Three Social Media Tips for Aspiring Authors: Guest Post from Avery Phillips
It’s not easy being a writer – from writer’s block to wondering where your next paycheck is coming from, the difficulties of being a writer are aplenty. One area in particular that lot of aspiring authors struggle with is the promotional side to being a writer. Today, with the overwhelming amount of information out there, getting your voice heard above all the noise takes real work. Social media is an integral part of any content marketing strategy and is one of the best ways to distribute your marketing message. If this sounds confusing to you, and you’re struggling to get your book out there, read on for some social media tips that will get the ball rolling.
It’s Not All
About You
Social media shouldn’t be used as a way to simply hype you/your newbook up and get sales. In an article on Bookbub, literary agent Eric Smith states “no one wants to hangout with that person at a party who is only talking about themselves. You know that person. They make every office party about them. We’ve heard the story of your vacation like a dozen times, Chet. Let someone else talk.” This should be your social media strategy in a nutshell.
Eighty percent of your social media efforts should involve
sharing blog posts, advice, recommendations, book reviews and boosting up
fellow authors. Only 20 percent of your efforts should be sales related: info
about your new book, where it’s available and such. If your social media feed
is all about you, all the time, it won’t engage an audience or build a
following — instead, people are likely to get bored with constantly hearing
about only you.
Don’t Forget the
Visuals
Online, you are competing with a lot of visual information. To be noticed, you need to ensure that your images and graphics capture people’s attention. Consider author Rupi Kaur, who built up a massive following on Instagram. Her short, heartfelt poems, paired with simple black-lined graphics on a white background, were a major hit among the Instagram community. She created something visually appealing while giving readers insight into her typeof writing. Eventually, Instagram acted as the perfect platform for the promotion of not just her first but also her second book.
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