Authors, have you recommended a book on BookBub.com? It’s a fun and easy way to connect with readers and help them discover more wonderful books to read… but it’s also a useful (and free!) promotional tool.
Making a recommendation on BookBub lets you engage with BookBub’s community of enthusiastic power readers and stay top-of-mind with your followers, who will see your recommendation in their feeds on BookBub.com and receive an email if a book you’ve recommended has a live feature. By boosting visibility for books on our site, Recommendations create fantastic opportunities to help fellow authors get discovered!
Many authors are recommending books on BookBub and using unique strategies to connect with readers! Here are 21 ways authors have used BookBub Recommendations. We hope this gives you some inspiration when deciding how to recommend your next great read.
1. They’ve recommended their favorite authors’ books
Recommendations let you easily promote one of your favorite authors to help them get exposure for their books. Lisa Gardner recommended Kristin Hannah’s newest title, sharing it with Lisa’s own audience of eager readers.
2. They’ve recommended new books their genre readers would enjoy
Readers are always looking to fill their to-be-read lists with books in the genres they know and love. As an author, your recommendations are held in especially high regard, so making recommendations in your genre can help you connect with fans. That’s exactly what thriller author Tess Gerritsen did by recommending the new psychological thriller Look for Me.
3. They’ve recommended backlist books
Readers could also be interested in books that have been published for a while, not just new releases. Tom Barber recommended an older title from fellow thriller author Lee Child and mentioned why it’s worth revisiting the book.
4. They’ve recommended books with upcoming film adaptations
Recommending books with a lot of buzz can catch readers’ eyes, and books with upcoming film adaptations are certainly buzzy! AlTonya Washington recommended a book with a movie adaptation premiering later this year — and explained why she loves books over their film counterparts.
5. They’ve written funny recommendations
Recommendations give you an opportunity to show off your unique personality to readers. This witty review from Julia Kent shows her humorous side, and her playfulness shines on the pages of her novels as well!
6. They’ve written long, in-depth recommendations
Writing long recommendations can help readers make an informed decision regarding purchasing a book, and they might think of you as a trusted resource. Kate Canterbary wrote a long review detailing everything she loved about a book; you can read the full recommendation here.
7. They’ve written short and sweet recommendations
Making a recommendation doesn’t have to be a major time investment. Mary Kubica wrote a short recommendation with a quick explanation of why she loved the book.
8. They’ve repurposed blurbs they provided in the past
Another way to save time is to use a blurb, review, or recommendation you’ve provided before. James Patterson made a recommendation on BookBub that he published elsewhere online — and is actually part of the book’s foreword.
9. They’ve recommended discounted books
BookBub’s readers love a good bargain, so recommending a book that has an upcoming or live feature can help boost the exposure of that deal. Diana Gabaldon did just this when she recommended Mask of Duplicity prior to its Featured Deal. Her recommendation — and the free deal price — was shared with her nearly 500,000 BookBub followers!
10. They’ve recommended books that inspired them to become authors
Readers love hearing about what inspired their favorite authors. Consider recommending the books that inspired your go-to style or genre or simply got you interested in pursuing a writing career. Michael James Ploof recommended the book that inspired him to become a writer!
11. They’ve revealed why a book stood out in its genre
Not sure what to say in your recommendation? Consider providing commentary on what made a particular book unique within its genre. Here’s a great example from Rob Reid, where he shows how a book successfully conveyed a particular setting that other literary fiction books didn’t.
Josie Brown also highlighted a unique book that avoided the usual tropes in its genre.
12. They’ve left their stamps of approval
Some authors are signing their recommendations with their name and credentials to differentiate their rec from reader recs. Here’s one from Bella Andre, signed from the “NYT Bestselling author of ‘The Sullivans.’”
And here’s one from Julianne MacLean, which she signed as a “USA Today bestselling author”.
13. They’ve left glowing reviews of books from comparable authors
Showing comparable authors some love can help readers find books similar to yours and get them excited to see what books you’ll recommend next. Here’s a great recommendation from Grace Burrowes.
A fun conversation from a fan followed!
14. They’ve recommended books in a different genre
Alternatively, you could expose your readers to other genres you’ve enjoyed. Since they love your work, your preferences might be aligned! Here’s a great example from psychological thriller author J. T. Ellison, where she recommends a new YA fantasy series.
15. They’ve described their connections to a book’s characters
Showing what you loved about a book’s characters — or even how you related to them — can help readers understand why they’d love a book while letting them learn a little more about you, too. Theresa Paola explained in her recommendation why the protagonist reminded her of herself, and even opened up about her struggles with anxiety.
16. They’ve recommended nonfiction their readers might enjoy
If you write fiction, consider recommending a book in a nonfiction category that you think your readers might enjoy (or vice-versa!). Pamela Samuels Young recommended a popular memoir that might appeal to her fans.
17. They’ve talked about their emotions
Consider opening up about how a book had an emotional impact on you. Iain Rob Wright confessed that a book brought him to tears.
18. They’ve suggested a target audience for a book
If you know a segment of your audience would enjoy a particular book, consider giving that segment a shout-out in your recommendation. For example, Pamela Beason suggested a target audience for a book (“dog lovers,” specifically).
19. They’ve recommended a classic book
Your readers might enjoy the classics as much as they love new books, so consider recommending a book you love — even if it was published decades (or centuries) ago! Eve Silver recommended a classic she loves in just a few words.
20. They’ve recommended something timely
Consider recommending a title that capitalizes on a specific season, annual event, holiday, or a current event that pops in the media to grab readers’ attention. During spring-break season, Roger Stelljes suggested a book he’d recommend for an upcoming beach vacation!
21. They’ve recommended books they regularly read over the years
Sharing books that you’ve read since childhood or regularly read over the years can give readers insight into what inspires you. Susan Wittig Albert recommended a book from an author she’s read for decades.
Authors, have you left a recommendation on BookBub.com yet? What kind of rec did you leave? Let us know in the comments below!
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Click to tweet: Authors, have you recommended a book on @BookBub? It’s a fun and easy way to connect with readers and help them discover wonderful books… but it’s also a useful (and free!) promotional tool. http://bit.ly/2HVi6Pm
