PublishDriveBook Marketing That Actually Works (with Dale L. Roberts) | Low/No-Cost Tactics, Podcasts, Libraries & More
In this episode, Danica Favorite from PublishDrive sits down with Dale L. Roberts to talk practical, low- or no-cost book marketing that moves the needle—podcast guesting, local media, libraries, conferences, QR-code hacks, free promo sites, and simple video marketing you can start today. We also chat about Dale’s upcoming Kickstarter and why visibility—not platforms alone—sells books.
If you’ve ever thought “I published…now what?” this is your playbook.
What you’ll learn
Why “publish it and they will come” is a myth—and what to do instead
A step-by-step system to land podcast interviews (for free)
How to turn appearances into ongoing authority assets
Local media & libraries: exactly how indies can break in
Conferences: networking that actually sells books
The QR-code business card hack (no printing required)
Where to find free book promotion listings
Video marketing on a shoestring—start with what you have
Dale’s Kickstarter for his updated self-publishing series + workbook
Resources mentioned
Dale’s Kickstarter (notify on launch): daleLinks.com/kickstarter
Free promo site directories (Dale’s list): daleLinks.com/promosites
Book Marketing that Works Insights from Dale L RobertsPublishDrive2025-10-10 | Book Marketing That Actually Works (with Dale L. Roberts) | Low/No-Cost Tactics, Podcasts, Libraries & More
In this episode, Danica Favorite from PublishDrive sits down with Dale L. Roberts to talk practical, low- or no-cost book marketing that moves the needle—podcast guesting, local media, libraries, conferences, QR-code hacks, free promo sites, and simple video marketing you can start today. We also chat about Dale’s upcoming Kickstarter and why visibility—not platforms alone—sells books.
If you’ve ever thought “I published…now what?” this is your playbook.
What you’ll learn
Why “publish it and they will come” is a myth—and what to do instead
A step-by-step system to land podcast interviews (for free)
How to turn appearances into ongoing authority assets
Local media & libraries: exactly how indies can break in
Conferences: networking that actually sells books
The QR-code business card hack (no printing required)
Where to find free book promotion listings
Video marketing on a shoestring—start with what you have
Dale’s Kickstarter for his updated self-publishing series + workbook
Resources mentioned
Dale’s Kickstarter (notify on launch): daleLinks.com/kickstarter
Free promo site directories (Dale’s list): daleLinks.com/promosites
Subscribe to our channel to stay up to date with our latest videos!Mastering Metadata for Book SalesPublishDrive2025-06-28 | Discoverability is one of the biggest challenges authors face in today’s competitive marketplace, and metadata is the key to overcoming it. In this workshop, “Unlocking the Power of Metadata: How to Make Your Books Discoverable and Sell More,” you’ll learn how to optimize key metadata elements like titles, keywords, categories, and descriptions to increase visibility and sales.
We’ll cover practical strategies, common mistakes to avoid, and provide actionable tips to make metadata work for you. Additionally, get a downloadable Metadata Optimization Checklist to put what you’ve learned into action.
Whether you’re a new or experienced author, this session will empower you to connect your book with the readers searching for it. Let’s unlock the power of metadata and give your book the attention it deserves!
Subscribe to our channel to stay up to date with our latest videos!Its just a matter of patience.PublishDrive2025-04-10 | ...About Spotify publishing...Sell your audiobooks here!PublishDrive2025-04-02 | Let’s talk about Spotify. With the launch of a new publishing initiative for self-published authors, Spotify is positioning itself as a major competitor to Audible. Are you publishing audio? If yes, are you reaching Spotify?
