Book trailers are a unique way to leverage video marketing to sell books and are frequently used by both publishing houses and independent authors. Unfortunately many book trailers end up looking generic, and offer little more in terms of marketing power than a basic graphical advertisement. In the worst case, a poorly crafted book trailer may actually steer people away from buying the book – based on the perception that a low-budget or poorly done trailer reflects a poorly written book. Here are a few ways to get your book trailer noticed in the right way.
1. Hire a video production company
A video production company with the proper experience and knowledge will make your book trailer professional and interesting. Essentially that means combining the right visuals, audio elements, and overall message.
2. Don’t give too much away
You need only briefly summarize the basic plot, and what the reader can hope to gain or experience by reading the book. There’s little need to give away more information than you would include on the back cover of the book – and indeed, in many cases an properly adapted version of the back cover summary will serve as the script for your video. As with any summary you want to offer just enough information to entice the reader to buy the book, with enough mystery left over to keep them reading.
3. Keep the target audience in mind
An inspirational personal memoir will have a very different readership than a zombie horror book, and as you would expect, the marketing for both will be unique. Consider who your target market is when planning your book trailer, and ensure it fits within the overall brand you’ve developed across your entire spectrum of marketing. For instance: if you’re selling a motivational book, the video needs to reflect the desired user experience – the video itself should feel motivational, and in some ways offer a taste of the feeling viewers will get from reading the book.
Similarly, if you’re promoting a horror book – the trailer itself should feel scary, generate a sense of fear for the viewer, and similar – offering a taste of what they’ll get with the book.
4. Keep it short and simple
A book trailer need-not be very long – 30 seconds, maybe 60 seconds – just enough time to interest the reader without boring them. Remember, it’s not a movie trailer – so complexity is not critical. In many cases, a text / graphical / theme based video that conveys the desired emotion will serve you much better than an actor / actress driven video. Leave character visualizations to the viewers imagination, and focus on conveying emotion.
The key to a successful book trailer is a professional approach that reflects the above tips. You’re selling an experience to potential readers, and a good book trailer will reflect that.
