In recent years, Substack has become a buzzword in publishing and author communities. Known primarily for its newsletter-based platform, Substack gives authors a direct way to reach readers without relying on social media algorithms. But is it the right tool for your author platform? Below, we’ll break down the pros and cons, and share best practices including how integrating YouTube can take your Substack strategy to the next level.

There’s a powerful new connection between book discovery and book sales—and it’s great news for independent authors.

Just in time for Prime Day (July 8–11), Amazon has launched a feature that syncs Goodreads shelves with Amazon shopping lists. That means when a reader adds a book to their Want to Read shelf on Goodreads, that same book now appears in their Amazon browsing experience—front and center when they’re most ready to buy.

Marketing is a constantly evolving landscape, often marked by unpredictable shifts in trends and strategies. At Greenleaf Book Group, our team is dedicated to equipping authors with best practices they can implement independently while also offering services to support the ongoing promotion of their books and brands. In this final Learning Center article of the year, we’ve highlighted four essential strategies and changes to prioritize as you prepare for 2025.

As the social media landscape evolves, new platforms continually emerge to challenge established giants. One such contender is BlueSky Social, an invitation-only platform that has garnered significant buzz as a decentralized, community-focused alternative to X (formerly Twitter). BlueSky reached an all-time spike in sign-ups during the few weeks following the 2024 election. But will BlueSky continue to grow, and should authors—fiction and nonfiction alike—consider it a viable marketing platform to expand their reach and promote their books?

Goodreads is the world's largest community of book lovers, with over 135 million readers and members. And the best thing about it? Everyone on there wants to talk about books. Goodreads is great at helping readers discover the next book they will love. Additionally, it is a wonderful site for publishers and authors to connect with potential readers.

Goodreads has created tools and profile pages that allow authors to talk to readers and promote their books in a unique way. This is what Goodreads is about building a strong reader community. What you may not realize as an author is that there is a role for you in this community as well.

Have you heard of Meta’s latest Twitter competitor, Threads? Threads is a new application developed by the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. The interface bears a resemblance to Twitter (now X), featuring a feed predominantly composed of text-based posts. Though users also have the option to share photos and videos, allowing individuals to engage in real-time discussions.

With the new year rapidly approaching, the Greenleaf Book Group marketing, digital media outreach, and branding teams share the trends they predict will have the greatest impact on the book marketing landscape in 2024.

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With the growth in podcast popularity and consumers growing desire for new ways to consume media, the demand for audiobooks is soaring. According to the Audio Publishers Association, audiobook sales generated $1.8 billion in the US in 2022. This marks the eleventh year in a row the format has seen double-digit sales growth.

With this spike comes demand for more audiobooks, and with more audiobooks comes increased competition for readers' attention. This means in order to get your audiobook in front of the right audience, you need to break through the noise—and the best way to do this is by marketing and promoting the audio version of your book.

The following are ten ways to ensure readers know they have the option to listen to your book as well: