Social Media for Authors

It is evident that social media has come to stay, therefore; authors must learn to acclimatize to it in other to leverage its advantages. Social media is a powerful avenue for learning, networking, influencing, and marketing for an author when used strategically.

As a published author and one that uses social media, I must tell you that it increases your visibility and helps you get in contact with more people – sellers, readers, reviewers, publishers and many more.

Today, social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, et cetera, exist and they are viable means for you to use and get your book and self to the public.

The main essence of social media is to connect with people but many authors fail in this because they are only focused on selling their books. To make excellent use of social media and get its full benefits, these simple but timeless steps below will help you.

✔ Choose your preferred Social Network

Writing a book is very tasking and as an author, trying to be active on all social media networks can be very overwhelming therefore; I advice you choose one or more social sites that suit you and maximize the platforms.

Among all the social networks I am more activate on Facebook and Twitter when compared to other sites that I have an account on. You can open an account on other social network sites in other to boost your Google presence but stay active on your preferred ones.

✔  Create a Great Profile

Your social media profile is like your ad or a business card. It should be simple and striking in such a way that it motivates people to add, like, circle, subscribe and follow you. It is not a guarantee for success but it sure can help. It should send a message that you are a competent and trustworthy person. Use a good picture of your face for your profile picture.

✔ Connect, Don’t Just Communicate

Many people communicate but only few connect. To build a tribe on social media, you must work effectively to understand the users.

Remember, they are human and have needs so, do things that will enrich their lives and not make them regret crossing your path. Be human! Do not be like those authors who log into a social media site bombarding everyone to buy their books. Touch a heart before you ask for a hand.

✔ Engage Constructively Via Contents

To get respectable attention on social media, you must mindfully craft your posts. Be thoughtful and share contents that will impact lives positively. You can share your views on topical issues, excerpts from your published or soon to be released book. To make your post more appealing, you can add photo, link, or video to it. Study your tribe and this will help you to come up with contents that suit them.

Don’t just make posts and run away, find time to go through the comments, answer questions, and commend anyone who makes a good input.

✔ Appreciate Your Audience

Anything that is not appreciated dies while the one that is appreciated thrives. From a personal experience, I can tell you that people feel at home with you when they sense that you truly want to help them and not just sell your product to them.

I tell authors to appreciate the audience they have on social media because an attitude of gratitude causes a greater rain of blessings.

Help those who follow you on social media. Your help can be through answering their questions, sending a personal message of appreciation to them or a free book give away.

These kinds of gestures makes your audience know that you appreciate their time and I tell you, they will selflessly buy and publicize your book.

“A recent study I did on books that are making it into the Amazon bestseller ranking within the last two years, especially eBooks shows that the authors are great social media enthusiast.”

We are living in a world gone social; it is expedient that authors embrace social media, no matter their genre.