I know many people think cover reveals are irrelevant, annoying, and unnecessary, but they can actually be useful to help authors promote their books before they are released, and it especially helps new writers to get their covers in front of the eyes of potential readers.
A
Few Cover Reveal Techniques:
1. Some authors set up elaborate cover reveals on dozens of blogs. While this gets
your cover out far and wide, keep in mind that many people follow several blogs in the
same communities and will end up seeing your cover reveal over and over again in
their blog feed, which they don’t like. On the other hand, I still argue that
doing the reveal this way (although I don’t do it this way anymore) can help authors to
find new readers.
2. When Hurricane Crimes came out, I did a cover reveal on maybe five other blogs
as well as my own. And that’s because I got the cover a couple of weeks before
it was to be published! So I had to work fast. I think pinpointing a handful of
blogs 5-10 with a big following and a lot of traffic to host your cover reveal
is a good idea instead of going to 20+ blogs and bombarding the same people
with your cover.
3. For
30 Seconds, I did the cover reveal solely on my blog, which is what I’ll be
doing from now on. The next day, I shared it on my Faceback page for those who
didn’t catch it on my blog. This approach may not reach as many people as the
first two options, but it’s more intimate. Besides, if you do a blog tour, your
cover will certainly get around then.
TIP #1: If you do a cover reveal on your blog, or on other blogs, include the blurb so readers can have more to grasp onto than just an image. You can also share an excerpt.
TIP #2: If you have a newsletter, you can give your followers a sneak peak of your cover before the actual reveal. If they follow your newsletter, they’re most likely big fans and will enjoy this opportunity to see it before everyone else.
QUESTIONS: Authors:
Do you do cover reveals? If so, how do you go about it? Readers: Do you like
cover reveals? Bloggers: Do you host cover reveals?
I love cover reveals because I adore cover art. I still
host them for that reason.
You're right that a lot of us are in the same circles so a massive reveal isn't necessary.
ReplyDeleteI just do the reveal on my own blog and if anyone else wants to run with it, that's cool.
You're lucky to where people who spontaneously do a cover reveal for you without you having to ask. :)
DeleteI'm not sure if I'll do a cover reveal for my next story collection. I didn't do one for The People We Used to Be - just released the whole thing at once on my blog. :)
ReplyDeleteAnd I bet you had less stress not needing to worry about a cover reveal.
DeleteI love doing them, especially for the new author and their first release. It's so much fun to be part of their happiness!
ReplyDeleteIt is!!! I'll never pass up the chance to do a cover reveal on my blog. :)
DeleteGreat promo advice, as usual, Chrys. Already tweeted it! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tweet! :D
DeleteSending it out to your fans in a newsletter first is a good idea. It will make them feel special.
ReplyDeleteExactly. When I have a newsletter, I'll be doing that. :)
DeleteYeah, I just do it on my own blog. As people will see it easy enough.
ReplyDeleteAnd you have a TON of followers, so it works. :)
DeleteI have a copy of my next cover, but it doesn't have my name on it yet! So I'm waiting and waiting... But that's okay. The book doesn't come out 'til next summer. I usually do a widespread cover reveal, as well as revealing it on Facebook and Twitter at the same time. Then I redo all my logos and such to include it...so I have to be prepared.
ReplyDeleteNo name? Gah! I'd be going crazy waiting to reveal it. I bet it's great! :)
DeleteI have done a cover reveal just once (if I remember right). I feel its nice to do cover reveals.
ReplyDeleteIt is nice to do cover reveals. And I think it's fun. :)
DeleteI've never done the cover reveal for any of my books. I don't mind seeing others doing them but I don't think it's ever led me to preorder a book.
ReplyDeleteSusan Says
I had a few people pre-order my eBooks when they saw the cover and read the blurb and excerpt, which is why it's important to include those with the reveal.
DeleteThanks for the information! I learned much from reading the comments, also.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Ashantay!
DeleteMy last book was out last year and I did the several-blog reveals. But I came to the conclusion that I'd reveal my next book only on my own sites/FB page - my reveals and launches were very close together and it seemed like I was just asking people to host me far too much.
ReplyDeleteI understand that. Annalisa. I usually do my cover reveal a month before my book comes out, and that is too close to keep asking people for help.
DeleteThe repetitive reveals are a bit irritating but I can see how this is a good tool to stir up interest in an upcoming release.
ReplyDeleteAnd you can ALWAYS use my blog to promote your books, Chrys. I love them!
Thank you so much, Cherdo!!!! I will! :D
DeleteThanks for some great tips , am thinking of doing a fourth book later in the year,after a few problems have been sorted. Will remember this post.
ReplyDeleteYvonne.
I hope you get those problems sorted. And remember me if you want any help spreading the word. :)
DeleteI think I would do a cover reveal just on my own blog. Doing a blog tour when the book is released would seem more useful because there would at least be something different at every blog.
ReplyDeleteI agree!
DeleteI was thinking about doing a cover reveal for my upcoming novel, but I've scrapped the idea for the same reasons you've stated. People will see it eventually especially since the blogging community is so small.
ReplyDeleteIt does seem that more authors are bypassing big cover reveals because their blog tour will essentially do the same thing.
DeleteI did a cover reveal for the first book in PoA, but none of the others. Once that cover was up, my publishing schedule was moving, so I didn't want to overwhelm everyone with constant "LOOK!" posts. I think timing is something authors should consider. Leave time in between so you don't give off a buy my book spammy feel.
ReplyDeleteYou're right that time is the biggest factor. You don't want it to far away from your release date where people forget about your book, but not too close where you have back-to-back "LOOK!" posts, like you said.
