When I first spoke the words, “I want to write a book,” I didn’t quite know what that meant. At the time, it simply meant crafting a story. But then as that story started to take shape, the focus turned to publishing that story. Soon later, publishing morphed into constructing a website, creating a table display for in-person book signings, planning out PR and media pitches, and (you guessed it) … building a social media strategy for my author brand.
As an author, you need it all. It’s not just about the story you want to tell. It’s how you’re going to get that story into the hands of readers worldwide.
I come from a marketing and public relations background, so luckily for me, the brand building part didn’t make me feel too much like a deer in the headlights. I’ve spent my fair share of time around social media and understand the importance of establishing a solid strategy. I’ve taught classes on it. I’ve presented at conferences about it. And I live and breathe my own advice when building out my own content.
Just last week I was asked to share my social media strategy advice with a group of higher education marketing professionals. So, I did—and that’s what prompted this blog because the skills are widely transferable. If you want to build a social media strategy for your author brand, here’s what you have to do:
Step 1: Set goals that make sense for you
The most common social media goals are to:
Increase you brand awareness
Generate leads
Grow your audience
Maintain connections
Boost engagement
Drive traffic to your website
Step 2: Research your target audience & select your platform(s) accordingly
Still the largest social media site; 3 billion people are on Facebook
Facebook algorithm prioritizes content that sparks conversations
Great for SEO; must have for brick-and-mortar establishments
Gold standard for social media ads
YouTube
Billions of hours of video consumed each day
Second largest social media site; second largest search engine behind Google
Popular with Generation Z and Millennials
Gold standard for social media ads
TikTok
Hyper-personalized algorithm
Fastest growing app in the world (overtook Google as most visited internet site)
Share videos up to 10-minutes long with trending audio, sound effects and filters
Popular for ages 10-29
Consumers in the U.S. spend the most time on TikTok
Fun Fact: According to the 2022 Sprout Social Index, 73% of users feel a deeper connection to brands they interact with on TikTok vs. other platforms
Showcase products and services through (staged) photos and videos
Instagram business profile provides rich data analytics
Meta owned; can connect directly to Facebook account
Popular with Millennials and Gen Z
More than just a job search engine and resume site
Great place to build your brand and network
Can use to establish thought leadership (share your blogs!)
Snapchat
Focus is on photos and short videos (snaps) shared between friends
Made vertical video popular for Instagram and TikTok
Not widely used for marketing purposes but still has potential for the right strategy and audience
X (Twitter)
Great for posts on news, entertainment, sports and politics
Emphasis on real-time information
280-character max
Controversial platform since Twitter transition
Step 3: Understand your metrics
Reach: number of users who saw your post
Impressions: total number of times your content appeared on a screen
Clicks: clicks on your content or account
Engagement: total number of interactions
Hashtag Performance: which were most used or best associated with your brand?
Organic vs. Paid Likes: organic growth is harder; what did you spend on ads?
Sentiment: how users react to your content, brand or hashtags
Step 4: Define your content strategy
It all boils down to your goals. But essentially, you have 3 key places to start in the book business:
Connect with readers
Network with fellow authors
Seek out partnerships and collaborations
Regardless of what you post, generate several hashtags to compliment your content. I will always include #julienavickas in any post. Other common hashtags include: #authorlife #writersofinstagram #authorsofinstagram #writerslife #ireadromance #romancenovels. Find what’s right for you and your book(s).
Step 5: Find your brand voice
One of the best ways to stand out on social media is to define your brand voice & style.
Be consistent
Stick to content themes
Themes can help you become more consistent and zero in on a content strategy that works. Examples:
Book reviews
Writing tips & education
Motivational quotes
Pull quotes & other book teasers
Memes
While those are your five key steps to building an effective social media strategy, you also need to consider content trends:
Stories and time-sensitive posts
Short form video
Posts that show off your human side (personal and personable content should be your cornerstone)
General Tips for Success
Assemble a content calendar (Later is a great tool!)
Post at 3 p.m. (Chicago time) - theoretically, the most people are active in each time zone
Evaluate and continually work to improve your strategy. Adapt. Look at your top-performing content
Repurpose/recycle content whenever you’re able
Create templates and folders in Canva to save time and stay organized
Call to action: ask your viewers to do something even if it’s just answer a question or visit a website
Engage: to grow, it’s not just about content creation; external engagement is just as important
Post content daily. Plan 1-2 weeks in advance; aim to post video 3-times per week
What did I miss? Do you have anything to add?
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