Youtube isn’t the first site that comes to mind when authors go looking for reviews but maybe it should be. When I published my book in 2012, there weren’t that many people on Youtube who reviewed books and those that did, didn’t review indie books. In fact, some of them didn’t even know what an indie book was. Ouch! Fast forward to 2015 and Youtubers are a force to be reckoned with, they endorse everything from cosmetics, clothes, and yes, even books. Several Youtubers have even become millionaires and in response Forbes created a list of the wealthiest Youtubers. Several of these channels have a subscriber base of millions which means they often reach more viewers than some popular television shows! In fact, corporate America is taking notice and getting their products and services in front of this untapped market. Sure ads are okay, but to get an influencer to endorse your business is gold and gives your product credibility.
Same thing goes with a book, if you can get a Booktuber (a person who reviews books on Youtube) to give the thumbs up on your book, that can be a powerful endorsement. But before I go on, I should give a few facts…
The Rundown On Youtube
Youtube claims over 1 billion users reaching more young people (18-49 year olds) than cable television. Also, the hours spent on the site has gone up 60% in the past 2 years. Youtube is so powerful that many book marketers have recommended authors create their own channels or the very least, create a book trailer for promotional purposes.
An author who took the plunge and created his own channel was bestselling author John Green, who along with his brother Hank, created Vlog Brothers, a channel where they discuss all things nerdy. Since its launch in 2007, Vlog Brothers has amassed 2.6 million subscribers. Not bad for an author, and his brother, huh?
¿BookTube en Español?
For those who doubt that Youtube could provide any opportunity for the indie book movement, doubt no more. The Booktuber phenomenon has gotten so strong that it’s gone global for instance, while I was researching for this post, I stumbled across several Booktube channels in Spanish. Amazingly, I got to watch John Green being interviewed in Spanglish. (Spanish & English) I loved it!
In case you have a book in Spanish and you’d like to get it reviewed, here are a few channels to check out:
Booktubers Who Review Indie Books
Before I go on, I need to give the disclaimer and remind you that many of these vloggers are busy, and have normal lives so they can’t review ever single book that is pitched to them. Also keep in mind, you are competing with other authors so if they say no, don’t take it personally.
- Novels & Nonsense
- The Booktube Girl
- Ginger Reads Lainey (Sometimes reviews indie books)
- Get Bookish (They review indie books but they are very selective and the book must appeal to them both.)
I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t state the obvious, but be sure to read the guidelines in a Booktuber’s “about” tab before pitching. Trust me there’s nothing worse than getting an unsolicited email from someone who never bothered to learn your name or the genre you review.
How To Find More BookTubers
If you want to find someone on Youtube who reviews books in your genre, it’s best to use the search engine. Try to use key phrases like; reviews, book recommendations, book hauls, book swag and of course, your genre. Use them in combination for maximum results:
- YA Book Reviews
- Book Hauls
- Book Swag
- Romance Novel Recommendation
- Booktube
Helpful Tip: Many of the top Booktubers are inundated with requests so try to target a Booktuber with a smaller audience.
In Closing
I believe the Booktuber phenomenon will evolve giving indie authors a greater chance at exposure. Who knows, maybe you will be the one who builds the Youtube channel solely for indie books? As far as I can tell there isn’t anyone doing that right now and that’s a shame but that’s another post for another day.
