Julia Pidduck - Marketer
After 14 years working in UK publishing on titles ranging from thrillers to cookery, I want to help connect you to your readers
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Overview
Having spent 14 years working in the marketing departments of major publishing houses (including Random House and Hachette) on fiction and non-fiction, from big brands and celebrity authors to debut novels, I now work directly with authors to help establish and grow their audiences.
Online marketing can be daunting for an author, I will help you grow your readership through your online presence. I can advise on
- Navigating the world of social media - or even to decide which platforms are right for you,
- Email marketing strategy and building a mailing list
- How to optimise your website to attract new readers
- Metadata and Amazon product description.
I can also develop a personalised marketing strategy for your book and author brand, including ebook price promotions, and execute online advertising campaigns.
I also have extensive experience in running promotions offline, so am able to work with you on wider marketing and advertising.
Online marketing can be daunting for an author, I will help you grow your readership through your online presence. I can advise on
- Navigating the world of social media - or even to decide which platforms are right for you,
- Email marketing strategy and building a mailing list
- How to optimise your website to attract new readers
- Metadata and Amazon product description.
I can also develop a personalised marketing strategy for your book and author brand, including ebook price promotions, and execute online advertising campaigns.
I also have extensive experience in running promotions offline, so am able to work with you on wider marketing and advertising.
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs
Cooking & Food Wine & Spirits
Fiction
Historical Fiction
Mystery & Crime
Romance
Science Fiction
Thriller & Suspense
Women's Fiction
Awards
- Book Marketing Society: Highly Commended
- FutureBook Awards: Best Use of Digital in a Marketing Campaign (Shortlisted)
Work experience
Digital Marketing Consultant
Self-employed
November, 2017
–
Present
(over 2 years)
Digital Marketing Manager
The Roald Dahl Literary Estate
February, 2017
–
November, 2017
(9 months)
As part of a small team, I led and implemented digital marketing strategy for the Roald Dahl brand. This includes:
- Managing and developing brand social media channels
- Management and growth of email marketing program through targeted activity, analysis and optimisation
- Preparation for GDPR
- Working on COPPA compliance
- Sourcing and introduction of social media management and social listening platforms
- Regular auditing and analysis on all digital channels to inform future activity
- Building strong relationships with the digital marketing teams at the
Estate’s brand partners to maximise awareness and sales
I also worked closely with the Brand Marketing Manager and Marketing Director to develop and lead digital marketing campaigns such as Roald Dahl Day. I am responsible for using key promotional moments to deliver against business objectives, as well as to drive audience growth. This includes running online advertising campaigns including paid social activity, paid search and display, continually testing and optimising activity and post-campaign reporting
Senior Digital Marketing Manager
The Orion Publishing Group (Part of Hachette UK)
October, 2013
–
December, 2016
(about 3 years)
Moving into a specialist digital marketing role, I took on responsibility for the Group's digital marketing strategy across social media, email and content marketing, constantly analysing and optimising in order to increase performance. This included
- Responsibility for the annual digital marketing budget
- Overseeing the company's eCRM program across several lists and verticals
- Ensuring data collection and management adhered to legal requirements
In addition, I worked closely with the wider marketing team to plan and execute unique campaigns that targeted high-audience and high-share results. This included running paid social campaigns, search engine marketing, and online advertising.
Senior Marketing Manager
The Orion Publishing Group (Part of Hachette UK)
August, 2010
–
October, 2013
(about 3 years)
In this role I took responsibility for executing integrated audience-led campaigns - devising strategy, making plans against set objectives, managing budgets. I also worked closely with publicity and sales colleagues, as well as promoting titles to retailers to support the sales team and secure promotion for titles in-store.
I developed strong and fruitful relationships with third parties for promotion, as well as design, creative, planning and PR agencies. I was also responsible for effective communication with authors and agents.
