Book Marketing Challenge

2025 Book Marketing Challenge Year in Review

| C.E. Flores

In 2025, my goal wasn’t to shout louder. It was to be seen more clearly.

That meant focusing my energy where it mattered most. SurvivingMexico.com became the main stage, while ceflores.com quietly stepped into a supporting role. After reviewing performance and profitability, I’ve decided to keep ceflores.com on WordPress’s free plan in 2026 and concentrate my efforts where growth has been steadier and more sustainable.

To see how that decision played out, I compared January 2025 starting figures with December 2025 totals across the website, social platforms, traffic, and sales. What emerged wasn’t a viral story, but something better: consistency with moments of surprise.

Website Subscribers: Holding the Line

SurvivingMexico.com‘s email list remained a quiet constant throughout the year.

  • January 2025: 909 subscribers
  • December 2025: 909 subscribers
  • Stretch goal: 1,000 subscribers

While the number itself didn’t change, the list continued to represent a highly engaged core of readers who open emails, click links, and stick around. Hitting 1,000 subscribers remains close enough to feel inevitable rather than aspirational.

Social Media: Slow Burns and One Pleasant Plot Twist

Pinterest: Evergreen and Unbothered

Pinterest continued doing what Pinterest does best—sending traffic quietly, without much concern for follower counts.

  • January 2025:
    • 613 followers
    • 317 following
  • December 2025:
    • 611 followers
    • 318 following
    • 3.5K monthly views

Follower numbers barely budged, but monthly views tell the real story. Content continued circulating, being discovered, and doing its job long after it was published. Slow? Yes. Reliable? Absolutely.

Threads: A Polite Upward Nod

Threads remained small but showed signs of life.

  • January 2025: 48 followers
  • December 2025: 63 followers
  • Original goal: 100 followers

Not explosive growth, but organic and encouraging—proof that showing up consistently still counts, even on quieter platforms.

Bluesky: The Unexpected Overachiever

Bluesky was the surprise guest who stayed late and helped clean up.

  • January 2025:
    • 64 followers
    • 69 following
    • 68 posts
  • December 2025:
    • 268 followers
    • 358 following
    • 537 posts

Originally, I hoped to reach 100 followers by year’s end. Instead, Bluesky turned into an active, conversational space that far exceeded expectations and became a genuine point of connection.

Website Traffic & Search Visibility

Beyond subscribers and socials, traffic and search data offered a wider view of how SurvivingMexico.com moved through the year.

Visitors & Views (WordPress Analytics)

From February through November, traffic followed a familiar rhythm: a mid-year lull followed by a strong autumn comeback.

  • Visitors dipped to around 1,510 in early summer and climbed to 3,389 in November.
  • Page views mirrored that pattern, reaching 4,391 views by November.

Late summer and fall brought renewed discovery, stronger seasonal interest, and deeper browsing, indicating more pages, more time, more curiosity.

Search Performance (Bing Webmaster Tools)

Search visibility steadily expanded.

  • Impressions peaked in the final quarter, topping out at 30,000 in November.
  • Clicks stayed relatively steady throughout the year, generally between 122–160 per month.

This widening gap between more impressions and stable clicks suggests growing visibility and clear opportunities to refine titles, descriptions, and search intent alignment.

What the Numbers Are Really Saying

Taken together, the data points to a site that is:

  • appearing more often in search results,
  • attracting more visitors toward the end of the year, and
  • maintaining engagement even during slower seasons.

There was no single breakout moment. Instead, growth came from accumulation where content quietly was stacking, compounding, and finding its people in its own time.

Sales Goals

To keep things grounded, I set a simple benchmark: 20 books sold per month across all titles.

That breaks down to:

  • 3 months: 60 books
  • 6 months: 120 books
  • 12 months: 240 books

The goal wasn’t virality but reliability.

2025 Sales Results

(Exploring Traditional Herbal Remedies in México series and
The Mexican Apothecary: Traditional Cold and Flu Herbal Remedies — English & Spanish)

  • 243 herbal books sold in 2025

This closely matched the 12-month target, confirming that the 20-per-month goal is realistic and repeatable.

Abuelita ¿Qué Vamos A Hacer Hoy? Let’s Make Rosca de Reyes!
 (Bilingual and Spanish editions)

  • 102 copies sold in 2025

More seasonal by nature, these sales still demonstrated steady interest and strong cultural resonance during key moments of the year.

