What comes to mind when you hear “summer reading”?

Sitting by the pool with a page-turning mystery? Lounging on the beach with a steamy romance? Enjoying a delicious cocktail and an exciting adventure?

Summer reading has its own vibes, which is why readers celebrate this season every year with summer reading guides, beach read listicles, and endless social media posts.

And that’s great for you as an author! With a smart seasonal book marketing plan, you can cash in on beach read season and get more sales and loyal readers!

How should you market your book for the summer? Let’s dive in and find out.

Timing your summer reading promotions

Typically, summer reading promotions start around Memorial Day. But that doesn’t mean you’ve missed the boat here in the middle of June!

In fact, beach read promotions can go all the way through early July — there’s still plenty of summer left to enjoy after Independence Day!

If this is the first time you’re running a seasonal book marketing campaign, a shorter promotional time can be beneficial — it gives you a chance to try a few things without committing to two solid months of active marketing.

Now that we’ve got the timing out of the way, let’s answer the big question: does your book “qualify” for summer reading?

Is your book a beach read?

What is a “beach read” anyway? Traditional publishers might tell you the term only applies to light and fluffy romances or contemporary fiction.

But that’s the same kind of shitty messaging that says you only have a “bikini body” if you’re a size 0.

Fuck that.

Put a bikini on your body and voila! You have a bikini body. Read a book at the beach and guess what? It’s a beach read!

In other words, you can market your book for summer reading even if it’s not a light and fluffy romance. It’s all about showcasing the summery vibes of your story, regardless of the genre!

Romance

Beach reads are often synonymous with romance books. Focus on highlighting these themes:

• Happily ever after
• Lighthearted/rom-com vibes
• Fun and flirty

If your book is spicy 🌶️, don’t be afraid to showcase that aspect, too! There are plenty of readers out there looking for some summer smut!

Mystery

Do you write mysteries? Those are excellent summer reads as well! Promote these elements of your story:

• Intrigue 
• Puzzles
• “Just one more chapter”

Encourage your readers to enjoy an engaging whodunit this summer!

Thriller

Not everyone wants to read a thriller poolside, but those readers who do are ravenous for a good page-turner. Here are some good themes for a summer marketing promo:

• “Can’t-put-down-able”
• Suspense
• A summer blockbuster without movie theater prices

Because people tend to read thrillers quickly, you could encourage them to buy your whole series (if you have one) or give them a list of similar reads to enjoy after they finish your book.

Fantasy

Magic, dragons, mer-people — what more do you want in a summer read? Fantasy can definitely be a beach read genre when you highlight these themes:

• Adventure
• Escapism
• Epic battles/high stakes

Like we said, any book can be a beach read — all it takes is reading it at the beach!

Choosing the right summer marketing strategy

Now that you know which themes and aspects of your book to promote for the summer, let’s talk about how to do it.

Social media campaigns

Bookstagram, BookTok, even Facebook — social media can be a powerful tool for getting your story out there in front of more readers. Try creating social media campaigns with summer vibes:

• Summer cocktail pairings for your main characters
• Images and reels of your book by the pool, in a beach bag, on a hammock
• A poll where your readers can vote to match summer snacks with characters in your book

Collabs and partnerships

Look for ways to get your book tagged with #SummerReading or #BeachReads.

• Try a formal collaboration with an online influencer
• Work with other authors to create a summer reading list that promotes everyone’s books
• Build a relationship with your local library or tourism office. Maybe you could provide free bookmarks or stickers for them to give away?

Themed promotions

Who doesn’t love a summer discount? Consider adding a financial incentive to your summer marketing plan:

• Offer a discount on your e-book with a summer-themed code
• Give readers access to an online extra (bonus chapter of your characters on a trip together?)
• Add your book to a summer reading e-book bundle

Want help with your summer marketing plan?

Did these ideas spark some summer promo plans for your book? We hope so! 

Remember, it’s completely OK to try out different marketing tactics to see what works. You can take whatever you learn during this summer’s promotional period and apply it to your next seasonal marketing plan.

Would you like help building a marketing plan for your book? That’s what we do with our One Bed Inn. We’ll give you a complete, custom marketing strategy for an entire quarter. 

Get everything you need to make the most of summer reading season, or get a head start on a cozy fall marketing plan. See what’s included in the One Bed Inn and make your reservation here!