Goodreads-you either love it…or have forgotten that it even exits!
I’m in the latter group. ?
In a nutshell, Goodreads is a social media site that is 100% devoted to books. Their mission is to help people find more books they love and get more out of them.
As an avid reader, I love the idea of finding people who share my interests and, because of that, I may be able to uncover a book I otherwise never would have discovered. On the flip side, I’m also seeing all of the unique benefits and tools that I could be utilizing as a children’s book author.
Using Goodreads as a Reader
Used by casual and avid alike, Goodreads members can discover new books by seeing what their friends are reading or by using the Goodreads Book Recommendation Engine, share ratings and recommendations, track what they have read, and list what they want to read. Goodreads is also a place where authors connect with readers. Goodreads is a subsidiary of Amazon.
Wow. Is this some fresh new Nirvana? A Social media website dedicated to books, and only books?!::swoon::
As an avid reader, I love the idea of finding people who share my interests. and because of that, I may be able to uncover a book I otherwise never would have discovered.
Another cool thing about Goodreads is that you can connect your account to your Amazon account as well. To do this, click Goodreads Account Settings, then Apps, and then choose the option that allows you to link your Amazon Account right to Goodreads.
Why is this beneficial? Here are two reasons that struck a chord with me:
- Automatically post your reviews to both Amazon and Goodreads
- Allows users to access Goodreads right from their kindle (no app required!)
Using Goodreads as an Author
I recently read an e-newsletter from marketer New York Times Best-selling Author Alessandra Torre that shared that 95% of authors make one crucial mistake; they ignore Goodreads.
They ignore (or don’t realize) that Goodreads has 100 MILLION READERS because they don’t understand how the site works or aren’t aware of the promotional opportunities that it holds.
I have to admit that I firmly fell into the “95% of ignorers” section. Maybe it was because I felt I couldn’t handle one.more.social.media.platform…or perhaps it was because I didn’t fully understand it.
I suspect it’s the latter.
Using Goodreads as an Author: The Pros
Users do not have to spend tons of time on GR–a few hours a month will help you achieve what you need to on that platform. It is a hotbed of potential business.
Publishers, film producers frequent this site, along with publications and thought leaders.
It’s one of the best places to find new readers. The Goodreads community relies on each other for honest reviews and recommendations. In a nutshell-people believe what they read on Goodreads.
Their Groups are a hotbed of like-minded people and potential reviewers.
Goodreads is free to use, except for their paid Giveaway Program. This option might cost some $$, but it is an excellent way to get your books in front of thousands of people.
I’ve only shared a handful of these benefits to digging deeper into Goodreads and I’m sharing this information because those who read this column and frequent KidlLitTV all have one thing in common: we love books!
Keep Calm, and Read On!
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