Reviews & Reader Response

I also received reviews across Amazon, Goodreads, BookBub, and Muted Muse. There was no numeric target here, just the hope that readers would respond. They did, and that goal was comfortably met.

Quiet Progress Is Still Progress

2025 didn’t arrive with fireworks or viral moments, and that’s exactly why it worked. This year was about tending what already existed, showing up consistently, and letting the long game unfold at its own pace.

As I move into 2026, the work continues, writing, publishing, refining, and sharing, but with clearer priorities and steadier footing. Growth doesn’t always announce itself loudly. Sometimes it simply shows up, month after month, and that’s more than enough to build on.

November 2025 Book Marketing Challenge

| C.E. Flores

The holidays are here, and that means one thing for us authors: it’s time to turn visibility into sales and ride the wave of end-of-year momentum. November’s theme is simple but powerful: “Make your books impossible to ignore.” Here’s how I’m tackling it this month (and maybe giving you a few ideas for your own strategy).

🛒 Black Friday & Cyber Monday Promotions

These shopping holidays are prime opportunities for indie authors to shine. This year, I’ll be:

It’s all about creating that “grab it now” energy!

📧 Email Marketing Push

This month, my subscribers at SurvivingMexico.com will be hearing from me with a three-part email sequence:

  1. Teaser: “Something exciting is coming…”
  2. Announcement: “Black Friday deals are here!”
  3. Final Call: “Sale ends tonight — don’t miss it!”

To keep it personal, I’ll also sprinkle in quick author updates, a peek behind the scenes, and hints at upcoming projects. My goal? To make readers feel like they’re part of this journey with me.

🎁 Tapping Into the Holiday Gifting Season

Books make the best gifts. They are absolutely thoughtful, personal, and lasting. This month, I’ll be framing my titles as perfect holiday presents by creating gift guide-style posts such as:

  • “Perfect Books for the Curious Soul”
  • “For the Herbalist on Your Holiday List”
  • “Holiday Reads That Inspire & Delight”

By highlighting how my books fit into the holiday spirit, I’m helping readers imagine them wrapped up and under the tree.

🚀 Wrapping It Up

November is all about momentum. With smart promos, engaging emails, and holiday positioning, the goal is clear: make my books impossible to scroll past, click past, or shop past. Now I’d love to hear from you: How are you planning to market your books this holiday season?

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Book Hawking: A Beginner’s Guide to Marketing Your Self-Published Book is your roadmap to turning your hidden gem into a must-read!

August 2025 Book Marketing Challenge Update

| C.E. Flores

Sales were… brutal. Like, curl-up-under-the-desk-and-question-everything brutal. 

Honestly, August hit me hard. I discovered halfway through the month that I’d completely forgotten to reset my Amazon ad end date. Yep… ads off, visibility tanked, sales plummeted. OMG! From now on, those ads are staying ON, no excuses.

I did decide to be a little more strategic, though, keeping active ads only on the Lupita book and my herb series. And once I fixed the end date, things picked up a tiny bit… but let’s be real: it was still one of the lowest months of my author career. That stings.

Now, here’s the small silver lining: I’ve been testing out some revamped social media content, and there’s been a noticeable bump in engagement, mostly on Bluesky and Instagram. More follows, more likes, more conversations. Will that translate into better book sales? Well… let’s just say I’m cautiously optimistic, but not holding my breath.

I’ll be honest and let you know that the discouragement is real. I’ve been putting in extra hours this year, pushing harder than ever with marketing, and yet my royalties barely register anymore. And of course, the questions swirl:

  • Is it my material?
  • Has my work stopped resonating?
  • Or is it just… the economy?

My main market is still the U.S., where so many people are struggling just to survive. When disposable income disappears, books are often the first luxury to go. 

But here’s the thing, I’m not giving up. Writing is what I do, what I love. And even if the road feels bumpy right now, I have to believe this is just one rough chapter, not the whole book.

What keeps you going when you feel like you are screaming into the void as a writer?

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Book Hawking: A Beginner’s Guide to Marketing Your Self-Published Book is your roadmap to turning your hidden gem into a must-read!

