For authors · Guide
Need a book trailer, but you’re not a video editor?
Video is how books get noticed on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube Shorts. But a trailer usually means templates, stock footage, music licenses and hours in an editor, or paying someone else to do it.
Write one sentence. LocalBooks does the rest.
Your pitch is one or two sentences that make someone want to read your book, without spoilers. LocalBooks builds a 10-second trailer from your cover, title, name and pitch.
Every time it plays it gets a new look: a different layout, colors taken from your cover, and different motion. You don’t design anything, and you can’t pick a look. Only your pitch is saved.
Where your trailer plays
From time to time, signed-in readers reading other books on LocalBooks see a trailer, matched to the genres and places they read. One tap saves your book to their bookshelf.
It also plays on your book’s page, behind “Watch the trailer”.
100 free views
Every book’s trailer plays in the reader until it has been watched to the end 100 times. After that it stops playing in the reader, and readers can still watch it on your book’s page. Your own viewings don’t count.
A video for social media
Click “Make a video” and your browser records a 14-second vertical video (1080×1920): the 10-second trailer plus an end card that points people to LocalBooks.app. It’s ready for Instagram Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts and Facebook.
It has no sound on purpose: add music in the app when you post. Don’t like this one? “Another version” records a new look.
What you see
Your trailer section shows how many free views are left, how often it was watched to the end, and how many readers saved your book. Totals only, never who.
How to make a book trailer on LocalBooks
Open your book
In My books, open the book and find its Trailer section.
Write your pitch
One or two sentences, 20 to 220 characters. Make readers curious; skip the spoilers.
Preview it
Watch the preview, and click “Show another look” to see how varied it is.
Save your pitch
Click “Save pitch”. Your trailer starts playing for readers of similar books.
Make a video
Click “Make a video”, keep the tab open for about 15 seconds, then download it. Use the latest Safari, Chrome or Edge on a computer.
Post it
Upload the video to Reels, TikTok or Shorts, and add music there.
What it costs
Free: the trailer, its 100 views in the reader, and as many videos as you like.
Questions
Can I choose how my trailer looks?
No. Every showing gets a new random look, so you only write the pitch.
What happens after the free views?
Your trailer stops playing in the reader. It still plays on your book’s page.
Does a new pitch reset my free views?
No. You can change your pitch anytime, and moderators look over each new one.
Does my trailer play inside my own book?
No. Trailers never play in free samples, or for the book’s own author.
Why doesn’t the video have sound?
So you can add music in the app when you post, from its own library.
Need a book trailer, but you’re not a video editor?