Whether you’re releasing a book about marketing or that novel you’ve been fiddling with since college (don’t worry—I have one of those too!), social media will help you excite audiences and ratchet up sales. On Social Media Examiner, Michael Stelzner delivers 9 Ways to Use Social Media to Launch a Book.

Anyone who’s tried the traditional book promotion route knows that it’s a hard road that hinges on getting the right publication to publish a glowing review. Now, social media channels, from Facebook to YouTube, give authors a whole new suite of tools to spread the word. Here are two of Michael’s gotta-have tips:

• Embed a Retweet button in a free chapter. To promote his book, Launch: How to Quickly Propel Your Business Beyond the Competition, he embedded a Retweet button that sent the message: “I’m reading @mike_stelzner’s new book: Launch! Get the 1st chapter free here: http://bit.ly/kipZZK.” Result? 27,000+ people clicked on the link within 2 weeks.
• Connect with influencers via a promotion. Michael also used social media to connect with online influencers. He published a post called How Bloggers Can Use Book Reviews to Connect with Experts, which shared the why’s and how’s of blogging a book review. The end of his entry read: “I’m inviting up to 50 bloggers to review my new book on their blog and receive an extra copy they can give away to their readers. Here’s how you could win two free copies of my book…” It’s a super-savvy tactic that makes me want to bow down in my best Wayne’s World posture and shout “We’re not worthy!”

Whether your upcoming book is about business or boating, his tips for building a social media strategy for the launch is a must-read.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to listen to “a little Bohemian Rhapsody.”