August 2025 Book Marketing Challenge

| C.E. Flores

Refresh Your Content Strategy: Make It Relevant, Real, and Rooted

When was the last time you took a step back and asked: Is my content still connecting? If it feels like you’re posting just to keep up, without sparking engagement or joy, it might be time to refresh your content strategy.

Refreshing doesn’t mean starting over. It means getting clear on what matters, aligning your message with your mission, and delivering content that’s both helpful and authentic. For those of us who work with traditional wisdom, like herbalism, it’s especially important that our content reflects the depth and richness of what we carry.

Audiences today crave depth over polish. They want connection, not perfection. And that means your content should teach, inspire, or transform. Whether it’s a story about your abuela’s remedy for a sore throat or a step-by-step guide to building your own herbal apothecary, each post is an opportunity to build trust and share something meaningful.

Here’s the key: don’t just create content for content’s sake. Create experiences. Give your audience something they can use, something they’ll remember, and something they’ll come back for.

How I’m Refreshing My Content Strategy This Month

This month, I’m anchoring my content around something practical, beautiful, and deeply rooted in Mexican tradition: Cold & Flu Herbal Medicine. Each week, I’ll explore one theme: immune boosters, cough & congestion soothers, herbal steams, etc., using native plants and traditional knowledge.

I’ll be sharing herbal profiles, recipes, and personal reflections across Threads, Bluesky, and Pinterest. By grounding this content in culture and care, I hope to offer not just information, but connection.

How are you going to freshen up your content this month?

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Book Hawking: A Beginner’s Guide to Marketing Your Self-Published Book is your roadmap to turning your hidden gem into a must-read!

June 2025 Book Marketing Challenge Update

| C.E. Flores

I’m pretty proud of myself for my efforts in June. June isn’t a big seller month with everyone doing summertime activities, but I think my efforts this month will pay off down the line. 

I received several new reviews on Goodreads for the books I uploaded to Muted Muse. I then selected choice snippets and created testimonial posts using MockUpShots, scheduling them to post once a week over the next few months. 

I also used Canva to make some Leave a Review (please) graphics and have them scheduled out once a month over the next couple of months. 

I wanted to share something that I believe could have an immediate impact on book sales.  It’s already affecting mine. I recently tried to order an author copy of one of my own books, only to discover I couldn’t get it shipped to Mexico (where I live). Amazon wouldn’t even let me add it to the shopping cart.

After digging around, I learned that because my books are printed in the U.S., and Amazon Mexico doesn’t have its own printing facilities, new tariffs make international shipping unfeasible. 

On top of that, Amazon raised print book prices in June, so I had to adjust my list prices to reflect those changes.

Print has always been my bread and butter, but with these new distribution and price hike hurdles, I shifted gears. I reviewed all my titles to ensure they were available on Kindle, which involved reformatting and tweaking several manuscripts. That part’s done, but the results? Not exactly encouraging. My Kindle Unlimited royalties for the first week of June barely broke the $1 mark after 10 days. Oof.

So, July’s focus is now all about reassessing and rebuilding my paid ad strategy. With these changes, I’m revisiting every campaign to figure out what’s still worth investing in and what’s not.

How did your book marketing go this month?

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Book Hawking: A Beginner’s Guide to Marketing Your Self-Published Book is your roadmap to turning your hidden gem into a must-read!

June 2025 Book Marketing Challenge

| C.E. Flores

Engage with Reviews — Building Credibility, One Word at a Time

This month, the focus is all about engaging with reviews and using them to build your credibility as an author.

Here’s the truth: Reviews are more than just validation. They are social proof. They help readers decide whether to invest their time and money in your story. They boost your book’s visibility on platforms like Amazon and Goodreads. And perhaps most importantly—they foster trust.

Why Reviews Matter

Imagine you’re browsing online for a book. You see two titles in your favorite genre—one has three reviews, the other has 203. Which one do you click on? Reviews are the modern-day word-of-mouth. They create buzz, spark curiosity, and instill confidence in readers, bookstores, and even the media.

So, how do you get those precious reviews? Let’s dive into the action steps for this month’s marketing challenge: 

✅ 1. Request Reviews from Bloggers and Influencers in Your Genre

Start building relationships with book bloggers and influencers who already speak to your target readers. Craft a compelling pitch and personalize it. In it, mention why your book might resonate with their audience. Many reviewers have submission guidelines, so take the time to read and follow them.