Digital Marketing Officer
Walker Books, UK
April, 2010
–
August, 2010
(4 months)
Senior Marketing Executive
Virgin Books (Part of Ebury Publishing, Random House)
March, 2006
–
January, 2010
(almost 4 years)
Marketing Assistant
Little, Brown Book Group UK
March, 2004
–
March, 2006
(about 2 years)
Projects
Roald Dahl Day 2017
I worked with the Roald Dahl team and partners to promote Roald Dahl Day 2017 - to maintain the momentum from the Roald Dahl Centenary in the previous year which had been the biggest Roald Dahl Day yet, and to work with all brand partners to amplify messaging:
- Devised our key messages around Roald Dahl's heroes, focusing the activity around the child heroes in the stories, and introducing the new hero, Billy, in the re-release of Billy and the Minpins
- Promotion of the Roald Dahl party pack to parents and teachers across website, social media and email marketing to meet the download target
- Building relationships with key influencers to engage adults and encourage them to help a child be a hero on Roald Dahl Day
- Worked with Twitter to design and roll out a dedicated Twitter emoji for #RoaldDahlDay
- Worked with brand partners to ensure consistent messaging in keeping with themes and brand guidelines
- Managing social media around the day itself, sharing partner messaging, and all the themed activities.
- The result was the 2nd biggest Roald Dahl Day (the centenary year being the biggest)
Marketing Campaign for Where'd You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple
I devised and implemented a marketing campaign to support paperback publication of this critically acclaimed novel, capitalising on the reviews and word-of-mouth from the hardback publication. The marketing activity included:
- Twitter campaign - using the hashtag #WheresBernadette calling on followers to spot Bernadette in various locations to win prizes
- Advertising campaign on London Underground - using the eye-catching cover artwork to increase recognition and featuring the incredible review quotes
- Takeover on Stylist.co.uk Books pages
- Mumsnet book of the month: advertising, giveaway and web chat with the author
Ian Rankin - Author website and digital marketing strategy
Working with an external web development agency, I devised and managed the relaunch of author Ian Rankin’s official website. The project focused on SEO opportunities and providing an improved user journey, as well as a more engaging experience for visitors. As a result, the site saw a 14% increase in unique users, a 5% increase in traffic from organic search and a 14% increase in session duration in the six months after the relaunch.
I also conceived a new digital marketing strategy designed to build awareness ahead of the release of Ian's new novel, which resulted in his highest pre-order and publication day sales up to that point.
Julian Fellowes's Belgravia
From the writer of Downton Abbey, Julian Fellowes' Belgravia was a serialised story originally sold online direct to consumers worldwide and read via the dedicated app or website.
In order to promote the series, we needed to access fans of Julian Fellowes and Downton Abbey, and to build a captive audience ahead of the release of the first episode.
As part of a close-knit, busy team working on I played a key role in building awareness among the target audience, establishing a Facebook following of 22,000 and an email marketing list of 16,000 subscribers.
