Cross-promotion is one of the most effective (and underused) ways for indie authors to grow their audience, without spending more on ads or shouting into the social media void.
If you’ve ever thought, “There has to be a smarter way to reach readers than posting another desperate tweet,” you’re in exactly the right place.
In this guide, we’ll break down:
No hype. No guarantees. Just effective marketing promotions & ads-adjacent strategies that actually respect your time and your readers.
Cross-promotion is when two or more authors collaborate to promote each other’s books to relevant, overlapping audiences.
For indie authors, the most effective cross-promotion methods are:
Done well, cross-promotion helps you:
Cross-promotion is a collaborative marketing strategy where authors promote one another’s work to their own audiences.
Instead of competing for attention, you’re pooling trust.
Think of it like this:
Your readers trust you.
Another author’s readers trust them.
Cross-promotion allows that trust to travel, carefully, intentionally, and with genre alignment doing the heavy lifting.
✨ Cross-promotion works best when it feels like a recommendation, not an advertisement.
Cross-promotion succeeds where many solo efforts fail because it taps into three powerful forces:
Readers are far more likely to try a new author when the recommendation comes from someone they already enjoy.
This is the same reason email promos outperform cold ads when properly targeted.
You’re not marketing to “everyone.”
You’re marketing to the right readers; fans of your genre, tropes, and tone.
Cross-promotion stacks beautifully with:
A newsletter swap is when two authors agree to feature each other’s books in their email newsletters.
Simple in theory. Powerful in practice.
A newsletter swap sounds simple: “You feature me, I feature you.”
But a successful swap requires planning. Here’s exactly how to do it.
Start with authors who:
Why this matters:
If your audience expects cozy mysteries and you promote dark psychological thrillers, your readers will feel confused, and confused readers don’t click.
Where to find partners:
List size matters, but engagement matters more.
Ask:
Industry averages (per Mailchimp benchmarks) hover around 35-40% open rates for publishing-related lists, but engaged indie author lists often exceed that.
(Source: Mailchimp Email Marketing Benchmarks)
A 2,000-subscriber list with 50% opens can outperform a 10,000 list with 15% opens.
Before you send anything, confirm:
Clarity prevents awkward follow-ups later.
This is where many swaps fall flat.
Instead of:
“Please check out my friend’s book.”
Try:
“If you love small-town romance with a grumpy hero and found family vibes, this one might be your next late-night read.”
Focus on:
You’re not doing a favor; you’re making a recommendation.
After the swap:
If it works, build a long-term relationship.
If it doesn’t, adjust genre alignment or placement next time.
Cross promotion is iterative, not magical.
A box set is a collection of books, often from multiple authors, packaged together at a compelling price (or free for a limited time).
Box sets are particularly effective in:
Box sets can be one of the most powerful forms of cross promotion, but only if executed strategically.
Let’s break this down.
1. Multi-Author Themed Box Sets
What it is:
A collection of full-length novels or novellas from different authors centered around a shared theme.
Examples:
How to Create One
Step 1: Identify a clear theme
Step 2: Assemble 5–15 authors
Step 3: Assign Roles
You’ll need a:
Clarity avoids chaos.
2. Shared-Universe Box Sets
What it is:
Multiple authors write stories set in the same fictional world.
These work especially well in:
Why They Work
Readers who love immersive worlds are highly engaged. A shared universe encourages binge behavior and reader loyalty.
3. Limited-Time Promotional Box Sets
These are often:
Authors sometimes aim for:
Important note:
Visibility strategies should focus on sustainable reader acquisition, not vanity rankings.
Here’s the simplified roadmap:
1. Choose Your Goal
Is your primary goal:
Your goal determines pricing and ad strategy.
2. Standardize Quality
Agree on:
Readers notice inconsistency immediately.
3. Use a Central Distribution Strategy
Most box sets are published under:
Coordinate:
4. Layer Your Marketing
Here’s where cross-promotion shines.
Each participating author should:
Then consider amplifying with:
Remember, stacked strategies outperform isolated ones.
❌ Too many genres in one set
❌ Poor communication among authors
❌ No central marketing plan
❌ Ignoring long-term read-through strategy
An author webinar is a live (or recorded) online event where multiple authors teach, discuss, or present around a shared topic.
Examples:
Readers who attend webinars are high-intent fans—not casual scrollers.
Cross-promotion is a relationship business. Treat it that way.
✅ Promote only what you’d recommend yourself
✅ Respect your audience’s inbox
✅ Deliver on your side of the agreement
✅ Say thank you (it goes a long way)
🚩 Genre mismatch
🚩 Ghosting after the promo
🚩 Overloading readers with swaps
Let’s be clear: this is not an either/or situation.
| Strategy | Best For |
| Cross-Promotion | Trust-building, long-term growth |
| Email Promos | Immediate visibility & scale |
| Facebook Ads | Precision targeting without DIY stress |
The strongest results often come from layering strategies; cross-promotion supported by effective marketing promotions & ads.
An author schedules a newsletter swap the day before a genre-matched email promo.
Result:
A fantasy box set is promoted using Facebook Ads to readers already proven to enjoy the genre.
Result:
Even smart authors stumble here. Learn from their bruises.
❌ Promoting outside your genre
❌ Treating swaps as transactional instead of relational
❌ Forgetting to track results
❌ Overdoing it (less is more, friends)
Cross-promotion is when authors collaborate to promote each other’s books to aligned audiences through methods like newsletter swaps, box sets, or webinars.
Look for authors in:
Yes, when done thoughtfully, sparingly, and with strong genre alignment.
Often yes, though some collaborations involve shared costs (like ads or box set production).
Cross-promotion works best when it’s part of a bigger plan, not a one-off experiment.
If you’re ready to, try the following:
💬 Over to you:
What cross-promotion strategy has worked best for you, or which one are you excited to try next?
If you found this helpful, feel free to share it with an author friend. Cross-promotion starts with conversation, after all. 📚✨