(You can reach Spotify, plus other major audiobook channels with PublishDrive!)Simplest, most intuitive book publishing platform.PublishDrive2025-03-21 | ...Is your book ready to publish? Quick pointers.PublishDrive2025-03-19 | ...Book reporting features ⭐PublishDrive2025-03-07 | ...Self-Publishing AI 🌐PublishDrive2025-02-28 | ...Barnes & Noble Self-PublishingPublishDrive2025-02-26 | ...Why do back catalogs matter in self-publishing?PublishDrive2025-02-22 | ...Did you know? 💰PublishDrive2025-02-07 | ...Its true. ✅PublishDrive2025-01-27 | Reviews are the lifeblood of the self-publishing industry. You want to land at least 5 solid reviews before investing a ton of money into your book marketing efforts. Don’t lose a potential reader due to 0 reviews.For Publishers 💪PublishDrive2025-01-24 | If you’ve got an extensive book catalog, forget managing your titles one by one. With PublishDrive, take care of hundreds to even thousands of titles in bulk. 💪Publish Wide 👀☕PublishDrive2025-01-18 | ...You need a winning book coverPublishDrive2025-01-17 | To successfully sell your book, you need a winning book cover – a design that’s professional, perfectly tailored to your audience, and competitively stunning. With PublishDrive’s Cover Image Generator, it’s never been easier to get that done.Book Metadata is CRUCIAL ❗PublishDrive2025-01-10 | Book metadata determines where and how your book appears in stores. Accurate metadata provides a strong foundation for your marketing efforts. Start off on the right foot – PublishDrive’s AI ensures your book’s metadata is precise AND optimized for your target audience.The magic is in the prompt? ✨PublishDrive2025-01-08 | Macarena Luz Bianchi from Magical Mindset in episode 12 of Brave New Bookshelf.AI audio for accessibility 🎧PublishDrive2024-12-23 | “We wanted to be sure that everybody had the information they needed without any barriers. And so generative AI let us do that…”
Chelle Honiker, co-founder of Indie Author Magazine, shares how AI has made their content more accessible through audio. This episode is packed with insights on automating processes, the indie publishing journey, and more.
→ bravenewbookshelf.com/episode-11About PublishDrives Team RoyaltiesPublishDrive2024-12-13 | Are you sharing royalties with translators, designers, and other collaborators in your publishing gig? Forget the spreadsheets and hop on PublishDrive.How to Self-Publish on Kobo (& Publish Wide)PublishDrive2024-12-12 | Hey Indies! In this video, we dive into how to self-publish on Kobo—one of the Big 5 publishing retailers alongside Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Kobo is a must-consider platform. With over 25% of the Canadian ebook market and a presence in 200+ countries, Kobo offers a vast catalog of 1.5M+ ebooks and 150K audiobooks. Plus, its subscription program, Kobo Plus, gives readers access to an extensive library for a small monthly fee.
There are 2 ways to publish Option 1: Publish directly on Kobo Writing Life. Option 2: Use an aggregator like PublishDrive. Distribute your book to 400+ stores and 240K libraries worldwide, including Kobo, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and more. It's free to publish your first ebook.
Segments: 0:00 Intro 0:24 About Kobo 1:22 Author Insights 2:30 How to Self-Publish on Kobo 3:45 How to Publish Wide via PublishDrive
#selfpublishing #publishingtips➡️ Free Ebook ConverterPublishDrive2024-12-06 | Keep it simple, folks. You need a low-fuss tool to easily and quickly convert your manuscript into a high-quality ebook. PublishDrive’s is entirely free ➡️ converter.publishdrive.comPublishing Assistant: AI Powered Publishing Tools 💪PublishDrive2024-12-06 | Publishing Assistant is your AI-powered partner for self-publishing success. Here's how you can use the tools as a first-time author or an experienced publisher:
✨ Metadata Generator Generate strategic book metadata: titles, descriptions, keywords, categories, and more. The AI analyzes your manuscript to create smart, marketing-friendly metadata that boosts your book’s discoverability, ranks higher in search results, and targets your ideal audience.
🎨 Cover Image Generator Design stunning, genre-specific book covers effortlessly. The AI reads your manuscript to generate professional, competitive cover concepts—no design skills needed. Perfect for new releases or revamping older titles.
With polished metadata and an eye-catching cover, your book will not only stand out but sell. Start for free with PublishDrive’s Publishing Assistant.
