Towards the end of 2008, author David Carnoy released an iPhone app of his book – Knife Music. Unfortunately (for Apple), the application was banned on the grounds that the content was too racy and objectionable. This resulted in a firestorm of news articles from major blogs. For example CNET wrote – “In its rejection letter, Apple singled out the passage in question, which we actually can’t print either. Let’s just say it involves a teenage girl telling a detective that she overheard her friend asking a gentleman caller to “love me like you mean it,” just with a slightly more emphatic verb.” After some explaining and negotiation, David and his team were able to get the App approved. The publicity and perceived notoriety significantly helped trigger interest in the book and ultimately led to increased book sales.
If Apple sneezes it makes news. The loyalty of Apple customers to it’s products is legendary. If you are an author looking to market your book, then you need to be aware of the possibilities, opportunities and challenges that exist in the iWorld (aka the Apple universe.) You need to understand what you can and cannot do when it comes to promoting your books to the millions users of the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.
This month at BookBuzzr’s Book Marketing Technologies Center, we’re going to be examining the possibilities and the challenges of book marketing in the iWorld. We’ll examine strategies for book promotion using apps that can be downloaded in the App Store. We’ll investigate the ideal way to create author websites and blogs that cater to iPad and iPhone users. We’ll review best practices for promoting your book in the iBookStore.
Buckle up for a thrilling and potentially profitable ride!
