5 Tips to Leverage Goodreads’ Ask the Author Q&A Feature

Last week, our book marketing experts discussed how to get the most from your Goodreads author profile. Within that blog, we covered how to use the “Ask the Author” feature to engage with your followers, new and old!

With nearly half of all Goodreads authors now answering questions, use the following tips to ensure your profile is ahead of the pack:

1) Answer the Pre-Seeded Questions

When you turn on the Ask the Author feature, there will be four pre-seeded questions that you can answer. Respond to these questions to let others know that you’re ready and willing to answer any questions that come your way!

2) Set Clear Expectations

As an author, you have the ability to customize the Ask the Author message to state how often you can respond to answers. As many readers understand that you are likely very busy writing, it’s okay to only pop in every few weeks to answer questions that have been posted. You can ask for specific questions as well (i.e. “Ask me about my new book!”).

3) Turn on Alerts

If you have more free time to answer questions as they are posted, ensure you have turned on your alerts for the Ask the Author feature. This can be done via your Profile Settings and then by clicking the Notifications tab.

4) Be as Creative as You’d Like

Don’t forget to have some fun while answering your questions. You responses can be as short or as long as you’d like, and you can even use pictures! Readers love a good story, so take full advantage of this fact while you have their undivided attention. Don’t be shy to ask for a follow, too!

5) Re-Purpose Your Press Kit

Every author should have a press kit, as it provides media with a brief overview of who they are and their book(s). Typically, most authors include a short 5-10 question Q&A section to provide media with quotes that can be used as part of interviews and other coverage. You can use these press kit answers for Ask the Author responses if a certain question comes up to save you time.