DeleteI just did cover reveals on my own blog. I'm not so sure anymore I'm doing my August release, but whether I still do it in August or later this year, I don't foresee having lots of bloggers doing a cover reveal for me.
ReplyDeleteSome cover reveals are rather anticlimactic for me, when I see it's yet another headless bare chest, or some other overdone subject. All that anticipation for a cover I've seen thousands of times with slightly different variations?
I agree that cookie-cutter covers are a bore and make the reveal a big flop.
DeleteIt is annoying to me to see a cover reveal on a bunch of the blogs I follow. It is a good way of getting it out there, though. I've never done one, obviously haha, but I'd consider it. I'd probably do some sort of contest in conjunction as well.
ReplyDeleteI find it annoying too, but I do know the benefits, especially for first-time authors. A contest would be a good idea!
DeleteInstead of a cover reveal, I put up 3 versions of the cover on my blog and asked readers to vote for their favorite.
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome to do if you self-publish. For me, the cover I get is the only and final one.
DeleteYou're right about including the blurb. A cover might be catchy, but it has to be tied to something.
ReplyDeleteExactly. Readers read. While visuals are nice, they need words.
DeleteYeah, sometimes we forget just how small this community can be. I admit, I turn off blogging on a day when the cover/release of a book shows up about 15 times in my blog feed. Only so many times you can say "congrats" in a meaningful way.
ReplyDeleteI know just what you mean! I like to congratulate my fellow authors, but after a few times, I start to skip those posts.
DeleteFirst - I love your cover and It suits the Hurricane in the title. I have seen other blogs host the same people but I think many people need as much coverage as they can because they don't have the same backing as others do. Many great books would not be found. I have not hosted because I have never written a book but that does not mean I would never not be open to it
ReplyDeleteThanks, Birgit!
DeleteIt's important to host all kinds of authors from new authors to ones well-known. It's even more important for us to support the new ones.
I haven't done cover reveals, might some day on my blog, but it is always interesting to see cover reveals on other people's blogs :)
ReplyDeletebetty
Cover reveals are great fun. I love to see the art put into them.
DeleteGreat and insightful post. Greetings!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteHi Chrys,
ReplyDeleteExcellent advice in regards to cover reveals. Good to incorporate a blurb, yes, blurb, a word I've only known of for about a year.
I did a cover reveal on my blog. A bit of lateral thinking as it was a duvet cover.
Thank you for the post, Chrys.
Gary :)
I remember when I learned what a blurb was...I thought it sounded like something you'd find in your nose. HAHA!
DeleteI'm not a big fan of the cover reveal, as I tend to see it on several blogs at the same time. I'm more interested in an available book if I want to read it.
ReplyDeleteTrue. I can understand that.
DeleteGreat points about cover reveals. I've had cover reveals on a few blogs and I put them on Face Book. That's about it.
ReplyDeleteThat's just about all you need to do for a cover reveal.
DeleteHI, Chyrs,
ReplyDeleteWhen I get my book published, I agree that a cover reveal should be only on a few select blogs. This way readers will not get tired of it. Including the blurb is an excellent idea...
Sounds like a good plan, Michael!
DeleteGreat tips. I think including the blurb as well as an excerpt is a really good idea.
ReplyDeleteI think so too. :)
DeleteI get what you mean about seeing the cover reveal on several sites, but I thought that was the point. I guess I have some thinking to do. :-)
ReplyDeleteAnna from Elements of Writing
It is definitely the point for new authors. The more the better! But many people follow the same sites and get bombarded with the cover reveal all day or even all week, and they don't like that.
DeleteUsually 10-20 bloggers sign up for my cover reveal, and it's never on the same day since I'm open about a range of time. Even though we share many followers, I notice from the comments that I reach new people. I usually see it in a multi-topic post rather than by itself since a reveal is short with the cover, blurb, and links, although some prefer to do it as a standalone, which is okay too.
ReplyDeleteI notice the same thing with my blog tours. Although many of the bloggers have the same followers, there are still comments from new people, which is awesome!
DeleteGreat tips, one and all! I'm happy to host cover reveals and wish for more exposure myself but I can sure see how a little goes a long, long way:-)
ReplyDeleteA little can definitely go a long way in the blogosphere. :)
DeleteI have to be honest, I've never given it much thought. You've certainly given me something to think about. Now, if I could get out of my Writers Block so I can finish the last two chapters of my second story. This is maddening.
ReplyDeleteI'm on the last two chapters of my book too! :)
DeleteGood luck to you!
This is the first chance I've had to read this and it was very enlightening. With each release I try something different. With my first book, A Woman of Honour, I did a cover reveal and it was a mess. Probably because I had no idea what I was doing. I think this time I'll follow your advice and just stick to my blog and FB page for the reveal. I'll make sure the books available for pre-order at the time of posting. Thanks for the insight Chrys.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great idea to wait to reveal the cover until the book is up for pre-order!
DeleteYou're welcome, Marlow! :)
I'm with you, Chrys. I'll only do cover reveals on my own blog, then on social media. It'd be really effective with a synopsis, a few reviews already and a to-buy link. If the book isn't ready for purchase, it sort of deflates the purpose of getting the news out. I'm an author, reader and blogger. What I'd take note of (as a reader) is when an interesting book cover comes along with the sort of storyline I like. And if there are already a few reviews available on Amazon or Goodreads, I'm most likely to give it a go.
ReplyDeleteI'm really enjoying your how-to posts, Chrys, because it makes me think about my own strategies and how I can work on them!
Exactly. Doing the cover reveal when it's ready for pre-order is a good idea, though. Even if you only promote it on your own blog and social media.
DeleteThanks, Claudine! That's my purpose with these posts. :)