Ever feel lost in all the book marketing tools?
One book link, every store Booklinker.com
11/06/2026
Hello Reader,
Ever open a tab full of book marketing tools and wonder where to start?
You’re not alone. The indie toolbox keeps growing, and it can feel like every tool is equally urgent. That’s why Jesse Lakes (CEO of Geniuslink and Booklinker) and I co-created the Book Marketing Tools for Indie Authors map, a subway-style guide that shows you the jobs tools actually do and the order those jobs make sense in.
Jesse’s origin story goes back to 2022, when Author Nation was still called 20Books Vegas. He got overwhelmed by the sheer number of book marketing tools on the conference floor, and that feeling eventually led to this map. The 2027 Edition lays out roughly 80 tools across colored “lines,” with fingerprints from 43 contributors. Booklinker sponsors the map, and Booklinker and Geniuslink are two of the tools on it, listed right alongside peers doing the same jobs.
You don’t need to use everything on it. The point is clarity.
Jesse’s article, I Got Lost at an Author Conference, So I Built a Map, walks through what the map is for. A few lessons from that piece are worth keeping close:
– Do things in the right order. Flat tool lists make every option look equally urgent. The map stacks the lines so you can see where your next hour or dollar does the most work, and which shiny things you can safely ignore for now.
– Marketing doesn’t stop at launch. Most lines stay active long after release. Launch is a moment; marketing is a flywheel.
– Know what you own, rent, and earn. Owned (your list, your site), rented (ads, promo sites, algorithms), and earned (reviews, endorsements) sit on different branches for a reason. Every promotion works better when it leaves you with more readers you can reach again.
– Promotion isn’t one thing. Deal sites, paid ads, and newsletter swaps are different prongs. Mixing them up is where a lot of budget goes sideways.
If you’re heading to Author Nation, come see us! We’ll be at table G7 during the Industry Expo on Tuesday, November 10, 10am to 4pm PT, with printed copies of the foldable map to hand out. And I must admit, the printed version is pretty cool. So stop by and pick one up.
For those not attending Author Nation, here is the map: https://geni.us/bmtm-map
Whether you’re in Vegas or reading this from home, here’s a simple way to use the map this week:
1. Open the map and find your starting line. First book? Focus on Foundation and your buy links before you put money into Promotion. Already publishing? Start with Measurement, spot your weakest line, and fix that first.
2. Circle what you already have. List, site, buy links, review ask… mark what’s in place. Seeing what’s done is as useful as seeing what’s next.
3. Pick one next step, not ten. Choose a single station on the map and give it this week. One clear next hour beats a vague to-do list.
4. Tag what you own vs. what you rent. Before you spend on a promo or ad, ask: will this leave me with more readers I can reach on my own?
5. Tell us what’s missing. The map isn’t finished, and it probably never will be. Tools launch, rename, and disappear. Share your feedback at geni.us/bmtm-feedback.
I’d love to hear which line on the map you’re focusing on next. Reply and let me know.
Happy Marketing!
~Kerrie
Kerrie Flanagan
Content & Community Manager
Booklinker
Sell More Books This Holiday Season
Free Webinar
The holiday season is one of the busiest shopping times of the year, and readers are looking for great books to buy, gift and curl up with. That’s a real opportunity for authors, whether you have one book or a full backlist.
Join Kerrie Flanagan, creator of The Book Marketing Lab, and Lee Elwell, Head of Marketing at Geniuslink, for a live session on making the most of the holidays without burning out. Kerrie and Lee will share five practical holiday marketing tips, then open it up for your questions about holiday promotions, pricing, newsletters, ads, social media, or anything else about marketing your books this season.
You’ll leave with ideas you can put to work right away, plus a head start on January.
See You at Author Nation! 🎉
Douglas, Matthew and I would love to see you next week! Find us at the Booklinker Table (G7) in the Industry Expo on Tuesday, November 10, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. PT. Pick up your free printed Book Marketing Tools map, play our new game, enter the giveaway, and make time to connect with fellow authors.
- Play Bookle by Booklinker, our awesome new game. Solve 10 book titles and unlock marketing tips. Everyone who plays is entered into the prize drawing. Get the game link at the table.
- Enter to win Coffee with Kerrie. Two winners will each get a one-hour book marketing consultation with me and a $15 Starbucks gift card.
- Join our Wednesday meetup. We’ll meet on November 11 at 5:00 p.m. PT in Bronze 4 at Horseshoe Las Vegas. Bring your questions and a writing friend. Plus, we’ll have meetup-only swag and a special conference giveaway.
I hope you’ll stop by and say hello.
Industry News & Articles ✍🏽
🌟 5 Ebook Pricing Strategies for Series Promotions
How do you price a series promotion when your goal is bigger than selling one discounted book? In this BookBub article, AJ Yee looks at five different goals, from bringing new readers into a series to supporting a new release. He shares pricing approaches and author examples for each, including why it helps to measure what happens across the series, not just on promotion day. If you’re planning a free or 99¢ promo, this is a helpful reminder to decide what you want the promotion to accomplish before you choose the price.
🌟 My 3-Step Playbook for Low-Budget BookBub Ads
Does BookBub advertising feel like a quick way to watch a small budget disappear? Romantic suspense author Debbie Baldwin knows that feeling. In this BookBub guest post, she shares the three-step approach she’s developed after five years of experimentation. She explains how she limits what each test can cost, compares different creative ideas, and learns which author audiences are actually worth targeting. Her examples include both ads that worked and one that flopped, which makes this a reassuring read for anyone who wants to learn without betting the whole marketing budget on one campaign.
🌟 How I Sell Books in Every Format (& Why You Should Too)
Is your book easy for readers to enjoy in the format they prefer? Medieval historical romance author Kathryn Le Veque makes a case for treating ebook, paperback, and audio as different parts of an author business. Drawing on nearly 15 years and 165 books, she explains how she uses each format for a different purpose, including why she sometimes gives paperbacks away at conventions. She also touches on audiobook production options and why reader relationships matter across every format. If you’ve been focusing on one edition, this BookBub guest post will give you a broader way to think about your backlist and your next event.
A Book Marketing Book Worth Adding to Your Shelf 📚
How to Market a Book (Third Edition) by Joanna Penn
Joanna Penn’s How to Market a Book covers both practical ways to boost sales now and the principles behind building a long-term author career. She walks through book fundamentals, short-term promotions, author platforms, and launch strategy, with plenty of options to consider for your own books. It’s a useful companion to this week’s map when you’re deciding which marketing avenue to explore next.
Check it out here: mybook.to/CtxR6T
Conferences Booklinker Will Be Attending
- Author Nation in Las Vegas November 10-13, 2026
- Superstars Writing Seminars in Colorado Springs February 4-6, 2027
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About Booklinker
Booklinker is a free service that helps authors save time and sell more books with a single, localized link for readers around the world.
Booklinker is owned by Georiot Networks and powered by its flagship service, Geniuslink. In 2022, Apple Books began supporting Booklinker, helping it become a fully multi-retailer tool. Booklinker remains free for authors through the generous support of Apple Books and partnerships with other retailers.
