Look! It’s a bird…it’s a plane…it’s a…superfan! Word of mouth is one of the best ways to build sales of your self-published book, and no one gets the word out faster than a superfan. A superfan is a dedicated reader who eagerly sings your praises and keeps up with you, your events, and your writing. Superfans follow your blog, read your newsletters, and, of course, buy your newest book as soon as it comes out. The experts at Self-Publishing Relief have some tips on how to create superfans to help market your book and boost sales.

How Writers Can Create Superfans

Superfans can help promote your self-published novel to more readers than you might reach on your own. Each time a superfan shares updates with their friends and followers, those people then share the news with their friends and followers. Consider how quickly a book becomes popular once it’s mentioned on TikTok’s BookTok, and you’ll understand how a superfan’s influence should never be underestimated.

Find Your Audience

Pinpointing the readers who enjoy your genre and your writing is essential to developing superfans. See which readers are giving your book 5 stars on Goodreads. Join a book club (either online or in person) and Facebook groups dedicated to the genre you write in. Keep in mind: You’re not just looking for readers who already love your book; you’re looking for potential new fans who haven’t even heard of you and your writing—yet.

Attend Or Host Meet and Greets

The best way to create superfans is to meet your fans and would-be fans in person. Book signing events, readings, and other “meet and greet” gatherings at bookstores, conferences, or libraries will bring in new fans and increase loyalty for your current fan base. Sign copies of your book, bring SWAG (Stuff We All Get) and giveaways featuring your book cover artwork, and talk to your audience to learn what they enjoy most about your writing.

Writing conferences are also good places to meet other writers. By networking with writers, you can continue to extend your reach and build your superfan base.

Use Your Mailing List

A mailing list gives you access to a built-in audience that’s already invested in your author brand and your writing. You can use your mailing list to offer incentives that will build hype: “exclusive” deleted scenes, a sneak peek at the cover design, and more. Subscribers will feel like they’re getting special insider scoops, which builds loyalty to you and your work. Be sure to encourage fans to click through to your author website to read the full story or blog post to increase traffic.

Engage With Your Readers Online

Whether it be on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter), or an up-and-coming social media platform like Bluesky or Threads, engaging with your online followers is a great way to interact with current superfans (and make new ones)! Be sure to reply to any followers who often respond to your posts. Connecting with your fans creates a bond that encourages them to follow your updates and releases more closely.

Keep your author website and your blog updated with new, interesting content. The connections you make at author events or in virtual communities will fizzle out if potential new fans find only a stale, outdated author website (or worse, no author website at all!).

Offer ARCs

Advanced reading copies (ARCs) can be an effective marketing tool. Along with sending free promotional copies of your self-published book to industry influencers, be sure to get some into the hands of your superfans. This is especially important if any of your superfans have popular platforms where they can promote your newest release. Early positive reviews can also help convince readers unfamiliar with your work to take a shot and click the “buy” button.

When you’re ready to self-publish the book your superfans will be swooning over, Self-Publishing Relief can help! We’ll guide you through every step of the self-publishing process to create a finished book you’ll be proud to put your name on—and to share with your fans! Check out our various affordable packages and schedule a free consultation call today!

Question: Which tip will you use to create superfans for your self-published book?