The Blog Tour Demystified

The Blog Tour Demystified

Before I launched my debut, I understood blog tours were a thing, and…very little else about them.

Two tours later, I’m a fan of this often-misunderstood marketing tool—with a few tips and caveats. Here’s a breakdown:

What is it, exactly?

You provide free copies of your book in exchange for a series of honest reviews by book bloggers, who post those reviews to their (often sizable) online followings. Most post to Instagram, but many cross-post to other social media platforms and/or websites too (and Amazon if you’re lucky!).

How Do I Do One?

A reputable blog tour operator makes this a breeze. They have vetted rosters of bloggers with track records of posting respectful reviews within a promised time frame, and they’ll pitch your book to those likely to be the best fit. They’ll do up a schedule for the posts, and follow up as needed. Cost is typically three to a few hundred (but less than a thousand) dollars, depending on number of bloggers scheduled/length of tour.

Of course, you can approach bloggers yourself for free, but this takes time and can be a crapshoot if they’re not already familiar with you. The bigger their following, the more inundated they are with review requests. FWIW, the handful of bloggers I approached “cold” either didn’t reply, or accepted the review copy but never posted a review. 

What’s The Upside?

The blog tour is, in my view, one of the best “bangs for buck” marketing tools I’ve tried for a few reasons: 

As a relatively unknown debut author, it gets my book in front of tens of thousands of bookish folk who would otherwise never know it exists. There’s no direct proof blog tours lead to higher sales, but the marketing rule of seven (that a consumer must engage with your brand roughly 7x before making a purchase decision) is well established, and there’s no way this newbie is coming close to that level of exposure on my own. 

The bloggers aren’t guaranteed to love your book, but it’s in their interest to keep things respectful (so they can continue receiving free books)—i.e., trolls need not apply. Further, the reviews come with visuals, providing ready-made social media content I can repost and pull quotes for my website.

As noted above, many post their reviews to Amazon too, which is hugely helpful considering those suckers are really hard to get. 

It’s a long-term investment. I’ve connected with wonderful bloggers through the tours who have said they’d review my next book, joined my street team, attended in-person events—not to mention some have become personal friends.

Print or E-Copies?

You can provide either—it’s entirely up to you! Just make it clear up front what you’re offering, as some bloggers prefer/require one over the other. 

For my first tour, I went all out. Printed ARCs, on-brand swag, handwritten notes. That launch was a long time coming; sharing those ARCs was a huge moment for me. The baby was being baptized, and so help me there would be signature cocktails and a cake with two tiers. 

For my second tour, like many a second child, reason and practicality prevailed. I offered e-copies only (unless a blogger specifically required print—but only 2 out of 12 did), no swag. This approach made sense, because my goals were different (and my budget shriveled) this time around. My aim was to continue momentum through the holidays while hopefully accumulating enough cross-posted Amazon reviews to trip the algorithm’s “magic” threshold (and hence, increase the effectiveness of my ads during gift-buying season).

Did it make a difference?

Overall, I got more “bookmail” posts and reels from the printed copies + swag group (at a significantly higher cost to me). Slightly more from the print + swag group also posted reviews to Amazon, but not enough to rule out coincidence.

Most importantly, there was no difference in the quality (or positivity) of the reviews themselves between the two groups. Across the board, the bloggers took time and care in detailing their thoughts, and were appreciative of their review copy regardless of format (or added frills). Truly, they struck me as a community who genuinely love books and want to spread that love around, so the format you offer really just depends on your budget, and what you hope to get out of it. 

Tips and Best Practices

Positive blogger reviews on a book is not proof of a well-run tour operation behind the scenes. Before contracting with a provider, it’s crucial that you reach out to a few of their recent clients (privately!) and ask about their experience. 

Questions to ask the tour provider: how many spots on the tour, when will it begin/how long will it run and when do you need to have review copies ready by, do they encourage bloggers to cross-post to Amazon, do they have a wide base of bloggers who read in your genre, and a detailed cost breakdown. Fuzzy timelines or pricing, unresponsiveness and/or a disorganized vibe are all red flags. 

Use a secure download provider for sharing e-copies (e.g. BookFunnel). This way you can see who has downloaded the book, and any shares can be traced. 

Have your cover copy handy along with any blurbs/accolades received to date—anything to help bloggers discern whether they’re a fit—and your social media handles so bloggers can tag you on the reviews. 

Send a personalized thank you (mailed or via DM/email) to the bloggers. They put so much time and effort into what they do, often outside of working full-time jobs. Let them know how much you appreciate their support! 

—

RACHEL STONE writes stories of hope and redemption, set against vibrant Canadian backdrops. Her debut novel THE BLUE IRIS has won multiple awards, and her acclaimed lyric essays have appeared in international journals, magazines and blogs. She lives near Toronto, Canada with her family. Join Rachel on Substack for The Launch Diaries: Reflections, Lessons, Real Talk and Confessions from a Debut Author.

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THE BLUE IRIS

“Such a unique and heartwarming story about found family…” -Tracey Lange, NYT Bestselling Author of We Are The Brennans

Sometimes, uprooting the thorn-filled past is the only way we bloom. . .

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At the Blue Iris Flower Market, everything is blossoming except the rag-tag crew, each hiding deep scars of their own. When Sam, the beloved but troubled man in charge, takes off and leaves the market reeling, Tessa and her unlikely new friends come face-to-face with their most uncomfortable truths, uprooting lives carefully cultivated-and just maybe, unearthing everything they’ve ever wanted.

Told from multiple perspectives, The Blue Iris is an intricately woven exploration of love tested beyond its limits, chosen family, and the beauty that grows in letting go.

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Category: How To and Tips