Can I Get in Trouble for Running a Social Media Sweepstakes or Contest?

Running a sweepstakes or contest on social media can be a great way to promote your book or your brand: it’s fun when people can actively participate in your marketing, and everybody likes a chance to win free stuff! But before you begin, it’s important to be aware that sweepstakes and contests entail a unique and somewhat stringent set of legal requirements and restrictions. Anyone who plans to run either type of promotion should make sure that it complies with federal and state regulations, as well as the terms and conditions of the social media platforms on which it will appear.

If you’ve never used social media platforms like Twitter or Instagram before and are logging on for the first time, you may find yourself overwhelmed by the sheer amount of content available at your fingertips. You may ask yourself, how does anyone find the ideas and subjects they’re actually interested in seeing?

Once you’ve created a book trailer that expertly showcases your ideas and conveys to readers why they need to read your book, it’s time to make sure it gets the attention it deserves.

As the dramatic leader in online book sales, success on Amazon means success for your book. Optimizing your book’s retail page, taking advantage of the marketing, promotional, and content opportunities that Amazon offers, and generating social proof through reviews is imperative to Amazon’s algorithmic driven marketplace and connecting with book buyers.

The graphic above is a brief overview of the Amazon ecosystem and the ways that you can maximize success.

You have a book publishing soon, but the market is saturated with breaking news, world events, and competitive book publicity. It is not uncommon during this time to feel overwhelmed about creating buzz for your book that will reach your target audience, raise your expert profile, and generate book sales. Thankfully, whether you are launching a book, e-book product, service, or project there are strategic solutions to position your launch in the marketplace.

Whether you've written a book, are a professional speaker, or simply want to grow your reputation and influence in your industry, spreading the word is the name of the game. Building a strategy that amplifies your core message and reaches your ideal audience can seem complicated—not least because there are so many options at your disposal.

The value of media for authors can't be underestimated. Not only does media solidify your expertise, but also it contributes to your digital portfolio, makes your content more discoverable online, and gives you content to promote to your network.

As an author dedicated to spreading your message, you’re likely aware that traditional media coverage has become less impactful and increasingly difficult to secure due to the constant noise of a 24-hour breaking news cycle. In response to this challenge, smart authors are now pursuing opportunities with podcasts to increase their visibility, connect with new audiences, and build an archive of third party content for themselves and their books that is discoverable, shareable, and serves as proof of their expertise.