#selfpublishing #bookmarketing #aibook🌟 New Cover Image GeneratorPublishDrive2024-12-04 | Imagine creating, updating, and optimizing your book’s cover all in one place. Whether launching new titles or refreshing backlist covers, PublishDrive’s Cover Image Generator has you covered. Try it out today at PublishDrive.comCover Image Generator: Create Book Designs That Sell 🎨📚PublishDrive2024-12-03 | Your book deserves a cover that stands out and sells. With PublishDrive’s Cover Image Generator, designing a professional, audience-tailored, and competitive cover has never been easier.
How it works: 1️⃣ Upload your manuscript to the Publishing Assistant. 2️⃣ Let AI generate cover concepts that match your genre, audience, and unique voice. 3️⃣ Customize effortlessly: adjust titles, fonts, backgrounds, and more. No design skills needed.
#BookCoverDesign #SelfPublishing #PublishingToolsFrom Manuscript to Market: : Your Fast-Track to Stunning Ebook CoverPublishDrive2024-11-28 | In today’s competitive market, a captivating cover can make or break your book’s success. Join us for an exclusive webinar where we'll unveil the power of PublishDrive's new Cover Image Generator. Our tool is designed to transform your manuscript into a market-ready ebook with a professional cover, quickly and affordably.
Discover how to elevate your ebooks with ease and confidence. Reserve your spot and take your next step toward a visually stunning and successful book!The self-publishing process. ✨PublishDrive2024-10-20 | ...6 Amazon KDP Alternatives [Publish Wide]PublishDrive2024-10-16 | Hey indies, want to reach more readers? Publishing only on Amazon KDP limits your book's exposure.
In this video, we cover 6 great alternatives to KDP, including both retailers and aggregators. Learn about Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Google Play Books, BookBaby, and PublishDrive. Each offers unique benefits and wider reach for your books.
Sections: Intro 00:00 Retailers vs Aggregators 00:18 #1 Apple Books 01:23 #2 Kobo 01:57 #3 Barnes & Noble 02:13 #4 Google Play Books 02:45 #5 BookBaby 03:10 #6 PublishDrive 03:28 Outro 04:31How to Self-Publish on Apple Books: Two WaysPublishDrive2024-10-10 | Publishing on Apple Books opens up a world of opportunities for indie authors. Whether you choose to go direct or use an aggregator like PublishDrive, you'll gain access to millions of potential readers and powerful promotional tools.
This video is a simple guide on how to self-publish your book on Apple Books.
Chapters: 00:00 Intro 00:11 Why Apple Books? 01:17 Two Ways to Publish on Apple Books 01:46 Publishing Directly Through Apple 02:53 Publishing via PublishDrive 04:30 OutroBook cover designer talks about AIPublishDrive2024-09-30 | ...AI for video 🎬PublishDrive2024-09-27 | Sana Choudary uses AI to assist authors in creating high-quality video content for book marketing.Walkthrough: AI Book Metadata Generator [Publishing Assistant]PublishDrive2024-09-18 | In today’s video, we're diving into PublishDrive’s AI-powered tool: the Publishing Assistant. If you’ve been juggling everything as a self-publishing indie, this tool might just become your new best friend.
We’re focusing on the Book Metadata Generator, the first feature of the Publishing Assistant. This nifty tool reads your entire book and gives metadata suggestions like catchy blurbs, Amazon categories, Amazon keywords, BISAC codes, and more.
Book metadata is essential in publishing. It’s like the DNA of your book, helping it get discovered by the right readers. Good metadata ensures that your book appears in relevant search results and categories, boosting visibility and sales. From attention-grabbing blurbs to accurate categories and keywords, well-crafted metadata can make a significant difference in your book’s success.
So, stick around as we show you how this tool can simplify your publishing journey and help you craft effective book metadata.
Subscribe to our channel to stay up to date with our latest videos!
PublishDrive Write more. Worry less.Free ebook publishing ⭐PublishDrive2024-09-17 | ...Author Royalties: Typical Rates in Traditional & Self-PublishingPublishDrive2024-09-16 | Do you know how much authors actually make? 💰 Dive into this video, where we break down author royalties for both traditional and self-publishing routes. We explain what book royalties are and compare the earning potential between traditional publishers and self-publishing platforms like Amazon KDP.
