What type of reader would be absolutely delighted by your work? What type of reader would leave a five-star review and tell their friends about your book? These are the types of readers you want to attract. These are your target readers (or target audience), and the more you know about them, the more likely you are to engage them and turn them into raving fans.
At Bublish, we believe all marketing begins in the manuscript. If you take the time to learn about the reading experiences sought by your target audience, you’re more likely to create a book that will stop them in their tracks and say, “Wow!” That’s what it takes to stand out in today’s competitive book marketplace.
The term "reader persona" is your description of certain types of readers in your target audience. Do your readers desire plenty of action? Do they like strong characters or lush settings? Do they read often? Do they like certain authors and read them regularly? The more you know about the reader personas that matter for your book, the more likely you are to produce a book that will delight them .
One way to learn about your target audience and create reader personas is to study comparable titles. These are the books your target audience is reading and loving. What are your target readers saying about these comparable titles and what can you learn from their comments and reviews? This is one of many reasons to study your book’s comparable titles. You can learn a ton!
There are typically several target audiences for a book. It’s a given that the top audience loves the genre and category in which you write. But secondary audiences may be drawn to a book’s characters, setting, time period, themes, topics, or even the core underlying values explored. Understanding secondary audiences for a book can help you expand the number of readers you can reach.
The more you know about your book's target audience(s), reader personas, and comparable titles, the more likely you are to write a great book that your readers will love. You're also likely to design and package your book more effectively—think title, cover design, book description. Finally, you'll be able to make more effective marketing and advertising decisions to reach and delight more target readers. Know thy audience!