Pro Tip: Focus on micro-influencers too, those with smaller but highly engaged audiences. Their readers trust them deeply.

✅ 2. Use Platforms for ARC Distribution

NetGalley is the gold standard for distributing Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) to librarians, booksellers, and passionate readers who love reviewing. If the cost is a barrier, look for co-op programs through small publishers or author collectives.

Other ARC services include BookBub, BookSirens, Hidden Gems, Muted Muse and StoryOrigin. These platforms connect you directly with readers who are actively seeking new books to review.

✅ 3. Launch a Social Media Campaign Encouraging Reviews

Get creative. Share fun graphics or quotes from your book with a simple call to action: “Have you read [Your Book Title]? Leave a review! It makes a world of difference!”

Consider doing a giveaway. Enter readers who post reviews into a drawing for a signed copy, swag, or a 15-minute Zoom chat. Incentivize without buying reviews (which violates most platform guidelines).

Use hashtags like #bookreview, #bookstagram, or #readersofinstagram to widen your reach.

✅ 4. Share Positive Reviews Across Platforms

Every great review is a chance to celebrate—and to share social proof. Feature reviews in your newsletter, on your website, and across your social media channels. Turn them into Instagram Stories or quote graphics. Tag the reviewer when appropriate (with their permission), and always say thank you.

By highlighting the voices of your readers, you show new audiences that your book is making an impact, and that builds momentum.

Final Thought

It’s not just about getting reviews, the key is engaging with them. Your readers are taking the time to respond to your words. Meet them there. Celebrate them. Show them their voice matters.

Because when a reader says, “I couldn’t put it down,” or “This book changed me,” that’s not just a review, it’s a legacy in the making.

What creative ways have you encouraged or shared reader reviews?

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Book Hawking: A Beginner’s Guide to Marketing Your Self-Published Book is your roadmap to turning your hidden gem into a must-read!

May 2025 Book Marketing Challenge Update

| C.E. Flores

Marketing a book can sometimes feel like hiking uphill through a foggy forest to me. Like I kind of know where I’m going, but the path is murky, and the tools that work for others don’t always apply in my case. May has been a month of trying, pivoting, and accepting what fits for me, and what doesn’t.

🌿 Local Outreach Wins

This month brought a couple of small but meaningful victories on the local front. La Abeja Reina, a fabulous herb store franchise in town, has picked up my El boticario mexicano book. It’s exciting to see it on their shelves and know it’s visible to my local community, even if they don’t buy it, although there have been a few sales. 

A previous win for me was when a store in Monterrey, Cherokee by Nature, began carrying both the El boticario mexicano book and my children’s book Abuelita ¿Qué vamos a hacer hoy? ¡Hagamos rosca de reyes! Seeing them together in a store that aligns with my target audience always makes me smile!

I also had someone reach out locally this month looking for a children’s coloring book I published. He sent his mom to my door to pick it up since it’s no longer available online, and I happened to have one more copy. It took me by surprise, but pleasantly. 

🏛️ Library Roadblocks

I considered submitting my books to my hometown library, but their rules specify that they only accept works by authors who live in or write about the area. I let that idea go since that’s not my current location or focus.

🌎 Challenges with Broader Outreach

Living in a place where bookstores are few and far between and not in an expat hub makes traditional book marketing tricky. I attempted to research English-language bookstores in expat areas of Mexico, but most of the websites I found were outdated or broken, and contact information was nonexistent. So, for now, that path leads to a dead end.

🏆 Awards and Associations: Not My Scene

Many book marketing tips recommend submitting for awards or joining writers’ associations. I’ve realized that’s not where I shine. Submitting my work to awards feels overwhelming, and frankly, terrifying. Chalk it up to introvert hangups. I also tried joining a few Facebook groups for writers, but my feed quickly filled up with spammy posts and irrelevant content. There wasn’t much true networking happening, so I left those groups in the dust. 

🌿 A Human Connection from a Conference

I attended an herbalism conference in March, and while I didn’t go in with marketing as the goal, I ended up on a list shared with about 600 attendees who wanted to stay in touch. I added around 150 of them on Instagram, creating some organic, mutual interest connections. The rest shared emails, and since I’m not big on cold emailing strangers, I let those leads be. Still, I’m grateful for the connections I did make. 

