Anyone want to explain to me…
Posted By Nonny on May 14, 2006
… what’s up with the sudden trend of flash “trailers” for books? I’ve been browsing around author sites and blogs, and keep seeing more of them.
I really don’t get it.
Almost all of the ones I’ve seen are corny, and I don’t get what’s the attraction. Speaking as a reader, I’m more likely to react to a good blurb or excerpt than I am a trailer. Honestly, most of the “trailers” I’ve seen just — totally turn me off, to the point that if I don’t know the author or have a recommendation for their books, I won’t pick it up. (Or maybe I’ve just seen some sucky ones.)
I don’t understand why you’d want to put the time and energy into developing a book trailer — or worse, paying someone a good chunk of money to do it for you. I mean, it’s not like you’re going to reach an untapped audience by posting a trailer on your website — the sort of people who react better to visual stimulae won’t be browsing an author site in the first place. They’ll be sitting on their asses in front of a video game or the telly.
For most authors, it’s too expensive to put a “book trailer” on TV, which is where you would reach a new audience. (The Harry Potter books are the only ones I can think of that get advertised nowadays, and gods know they certainly don’t need anymore of it.)
So … what’s the deal?
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You’re assuming that the only place the trailer is located is on the author’s website.
But that’s not the case. The trailer is placed on the author’s site just for their fans’ enjoyment. The actual sales benefit of the video is done through viral marketing through participating bookstores, viral video stations, and the publisher’s website and sales force.
The trailer for my book ASK FOR IT has been seen by almost 20K viewers since it released less than a month ago. Admittedly the production company says my trailer is their most successful ever, so I can’t say these numbers are representative of all trailers, but perhaps other production companies have had similar or greater success.
Newsweek just did an article on book trailers, if you’re interested!
I’m afraid I’m one of those that likes trailers. I think they’re cool. Paula Graves did one for “Forbidden Territory” and Allison Brennan did on for her trilogy. I just think they look cool and I don’t know if they will make me buy a book or not.
Sometimes I go to an authors website to check out what other books they have and see a trailer for a new book coming out. That ups the whole anticipation thing for me. Of course, I’m the very audience they’re aiming at with it too.
I haven’t seen any bad trailers, but I’ve heard they are out there. Brenda Novak’s latest one, and Allison Brennan’s ones are great. The ‘inventor’ of book trailers, Sheila Clover English of Circle of Seven Productions, was a guest blogger on my site (http://magicalmusings.com/?p=151) and I found the whole concept fascinating. Publishing companies can use the trailers for advertising in movie theatres. This might be a wonderful way to revitalise book sales by hooking people who don’t normally read. It can’t hurt, anyway
Sylvia: Thanks for the link.
I’ve never actually seen book trailers anywhere but an author’s website, hence my confusion. I don’t think I’ve seen them around publisher websites or bookstores (online or IRL, but I well could’ve missed them.
I guess it’s mostly the way I’ve heard people talk about them. They seem to expect that they will reach and interest non-readers through trailers. But if they’re mostly featured in bookstores, publisher’s websites, etc, I don’t understand how they think that’s going to happen.
Michelle: I find the concept interesting, but I’m not sure how financially practical it is for promotional purposes. (Of course, being a person who isn’t especially visually oriented, I could be totally off.) Are they showing book trailers in movie theaters now? If so, then, yeah, I think it’s probably more practical … but at the same point, most of the authors I see with book trailers already have a vast established readership and get a lot of press in the first place. Whereas it seems to me that up-and-coming authors would benefit more, to some extent.
Totally agree that it can’t hurt … but I’m not entirely convinced it makes as big a difference as people are saying.
Apparently they are showing them in theatres, if you listen to Sheila Clover English. I was also surprised at how many people are doing it, but it turns out it isn’t that expensive, especially the still shot trailers. The acted ones are probably a whole other story, and only for the likes of bestselling authors. I know at least two up-and-coming authors who have just done it, so I think you are right there, authors just starting out have seen the benefit. Maybe it’s a trend that will fizzle out, but I have a suspicion it will grow and become almost expected.
Michelle: Yeah, I can see that the still shot trailers would be less expensive … at the same point, I think that the ones with actors are more likely to catch a non-reader’s eye. It’ll definitely be interesting to see where this goes.