Discover the differences in royalty rates, the impact of advances, and how self-publishing can boost your earnings. Plus, we share some self-publishing best practices like diversifying your distribution and using aggregators to streamline publishing & book promotion.
Subscribe to our channel to stay up to date with our latest videos!
PublishDrive Write more. Worry less.Writing with AI...PublishDrive2024-09-10 | Rachelle Ayala is a tech-savvy professional and romance novelist. She shared her tips on using AI writing tools. See full episodes at bravenewbookshelf.comSelf-Publishing on Barnes & Noble and Beyond with PublishDrivePublishDrive2024-09-09 | Hey there, indies! In this video, we’ll show you two ways to self-publish on Barnes & Noble: directly through Barnes & Noble Press and via PublishDrive.
Barnes & Noble Press is their self-publishing platform where you can publish both ebooks and print books for free. With millions of readers on barnesandnoble.com and the NOOK app, you’ve got a big audience waiting.
If you’re looking to publish audiobooks, you’ll need to use a 3rd party service like Findaway Voices or an aggregator like PublishDrive.
Also, keep in mind that Barnes & Noble’s reach is mostly US-focused. To sell globally, you’ll want to publish wide, meaning across multiple markets and platforms. This is where an aggregator like PublishDrive comes in handy. It simplifies the process, allowing you to manage all your channels from a single dashboard.
Plus, PublishDrive offers tools that go beyond just publishing, like sales analytics, royalty reporting, formatting tools, metadata optimization, and marketing options.
And if you’re already selling on Barnes & Noble, you can transfer your books in bulk without losing your reviews and ratings.
0:00 Intro 0:24 What Barnes & Noble Press Offers 1:51 How to Self-Publish on Barnes & Noble Press 2:44 What Barnes & Noble Press Misses 3:00 Publishing Wide With PublishDrive 5:41 OutroFor #NationalReadaBookDayPublishDrive2024-09-06 | For #NationalReadaBookDay, check out these books from our indie authors. 🤩How to Be a Successful Author & the Benefits of Publishing Wide: Interview with Megan O’RussellPublishDrive2024-09-05 | Listen to this insightful interview with Megan O’Russell, a talented Young Adult Fantasy Author. Megan shares her journey as an author, gives great tips on how to be a successful author, and highlights the benefits of publishing wide with PublishDrive.
One of her key points: publishing wide helps you connect with readers in countries you might not have reached otherwise.
Hit play to catch the whole conversation!
For more information about PublishDrive, visit: publishdrive.com Subscribe to our channel to stay up to date with our latest videos!
PublishDrive Write more. Worry less.How to Create a Book Marketing Plan in 3 StepsPublishDrive2024-09-02 | Selling books online is all about smart book promotions. In this video, we break down a simple three-step book marketing plan to help you boost your book sales.
1. Start with crafting a solid strategy. 2. Then, choose the best tactics that align with your strategy. 3. Finally, organize everything into a timeline that fits your book launch and publishing schedule.
Plus, you can add PublishDrive’s promotion services to your strategy to give your book the extra push it needs. Ready to turn those pages into sales? Let’s dive in!
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PublishDrive Write more. Worry less.Self-Publish for Free with PublishDrive and Keep 100% Book RoyaltiesPublishDrive2024-08-29 | We’ve got great news! PublishDrive has a new free plan to help you publish your first ebook and distribute it to all 30+ major ebook channels like Amazon and Barnes & Noble—at no cost, ever.
Besides the extensive distribution list, you also get access to our ebook converter, sales analytics, AI chatbot, and help center. But the best part is that you keep 100% of your royalties, no strings attached.
If you’re looking for more tools and features, our paid plans come with added support and marketing tools, plus a 30-day money-back guarantee. This means that if you’re not happy with the paid plan you chose, you can contact our support team within 30 days and ask for a full refund.
Check out the details in this video, and if you have any questions, drop them in the comments section.