I also devised and led a detailed, data-led eCRM programme throughout the series and beyond
Portfolio (9 selected works)
Gone Girl
Gillian Flynn
THE ADDICTIVE No.1 BESTSELLER AND INTERNATIONAL PHENOMENONOVER 20 MILLION COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDETHE BOOK THAT DEFINES PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLERWho are you?What have we done to each other?These are the questions Nick Dunne finds himself asking on the morning of his fifth wedding anniversary, when his wife Amy suddenly disappears. The police suspect Nick. Amy's friends reveal that she was afraid of ... read more
'A wonderful read. Fellowes is as witty as ever, yet again capturing those discerning older, upper-class women perfectly... a modern classic that will fill any Downton-shaped hole' DAILY EXPRESSJulian Fellowes's Belgravia is the story of a secret. A secret that unravels behind the porticoed doors of London's grandest postcode. Set in the 1840s when the upper echelons of society began to rub sh... read more
'Like A VISIT FROM THE GOON SQUAD written by Tina Fey' Sam Baker, RED MAGAZINEShortlisted for the 2013 Women's Prize for FictionA NEW YORK TIMES bestsellerCOMING SOON: The film adaptation, directed by Richard Linklater and starring Cate Blanchett, Kristen Wiig and Billy Crudup Bernadette Fox is notorious. To Elgie Branch, a Microsoft wunderkind, she's his hilarious, volatile, talented, trouble... read more
Ceviche: Peruvian Kitchen
Martin Morales
Making ceviche is a serious business in Lima - and restaurateur Martin Morales, whose top Soho restaurant opened to wide acclaim in 2012, has travelled the length of Peru to find the best recipes, and the length of Britain to find the freshest fish. From sizzling barbecued anticuchos, superfood quinoa salads, giant corn choclos, juicy saltados and lucuma ice - CEVICHE brings the unique and del... read more
The Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (2013-04-11)
Carlos Ruiz Zafon
'Britain's No.1 crime writer' Mirror * * * * *A CASE THAT WON'T DIEJohn Rebus can't close the door on the death of glamorous socialite Maria Turquand. Brutally murdered in her hotel room forty years ago, her killer has never been found.Meanwhile, Edinburgh's dark heart is up for grabs. Young pretender Darryl Christie may have staked his claim on the city's underworld - but has criminal masterm... read more
Song of the Skylark
Erica James
Lizzie has an unfortunate knack for attracting bad luck, but this time she's hit the jackpot. Losing her heart to her boss at the radio station where she works leads directly to losing her job, and with no money in the bank she's forced to swallow her pride and return home to her parents. As if that wasn't bad enough, her mother finds her work at the local care home for the elderly, and it's t... read more
Business Stripped Bare: Adventures of a Global Entrepreneur
Richard Branson
In Business Stripped Bare, Sir Richard Branson shares the inside track on his life in business and reveals the incredible truth about his most risky, brilliant and audacious deals. Discover why Virgin tried to take on one of the world's biggest superbrands, how Virgin Mobile USA holds the record as the fastest company in history to generate revenues of over one billion dollars (faster than Mic... read more
Live to Tell (Detective D.D. Warren 4)
Lisa Gardner
The fourth book in the Detective D.D. Warren series from The Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller Lisa Gardner. WHAT ARE THE CHANCES YOU'LL LIVE TO TELL WHAT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN TO YOU? The Irish Independent says this novel 'could cause sleepless nights'. Are you ready?In one night of terrifying violence, four members of a family are brutally murdered, leaving the father - a possible susp... read more
Julia has 10 reviews
Professionalism
Professionalism
Quality
Quality
Value
Value
Communication & Punctuality
Communication & Punctuality
Ms. Pidduck was nice but I did not get the most value from her services. I would recommend doing Amazon ads and blurbs on your own.
Paa-Kofi Obeng, December 2019
The collaboration with Julia was on my first novel, so much in the business of fiction marketing is new to me. Julia combined knowledge and professionalism, with consideration of my beginner status. The effect was reassuring and supportive. I would unhesitatingly recommend her to any other author.
Jake Lynch, June 2019
Julia was fantastic. She presented a clear plan and helped me understand it thoroughly. She was always super prepared for our Skype meetings and was extremely patient with me. I would highly recommend her to anyone trying to negotiate the maze of promotion and marketing. Thank you, Julia!
Randall Reyman, May 2019
Reply from Julia Pidduck
Julia is clearly an expert on FB and AMZ ads and that was the task in hand...
Got a series of 19 books, a new one coming out and thoughts about a campaign with a price drop on volume 1. I've got some experience of Ads but not as detailed as it could be.
Julia advised on effective Graphics, organised, placed and managed all the ads, adapting them as we went along - and keeping in touch about ...
Read more
Howard Matthews, May 2019
Reply from Julia Pidduck
It was a gift to find Julia Pidduck on Reedsy and to work with her. I tasked her with taking a look at the full scope of my author presence and the marketing of my three novels. She has been thoughtful, a pleasure to work with, and a highly skilled professional. I will be implementing ALL of the suggestions she made, and will very likely be working with her in the future.
Barbara Monier, April 2019
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