Marketing your book is hard work, but unfortunately, there is no way around it. If readers don't know your book exists, then they cannot buy it. So how can you make the most of marketing? By looking into free opportunities and using them alongside paid ads.

The following free options can be used to promote your book: 

Social media - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. When posting to these sites it is important not to spam your pages with book promotions, but when done right, it can lead to more eyes on your book. You can share with other authors, asking them to share your book in their book groups and you can do the same in return.

Your blog - do you have one? If not, maybe you should consider getting one. A blog is a great way to share news about your books and upcoming releases. If you know other authors with blogs, perhaps you could organize a swap or a blog hop to get more eyes on your site.

Look online for opportunities such as book fairs or newsletter shares. Some are free, others cost a small fee, but they are great for getting your book in front of a new audience. A lot of them will be themed, so for example, if you have a horror book then you could look out for Halloween fairs to promote in.

Adding your book to free review sites such as Reader's Favorite as it will allow readers to view your book and get you some feedback too.

Get a Bookbub Recommendation. If another author is willing to recommend your book to their readers, you can return the favor. Bookbub is dedicated to books and a great site to find new books. 

Join Goodreads and get your book added to other readers' shelves. This means that anyone viewing their profile can see what they have shelved and if a lot of people do this, it can help the visibility of your book. You can also recommend the book to your friends too.

While paid ads are the best way to get ROI, by doing these things regularly, you can make sure that your book is regularly seen by readers and if you have a great cover and a great blurb, this should really boost sales. Always remember to read the rules in any group you may join to avoid spamming or getting blacklisted online. Too many new authors have the habit of posting about their book anywhere they can and this is not only unprofessional but rude too. 

The best way to get into the practice of this is to make a schedule for the month and stick to it. You can post in most Facebook groups once per day. For Twitter, it is better to post more regularly across the day, but be sure to tweet about other things too. Instagram works best when you post a few times a day. Keep your posts relevant and regular. Your blog should contain other posts other than promotions; perhaps you can turn it into a book blog and promote other people's works too. This makes it more likely that someone will reciprocate. 

Marketing is hard work, but it can pay off in the long run.