A book trailer is worth the investment when your genre and audience are visually and video-driven (YA, fantasy, thriller, and books with strong social media crossover tend to benefit most), and less worth it for genres where readers make decisions primarily through text: reviews, descriptions, and word of mouth. It's an optional tactic, not a universal requirement, and a mediocre trailer can do less for you than no trailer at all.
This is part of the Complete Guide to Book Marketing.
A trailer can convey atmosphere and tone in a way text can't, useful for genres where mood is a major selling point, and it tends to perform well on video-first platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, where it can reach readers browsing video content rather than text. It also gives you shareable content for your own marketing, social posts, your website, and press outreach, and it signals genre quickly to someone scrolling past, similar to what a cover does, but with motion and sound.
A trailer doesn't substitute for reviews, a strong book description, or a compelling cover, all of which matter more to a reader actually deciding whether to buy. It also doesn't reliably drive direct sales on its own; its role is closer to supporting awareness and shareability than closing a sale.
YA and New Adult tend to respond well, since that audience is often already active on video platforms. Fantasy and science fiction can benefit too, since visual worldbuilding and atmosphere translate effectively to video, as can thriller and horror, where tension and mood come across well in a short format. More generally, any book with a strong visual hook, a distinctive setting, a striking premise, or content that lends itself to compelling imagery, is a reasonable candidate.
Literary fiction is a common example, since readers there often decide based on prose style, reviews, and reputation more than visual marketing. Business, self-help, and much nonfiction are another, since the value proposition is usually better communicated through text, what the book teaches, what problem it solves, than through mood or imagery. Memoir sits in between: it adds less value unless there's a strong, specific visual or narrative hook a trailer could uniquely convey.
These are general patterns, not rules. A well-executed trailer for an unlikely genre can still work; a poorly executed one for an ideal genre can still fall flat.
Keep it short: most effective book trailers run well under two minutes, often closer to 30-60 seconds for social platforms specifically. It should be genre-accurate, matching the tone, pacing, and visual style readers expect from your category, the same principle that applies to cover design, and clear rather than vague, since a trailer that's all mood and no substance can leave viewers unsure what the book is actually about. Include a clear call to action, where to find or buy the book, and make sure the execution is professional; shaky footage, poor audio, or amateurish text can undercut the professionalism a good cover and description already built.
Once you have one, use it across your author website, social media (particularly video-native platforms), your email signature, press kits sent to journalists and bloggers, and, where the platform allows, directly on your book's retail listing.
A trailer is one of the more expensive marketing tactics to do well, and a poorly made one may not be worth even a small investment. If budget is tight, prioritizing reviews, a strong book description, and an effective cover, all of which more directly influence a reader's purchase decision, often delivers more value than a trailer. See Low-Budget Book Marketing.
Considering a Book Trailer?
Entrada Publishing can help you decide whether a trailer fits your book and produce one that matches your genre and audience.
No. Trailers tend to work best for visually and video-driven genres like YA, fantasy, and thriller, and add less value for genres like literary fiction and much nonfiction, where readers decide based on text and reputation.
Most effective trailers run well under two minutes, often closer to 30-60 seconds, especially for social media platforms.
Not necessarily. A poorly executed trailer can undercut the professional impression your cover and description built. If budget is tight, other tactics (reviews, description, cover) often deliver more value.
Your website, social media (especially video platforms), email signature, press kits, and your book's retail listing where the platform allows video.