There are many social media platforms available for independent authors nowadays. But why choose Goodreads? Would it really advance your goals as an independent author? Let's look into the different reasons why going the path of Goodreads is the way to go.

Before anything else, note that the Goodreads program accepts print books as well as e-books, although not all books are available via e-book. The good thing is, in a recent survey conducted for book readers, it shows that although e-book reading is on the rise, still only 5% of US book buyers are reading digital books exclusively. With the low threshold on PODs (print on demand), it could be well worth your money to give print copies of your books rather than opting for some giveaway that does not enhance you as an author. Goodreads is one avenue for author discoverability, which could later lead to book sales.

If you really have good material, nobody could go wrong with a platform of 18 million members who are insatiable readers. To promote a successful Goodreads campaign, an author should accumulate reviews because:

It will help readers discover your book. As they see friends putting your book on their shelves, it will stir curiosity in readers’ minds that it might be a good read.

With a good review, the probability that the reader will want to read more of your books becomes higher.

Goodreads integrates with several social media platforms such as your own blog, Facebook and Twitter so you are visible not only to your followers, but to your friends and friends' followers as well.

So how do you start on Goodreads? First things first: be a member of the Goodreads Author Program.

So you want to be discovered? The Program is for any author who has published a book. It may be self-published and does not necessarily have to be published within the United States.

Your initial profile once you start will be as a reader. Once you have your profile, you will have to merge this with your free author profile by claiming your book or entering this manually. Wait time for the merger usually takes 24-48 hours. You become a confirmed member once your profile reads "Goodreads author profile" in the top right corner of the page.

A self-published book which is not yet in the Goodreads data base should be manually entered. However, if you still are not able to do this and get a message that says "Sorry only librarians may add books", then head to the Goodreads Librarian Group. They will help facilitate inclusion of your work as their primary role is to edit and improve the Goodreads library.

As you get your Goodreads author profile, make sure that it stands out. Your profile is your first line of communication with your would-be followers. Create a profile that will catch your readers' attention. Give some background on why you chose to write on a certain topic or genre. And put up a good profile picture. This reflects the respect that you give readers of your book.

With this done, make good use of your social media platform. You can update feeds, leave useful comments, update your blogs, and most importantly, ask for reviews.