Virtually all legacy media, such as TV stations, newspapers, and magazines, have become hybrid today, which means they exist in their original format and online. If you're an author looking for book promotion ideas, keep them in mind. You can do a lot with your website, blog, podcasts, and social media, but you reach large new audiences quickly through media. It also helps when other people talk about you in addition to your self-promotion. It shows that effective book promotion today relies on a combination of time-honored and newer methods – you benefit from visibility in all channels.

One thing to remember when seeking coverage from legacy media is the shrinkage that's occurred in recent years. As audiences have shifted, there have been staff cuts, and people are stretched thinly. Therefore, when vying for media attention and coverage, you're up against greater competition because fewer people exist. It's why some publicists have resorted to having their authors become media content contributors. Writing freelance articles is a way in the door, and when you're bylined as the writer, you can include your book's title in the author's ending credit.

The value of any media is the size of, and connection to, its audience. When you're mentioned or interviewed, it occurs where the audience already has interest and trust. There is a spillover effect on you and your book. The audience becomes your audience, and when you do well, you spark their interest in you and your book. It explains why publicity and PR have been mainstays of book promotion for decades. The internet has added many more possibilities and is a powerful force to combine with legacy media attention. It's helpful to have a formula that works best for your book.

If you're an author about to work with a publicist, be clear about the goals for your PR campaign. Their sales goals will also matter if you're working with a publishing house. A PR campaign can take many directions. For example, many self-published non-fiction authors use their books to gain personal and business publicity. Its value can far outweigh the income book sales it will generate. So, PR campaigns for authors with those priorities take on a different meaning than for traditionally published novelists only looking to sell books. You can quickly see the extent of the opportunities.