Conclusion

Marketing doesn’t have to look one specific way. It doesn’t have to be loud, award-seeking, or full of Zoom calls and Facebook feeds. For me, it looks like small, intentional steps: placing books in the right hands, showing up where it feels aligned, and connecting with people who genuinely care.

If you’re an introverted or unconventional author walking your own winding trail, know that your way is valid, too.

What strategies have felt most natural for you when sharing your creative work?

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Book Hawking: A Beginner’s Guide to Marketing Your Self-Published Book is your roadmap to turning your hidden gem into a must-read!

April 2025 Book Marketing Challenge Update

| C.E. Flores

One of the most powerful tools in your book marketing toolkit is collaboration, especially when you’re looking to grow your audience organically. This past month, I focused on Leveraging Collaborations, and here’s how it went:

🤝 Author Cross-Promotions

I leaned into the #writerslift community on social media, a fantastic way to discover and support fellow writers. My goal was simple: Participate in at least one #writerslift per day. I followed writers in my niche, shared their original posts, and built up mutual support through likes, comments, and shares. It was a great way to connect and shine a spotlight on each other’s work without the pressure of constant self-promotion.

Follow me: 

Instagram

Bluesky

X (Twitter)

Pinterest

Facebook

✍️ Guest Features

Next, I took a more targeted approach by engaging with individuals and creators within my niche. For me, that includes children’s authors, herbalists, and preppers. My goal was to follow someone new every day, which helped me discover fresh voices and content while building potential for future collaborations. Whether it’s a guest blog swap, podcast invite, or social media feature, these little steps lay the groundwork.

📘 Facebook Author Groups

I also spent time in author groups on Facebook, spaces full of writers, readers, and inspiration. I didn’t pitch or promote aggressively but simply showed up and connected naturally. These groups offer more than just promo opportunities. They’re little ecosystems of support, learning, and encouragement.

🌟 Getting Book Reviews Through New Platforms

I added a few of my books to BookBub and Muted Muses. The response was encouraging. I received several new reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, thanks to these listings. It was a small action that created meaningful momentum.

🎤 Seeking Speaking Opportunities (Still on the Horizon)

While I didn’t find any virtual events to contribute to as a speaker or guest this month, I remain open to it. Sometimes, the right opportunity takes a little patience and serendipity. I’ll keep my eyes open, especially for events that align with my niche audiences.

🔚 Final Thoughts

Collaboration doesn’t have to be complicated or flashy. Sometimes, it’s as simple as showing up consistently, supporting others, and being open to new connections. Tapping into other people’s audiences—while genuinely cheering them on in return—creates real momentum over time.

This month was proof that small, consistent efforts in the right direction can yield surprising growth. And the best part? It’s just the beginning.

Did you use collaboration successfully this month? Let me know what’s working for you! ✨

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Book Hawking: A Beginner’s Guide to Marketing Your Self-Published Book is your roadmap to turning your hidden gem into a must-read!

April 2025 Book Marketing Challenge

| C.E. Flores

This month, my book marketing focus is on Leveraging Collaborations: tapping into new audiences through partnerships. While I don’t have any current opportunities lined up, I’ve successfully done this in the past, and I’m revisiting those strategies to inspire my April efforts.

Why Collaborations Matter

Working with other authors, bloggers, podcasters, and influencers can exponentially expand your reach. Instead of relying solely on your audience, collaborations introduce your book to fresh readers who might not have discovered it otherwise.

Past Collaborative Wins

Here are a few ways I’ve leveraged partnerships before:

  • Author Cross-Promotions – I’ve teamed up with fellow authors to share each other’s books through newsletters and social media.
  • Guest Features – Writing guest blog posts and appearing on podcasts allowed me to connect with niche audiences interested in my book’s themes.

Action Plan:

✅ Reach out to authors for potential cross-promotions.

✅ Research blogs and podcasts aligned with my book’s theme.

✅ Identify influencers who might be interested in reviewing my book.

✅ Look for virtual events where I can contribute as a speaker or guest.

Have you used collaborations to market your book?

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Book Hawking: A Beginner’s Guide to Marketing Your Self-Published Book is your roadmap to turning your hidden gem into a must-read!