Unlocking the Secrets of 'Silent Bestsellers'

I ran across upon a super interesting article by Jane Friedman about 'Silent Bestsellers'—the books that gather sales and page reads without going viral on social media. It got me thinking about how much it aligns with what we’ve been doing at Sweet Honey Marketing. Let's unpack this a bit and chat about how you can use these insights for your own books.

What’s a 'Silent Bestseller'?

It’s a book that hits it big through solid groundwork rather than flashy, viral moments. Jane talks about the power of strong storytelling, spot-on metadata, and smart promotions—stuff we focus on with our authors. Here’s what we prioritize:

Metadata Magic: We make sure your book pops up where it needs to—right in front of interested readers. We're talking about the right categories, keywords, ad placements, etc. Getting this right is like setting up dominoes perfectly; once you do, everything else just clicks.

Genuine Connections: More than just selling books, we’re about building relationships. Each email you send, every post you share is a chance to chat with your readers, not just sell to them. And market research shows that people are more and more interested in genuine connections over salesy promos.

Build Strong Foundations: I like building a house, you can't skip steps when building a strong marketing strategy. This is why sometimes a book will go viral and then an author will disappear into obscurity. They didn't build the foundational pieces necessary. If you're not sure what those are, we're happy to chat about it with you! Feel free to reply to this email with your questions and we are happy to send advice!

Playing the Long Game

Another thing that really stood out to me in the article was the reminder that success often comes from consistency and patience—especially when you have a growing backlist. Every book you publish builds your catalog, gives readers more ways to fall in love with your work, and boosts your overall visibility. So if you’re feeling like things are moving slowly, hang in there. A quiet build can still lead to big results.

Thinking About Freebies

One thing from the article that we want to devote more strategic thinking to here at SHM is utilizing free promotions in smart ways. They can really boost your book's visibility and attract a bunch of new readers. The trick is making sure the readers stick around for your other books.

Give It a Read

You can check out the full article right here. It can offer some great affirmation if you're already doing these things, as well as some brainstorming material if you're just getting started.