podcasting is a powerful way to deepen audience connection and expand reach through conversation. A podcast can support your book’s message, position you as a thought leader, and open doors to cross-promotion, media visibility, and speaking opportunities. It also creates long-form content that can be repurposed across platforms.

24. CONSIDER AMAZON ADVERTISING

Amazon advertising can support discoverability by placing your book in front of readers already searching for similar titles. When aligned with strong keywords, categories, and a compelling book description, ads can complement organic publicity efforts and help sustain visibility beyond launch.

25. HAVE A BOOK TRAILER CREATED

A book trailer gives readers and media a quick, compelling way to understand your book’s essence. Trailers can be used across social media, websites, press kits, and online listings, helping your book stand out in a crowded digital landscape.

26. CREATE A SIZZLE REEL

A sizzle reel is a concise, high-impact video asset that showcases you as an author, speaker, or expert. It can be used to support media outreach, speaking engagements, podcast bookings, and event opportunities—offering a polished, professional snapshot of your story and message.

Learn even more tips and tricks about creating success and influence with our Author to Influencer Accelerator. Our unique program not only helps authors take advantage of DIY publicity opportunities but provides a supportive group of other authors and industry professionals to aid their success. The Accelerator is a proven five-step pathway that takes the pain out of promoting your book — and allows you to fly from Preparation to Promotion. Access over 60 workshops and join the private Facebook group!