Are you an author with one of the 46 million books now published on Amazon? To help your brand and book stand out, here are 3 new book awards benefits for authors, and why you should nominate your book to programs like the Goody Business Book Awards – plus apply to more than one recognition program to increase your chances of winning as part of your overall marketing strategy.

You should seriously consider submitting your book for awards to increase your authority and SEO (Search Engine Optimization). To provide more perspective on why this author recognition can be invaluable, here are the positive impacts for award-winning authors.

1. Increases Your Thought Leader Brand

Winning a book award can raise awareness that you are a valued thought leader in your area of expertise. While there are millions of doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs and experts with books published, there are far fewer who can say they are an Award-Winning Author. By receiving a book award in your genre (most book awards have categories based on the subject), it also tells readers that your work stood out against others within your field. As an author, you want to be known as a thought leader who gains the interest of others, so people lean in and listen more to what you have to say.

2. Increases Your Chances of Major Media Interviews

With your increased “authority” as an industry thought leader with a book award, you are also much more likely to attract major media interviews such as the TODAY Show, NPR, PBS, Fast Company, Forbes, Psychology Today and more. Producers are always looking for ways to distinguish between hundreds of experts who want to be a guest on their show. Their job depends on selecting the most credible experts, and a book award will help you stand out.

For example, our PR agency (Goody PR, sponsor for Goody Business Book Awards) was fortunate to schedule a client on CNN HLN Headline News. As an Award-Winning Author and Former GM, Omar L. Harris was the perfect expert to discuss about How Martin Luther King Jr. taught us how to lead with love. His award-winning book “The Servant Leader’s Manifesto” also referenced MLK as a role model. As a result of his bio and brand, the producer said yes to a national TV interview within 5 minutes of our media pitch!

3. Increases Your Marketing SEO Opportunities

Another top benefit of becoming an award-winning author is that it gives you many book marketing opportunities that can increase your Search Engine Optimization (SEO). While there are thousands of business consultants and over 200,000 CEOs in the United States, how many are authors who have won book awards? And because most book awards highlight experts within their niche topic, people are more likely to find you and your book on Google.

For example, searching for “Best CEO” is a good start, but if they narrow their search to “Best Startup CEO”, and you won an award for a startup tips book, the headline might read “Award Winning Author and Startups Coach”, making you stand out in a sea of business leaders competing for the same customers.

And, if you win a book award, you will have many ways to maximize your news and increase exposure. For example, the Goody Business Book Awards will provide the following to amplify every winner:

• A book awards seal to add to your book cover, website and marketing materials. 

• Mention in a nationally-distributed press release that announces the Winners and Finalists, which reaches millions and gets picked up by 100+ media online.

• Winners will be posted on the Goody Business Book Awards website with a short paragraph about their social impact with a link to their book on Amazon.

• Finalists will be listed on the Goody Business Book Awards website.

• All Winners and Finalists will be posted on our social media accounts. 

So don’t wait any longer to submit your book to awards programs. And while we recommend nominating your book to our business book awards program, please also apply to at least one more. And select the specific categories connected to your book genre and industry (the more specific the book awards category, the better!).

Because many book awards deadlines are coming up fast, you should add applications to your “to do list” and take action now! For example, the Goody Business Book Awards deadline is September 30, 2022 (any book published within the past 5 years is eligible!), and winners and finalists will be announced by November 15, 2022 – just in time for author holiday promotions!