Winning Social Media Strategies for Authors

Our title, today, assumes that you – the author – are already planning to or using social media to publicize your book.

If you aren’t, then the time to begin is NOW – even if you’re not finished writing your book!

Why? Well, social media is where you will find most of your most-probable readers – as they visit these sites daily – often several times a day.

Meeting them there allows you to learn about them, interact with them and, establish your relationship with them. It’s not a quick way to sell books, but like everything in the sales cycle, you need to invest the time to develop your relationships with your audience and build their trust in you.

Belonging to and interacting with your audience within at least their ‘Big Four’ social media communities can do this – if you are properly using these strategies:

1. Use Multiple Platforms – While the number of social media platforms expands daily, you should consider at least these top four:
   • Facebook – On the world’s leading social networking site, you can create an author page – with photos, contact information, and other details – to share with your network of potential readers. You can use it to link to your blog posts, videos, and website content and to generate discussion about your book.
   • Instagram – Instagram is quickly becoming the new social media place for writers, especially those trying to reach a younger audience. You can take advantage of this by posting photos, engaging in giveaways, and using hashtags to attract followers. As with Facebook, you can also repost content from others and engage with your followers.
   • YouTube – This video-sharing site allows users to upload, view, share, and comment on videos. You can post influencer-interview videos about your latest book and the thought process that went into it.
   • Twitter – Use Twitter to share content from your blog, website, video channel and other social media sites. It is an effective way to showcase content that you are already creating.

2. Schedule Your Posts – Take the time to schedule all of your posts on a well-coordinated schedule and avoid over-sharing. Posting ten tweets or Facebook posts in five minutes turns your stream into looking like spam. Automating your posts, too, depersonalizes them into looking like spam. As your posts draw comments, however, welcome them with personalized responses.

3. Create Groups on Facebook – Yes, Facebook is still the most prominent and farthest-reaching social media network (and perhaps the most important) for authors. On it, you can invite readers into your group for discussion and ‘inside-information’ – the latest news about your upcoming book, special events, giveaways, and more … creating powerful participant-bonding.

4. Post About More Than Books – You can interact with readers by getting them involved in your message and its publicity – carefully. While sharing your opinions on your topic is acceptable and exhibits your personality, avoid heated discussions / arguments about hot-button, off-topic issues (especially off-topic politics, religion, etc. stuff) which will reflect poorly on you and ultimately damage your brand.

5. Pay Attention to Your Design – Today’s social media users look for posts that are aesthetically appealing, tasteful, have character, and contain useful content. Remember, the design of your posts reflects on your brand, so make it represent you consistently – and well.

6. Interact with Your Readers and Other Authors – Your goal is to build a platform that reaches your past and present loyal readers while exciting the interest of future readers. Focus on growing an audience that leaps to see your new email or post. You certainly don’t want them to leap over it like clutter in their inbox. 

LEARN MORE

While reaching out and interacting with readers via social media, don’t forget about interacting with other authors on their sites. Most are supportive and willing to help us, so take advantage of that – and return it when you can. Realize, of course, that other authors aren’t your target market, but they can be a helpful source of encouragement, ideas, and support for you – which they will appreciate from you, too.

As an author, your target audience lives on social media. No matter their age, they regularly visit Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and other social media sites, so you don’t just be there – be there to engage with them! At Leadership Book, we not only publish your book, but our marketing department helps you develop and implement a winning social strategy. Contact us today at Leadership Book and let’s get started! Why wait?

 

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If you have a story to tell, let Leadership Book help you tell it!

Leadership Books Publishing is an emerging powerhouse in book publishing. We’ve joined the two worlds of traditional and self-publishing into one company that can help do it all. Our capabilities and relationships allow us to create targeted and integrated book campaigns that mobilize high-profile contacts in your niche, capitalize on word-of-mouth marketing through social marketers, and extend your reach into the most prominent media publications. Our authors have the unparalleled service of an Executive Editor, one who will work with you in putting your story ideas into book form. Once that’s completed, our professional designers will work with you to design the cover and interior to make your book ready to sell.

Leadership Book markets your book by distributing to every major book seller on three continents.

About Michael Stickler

To set up an appointment to speak to a Literary Agent:
Email: Alfredo Baguio
Call: (702) 605-4354