5 Social Media Tips for Authors
It’s always good to go back to some basics when it comes to social media. At Smith Publicity, we view social media as an important component of a book marketing campaign. Is it imperative to be active on social media when you have a book? No – certainly not, but robust, properly handled social media platforms absolutely help spread the word about a book and author.
- Remember, author social media is not only about your book; it’s about building your author brand and getting to know your fans and interacting with them. Check out your favorite authors or other authors in your genre to see how they are interacting with reviewers, other authors, media and fans.
- Don’t use social media as a way to just tell people to buy your book–this won’t work! Remember that it’s about connecting, engaging, and sharing information
- It takes time to grow your social media following – it will not happen overnight.
Start with one or two platforms (we like Twitter) get comfortable before expanding to others. - There is a balance between posting too much and posting too little—find it. Use free tools such at HootSuite to schedule messaging and learn the best time to interact with your audiences.
- Social media sites are just like big search engines. Use key interest phrases and keywords related to your book so people searching for what you write about can find you.