So You’re an Author Without a Social Media Presence: Now What?

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When I activity pinch authors who person a book motorboat coming up, and they’ve truthful acold kept societal media retired of their life, 3 questions instantly arise:

1. Do I person to usage societal media?
2. If so, which societal media sites should I use?
3. What should I do connected societal media?

There’s an unfortunate Catch-22 for each writer successful this situation: If your only information to usage societal media is that you consciousness you must to marketplace and beforehand your book, your efforts are apt to beryllium undercut by your ain means-to-an-end approach. Your connection whitethorn grounds little curiosity and liking successful others, and beryllium much focused connected book sales—not to mention you’ll beryllium entering societal environments wherever you’re a alien successful a unusual land, unaware of nan section “language,” etiquette aliases history. For first-time authors especially, nan existing societal media organization is seldom clamoring for you to subordinate them and talk astir your book, unless you already person an assemblage aliases readership (a developed platform) done immoderate different means.

However, to disregard societal media wholly is to disregard wherever nan mostly of your intended readership is astir apt showing up connected a regular basis. It’s an opportunity to study astir your readership arsenic good arsenic amended found your platform—but not needfully an opportunity to difficult waste nan book you’re astir to merchandise (assuming that merchandise is little than six aliases 12 months away). It takes clip to create relationships and build trust—to beryllium to a community—through societal media. Just arsenic you wouldn’t inquire personification for $20 correct aft gathering them astatine a party, you wouldn’t inquire group connected societal media to make a acquisition correct aft becoming acquainted.

So wherever does that time off you?

Take nan agelong view—which is ever your champion stake pinch immoderate societal media activity. Let’s reply those 3 questions much directly.

Do authors person to usage societal media?

No. If you hate, dread, avoid, aliases obstruction against societal media, don’t usage it. There are different things you tin do: constitute impermanent posts aliases articles for websites and blogs, beryllium a impermanent connected podcasts aliases vlogs, do your ain audio aliases video content, thatch online classes, shape in-person events aliases signings, participate connected backstage connection boards, beryllium a impermanent astatine book clubs, and scope retired straight to group successful your web done a individual email (which is ever underestimated and undervalued arsenic a trading and promotion tool).

Assuming you person nan funds, you tin besides prosecute personification to create and negociate societal media accounts for you. It won’t beryllium inexpensive complete nan agelong run, and it whitethorn not springiness you overmuch return connected investment, but if it seems a “must” that you person something (because your patient aliases supplier says so), then prosecute retired its attraction and maintenance. You won’t beryllium unsocial successful doing so.

Which networks should authors use?

There isn’t a azygous reply to this mobility that useful for each author. It depends connected nan work(s) you’re writing, what your strengths and interests are, and wherever your assemblage mightiness champion beryllium engaged.

However, Facebook is by acold nan biggest societal media web and is considered nan astir important for authors of general-interest useful that entreaty to nan accepted demographic of book buyers (adult women). For an writer looking to scope nan astir group successful 1 place, and summation fantabulous trading insights and advertizing opportunities, it’s difficult to do better.

To summation much penetration connected utilizing Facebook:

• Facebook for Authors: Getting Started Guide
• The Pros and Cons of Using a Facebook Profile But Not an Official Business Page
• Best Practices for Author Facebook Pages and Groups

If you’re trying to scope a younger demographic, aliases if your contented is very ocular aliases multimedia driven, past it’s worthy considering Instagram aliases Pinterest. Pinterest particularly is simply a beardown prime for nonfiction activity successful nan categories of crafting, location decor, fashion, and different stereotypically female-dominated liking areas. Serious nonfiction writers and journalists—or those penning thing pinch a predominant existent events angle—should see Twitter.

What should authors do connected societal media?

Whenever I’m asked this, my mind goes blank, possibly because it’s for illustration asking maine really you should beryllium arsenic a person. Or what you should do pinch your free time. Or what you should beryllium funny aliases attraction about. I person nary idea.

As is often repeated, it’s called societal media because it’s expected to beryllium social. When authors inquire maine “What should I post?” they’re apt reasoning there’s immoderate trading playbook aliases strategy guideline they request to travel successful bid to nutrient results. While that tin beryllium existent erstwhile you person a instauration established—once you person activity retired there, immoderate benignant of following, and a readership that’s willing successful what books you’re releasing next—at nan opening stages of your activity, what you should station is simply a reasonably individual consideration. Mostly, it needs to beryllium sustainable, aliases thing you tin proceed doing indefinitely. Social media rewards you showing up, consistently, pinch a voice, personality, aliases connection that will go identified pinch you complete time. If you only show up erstwhile you person a book to promote, you’re not going to beryllium effective. If you only show up to talk astir yourself, you’re not going to beryllium effective. If you only show up because you’ve been told to, you’re going to go boring aliases insufferable—the No. 1 cardinal misdeed of societal media.

Once you do person a baseline of interest, present are immoderate posts to thief you go much strategical successful your use:

• How to Be Active connected Social Media Without Losing Your Mind
• How to Run Short-Term Social Media Campaigns
• How to Use Facebook Contests and Giveaways to Build a Fanbase
• When Less Is More connected Social Media

Parting advice

There’s a ton of bad proposal retired location astir book trading and promotion, and tons of it relates to societal media. While there’s nary harm successful copying different authors’ approaches aliases strategies connected societal media, aliases experimenting pinch nan proposal you publication aliases perceive about, I find that each writer yet has to travel up pinch their ain unsocial approach—which evolves complete clip arsenic your profession grows and arsenic your acquisition grows. Plus, nan societal networks themselves are ever-changing, and everyone has to accommodate their techniques complete time. Probably nan champion mindset to person erstwhile approaching societal media is elasticity and patience.

In nan end, societal media is conscionable 1 constituent of your author platform, and not needfully nan astir important component. It useful champion arsenic portion of a holistic book trading and promotion strategy.