Video hosting sites like Youtube and Vimeo have given rise to a visual way to advertise books. Many authors now have video trailers for their books. A video trailer is a short advertisement encapsulating the essence of a book and is used for promotional purposes to hook new readers. Video trailers are similar to movie trailers. They are released before a book comes out as a teaser to pique the interest of potential readers. The goal is to help make a book release an event. Authors are capitalizing on a long standing promotional tactic of filmmakers. Readers like the feeling of going with droves of other readers to purchase a new book. Video trailers come in many different forms. Some are as simple as still photographs linked together with text, not much more than a glorified Power Point presentation set to music. Other video trailers incorporate flash videos or animation. Still others have high production values with actors and a movie-like sensibility. Should every author have a video trailer? The answer is not necessarily. Here is a scenario. The simplest video trailer -- linked photographs and text with some background music -- isn’t going to stir up many readers unless the text is a “meme” worthy idea. A meme is a viral idea that will leap quickly from person to person in the virtual reality of the web. A simple trailer without the most sophisticated of ideas behind it is not likely to garner much interest from readers. Authors should focus their promotion effort toward the most effective activities. A “lame” trailer isn’t one of them. A slick and professional video trailer opens doors to new media avenues. Podcasts, video blogs, and web based shows are all avenues to broadcast trailers as advertisements. These trailers can also be featured on the websites of book review journals and on bookstore websites. Video trailers can enhance author websites too and make their way around the blogosphere as authors take virtual book tours. It’s not a stretch to imagine that these advertisements will soon be linked into e-Readers As these readers evolve, book video trailers will undoubtedly find advertising space on them. Finally, creating a visual advertisement for a printed book recognizes the times and is an adaptation to insure that wonderful books continue to have a viable place in the marketplace. In this day and age, authors are vying for leisure time in the lives of overworked individuals. The video book trailer is one more tool in an author’s promotion kit and should be considered.
I created a book trailer for my first book just this past December. It was a process that I am willing to do again for my second book, which just came out. I had other skilled persons helping me to make it a success. I have gotten great reviews on it. My books are Nonfiction. My next step is to put it on my Youtube.