Effective Book Tours Today are Hybrids
Most of us recall the pandemic as a time of unprecedented change, and often not for the better. But a few things began during those trying times that were good in the long run. In the book marketing world, wider acceptance of virtual tours has been a boon to authors. Pre-pandemic TV channels and networks were reluctant to permit appearances via online video. The pandemic changed that instantly, and the practice continues to this day. It's similar to book tours, which previously were almost entirely done in person, requiring time and travel expenses. Not you can appear virtually.
Making personal appearances undoubtedly offers excellent opportunities to impress your audience and make personal connections. But it's challenging to reach people far from your home base unless you have unlimited time and budget. When you go online, you can "meet" people anywhere in the world with an internet connection. It's a significant leap ahead and has made book tours within the financial reach of more authors, especially those who self-publish their work. It also allows you to appear before more groups than time would allow if you needed to travel to them, even if they are close to you.
Therefore, today, book touring often follows a hybrid model, a mix of in-person and virtual appearances. If you sell your book online with international shipping available, you may benefit from appearing before groups overseas. It's a dimension of book touring that has grown exponentially with the increased acceptance of virtual appearances. You're also wise to consider each group's interests and adapt your presentation to suit their interests. Going out of your way with virtual appearances to connect well with your audience since you aren't there in person is an excellent strategy to sell books.
Book tours also work well when part of an integrated book marketing campaign. When someone takes photographs and videos of your in-person appearances, it's excellent to post online. You can use popular video-sharing websites where people can view your presentation at a time convenient to them. It expands your audience, and you can promote the videos with social media posts. When they combine with media appearances and online coverage, you'll improve your chances of reaching your target readers with news of your book's publication. It's a powerful promotional approach that works.