What every author really needs to do once their book is finished, and preferably before their book is published, is to promote their book. One of the new and most innovative ways in which to do so is the promotional book trailer.

A book trailer is basically a short promotional video which gives a general overview of your book. This should include the title, author name, plot and any dramatic moments if it is a novel. If it is a nonfiction book then you can give some facts from the book. You must also include your book cover and any links to where you can buy your book. So how do you start?

First, find other book trailers that are based on a similar subject to your own so that you get a general idea of how they are presented.

Good sites to find book trailers that have been self-made are YouTube and Vimeo. They will also give you an idea of the different websites that produce videos and trailers for books and this really is the next hurdle, choosing the right website. There are many out there, here are some of the best ones.

Animoto is popular with authors as they can create a book promo using a mixture of video images, photographs, text and audio files. Animoto is basically a slideshow presentation, so if you are comfortable with this process then you will be fine with this tool. However there is a limit of 30 seconds for the free version, but you can create longer videos if you opt for the paid version.

Stupeflix allows you to create video montages using images and audio clips from their online library. It is very similar to Animoto but adding text to the images is easier. One downfall though is that there are not as many soundtracks to choose from, but you can upload your own audio clips. One bonus is that you can use more than one audio clip with this service during the montage which you cannot do with Animoto.

Finally, Flixtime is a video creation service that is similar to Animoto and Stupeflix but you can create 60-second videos by adding images, video clips, and audio. You can add your own or choose from their online galleries. An additional benefit to this service is that you can add your own voice over. This is a most valuable tool for the author as it allows the viewer to hear the author’s voice so this option is well worth considering.

Some industry tips include using your title name at least three times during the trailer and that it should appear at the beginning and the end. You should also add links to where the book can be purchased.

Most importantly, just have fun making it since there are really no rights and wrongs. The main point is to just tell people that your book is out there and available to buy.