Ready to start your publishing journey?
For more information about PublishDrive, visit: publishdrive.com
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PublishDrive Write more. Worry less.AI in the writing workflowPublishDrive2024-08-27 | ...How to Self-Publish Books in 6 Easy Steps (DIY!)PublishDrive2024-08-26 | Ready to publish your book? 🌟 Self-publishing has made it easier than ever.
In this video, we’ll show you exactly how to self-publish your book in six simple steps. From writing and editing to designing a standout cover and getting your book into the market, we’ve got all the essentials covered.
Whether you're just starting out or need a refresher, this guide will help you navigate the entire process smoothly
Got questions? Drop them in the comments! Also, don’t forget to subscribe to our channel to stay up to date with our latest videos.
PublishDrive Write more. Worry less.How to Promote Your Books the Easy Way Using Only One PlatformPublishDrive2024-08-26 | In this video, we show you how PublishDrive makes book marketing simple and effective. Discover the tools available on the platform that help you promote your book with ease. We’ll guide you through each feature, including:
- Setting up Amazon Ads quickly and managing them with ease - Boosting book sales through Written Word Media's promotional channels - Scheduling price promotions across stores like Apple Books and Barnes & Noble - Participating in sales events with retail partners like OverDrive and Kobo - Submitting your book for featuring opportunities with major stores - Collecting reviews using the Review Copy tool to enhance your book’s credibility - Sharing your achievements on PublishDrive’s social media channels - Check out these tools on PublishDrive to take your book marketing to the next level.
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PublishDrive Write more. Worry less.Youre a solo business owner.PublishDrive2024-08-22 | Melle Amade is an accomplished author and technologist. She shared her unique journey into the realms of AI and publishing.About our Amazon Ad tool. 📚PublishDrive2024-08-18 | ...About AI for book marketingPublishDrive2024-08-14 | In case you haven’t heard about our newest AI book metadata tool, check it out here: bit.ly/4ctYGOEAmazon KDP Select vs Publishing WidePublishDrive2024-08-14 | Are you ready to publish your book on Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) platform but unsure whether to enroll in KDP Select or publish wide? In this video, we’ll break down the pros and cons of both options to help you make the best decision for your publishing journey.
What is KDP Select? KDP Select offers exclusive benefits within Amazon's ecosystem, such as inclusion in Kindle Unlimited (KU) and access to special promotional tools. However, it comes with trade-offs, like limited distribution options.
We’ll dive into the advantages of KDP Select, such as getting paid for page reads and leveraging Amazon’s massive reach. But we’ll also discuss the downsides, like the restricted content distribution and the risk of relying solely on one platform.
On the flip side, publishing wide allows you to distribute your book across multiple platforms, reaching a broader audience and diversifying your income streams. We’ll cover the benefits of discoverability and reduced risk, as well as the challenges of managing multiple markets and promotional strategies (check out the video on PublishDrive's book marketing options: youtube.com/watch?v=5emw7Koty7o)
By the end of this video, you'll have a clear understanding of both publishing paths, helping you decide whether to go exclusive with KDP Select or publish wide across various platforms.
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PublishDrive Write more. Worry less.Thoughts on AI for authors?PublishDrive2024-08-11 | “I think that we have to approach it with this idea of it's already here and so I want to learn how to use it to my best ability so that I can maximize my abilities but also so that I'm not afraid of it and that I'm not left behind.”AI audiobooks are a game changerPublishDrive2024-08-08 | Audiobooks are a game changer for those with learning disabilities, visual impairments, and beyond. With the emergence of AI audio, so many more books are going to be open to people in this format. 🎧AI as an assistive toolPublishDrive2024-07-31 | How Steph started using AI as an author, from episode 2 of the Brave New Bookshelf podcast.Love this outlook on AI 💜PublishDrive2024-07-27 | There’s a ton of discourse on the role of AI in publishing, on both opportunities and concerns to be aware of. As indies, we believe it’s up to us to stay open to new ideas, technologies, and processes (while maintaining ethics and discernment). Thoughts?