Social media for traditionally published authors
Please find the intro of this series on Marketing for Authors here.
The social media landscape has changed a lot in recent years. Twitter is now X. Authors left X in droves. Hive became a thing. Mastodon became a thing. Threads became a thing. Bluesky became a thing. And TikTok definitely became a thing.
Social media is one of those areas that authors feel tremendous pressure about. As publishers have downsized, authors feel an increasing expectation to undertake their own marketing. And more often than not, the outcome of this is authors posting a lot on social media.
This can feel a little like shouting into a void. The pressure to create content and amass followers, then the disappointment that inevitably follows when a social media post doesn’t result in dozens of books sold, is a topic frequently raised in author groups.
In order to help navigate this social sea, I’ve written out some questions I’d like you to consider.
[I’ll caveat this by saying that, if you look at my own author social profiles, you will be unimpressed. I personally don’t do a great job at following my own advice. But I’m qualified to give that advice because I’ve been working in social media in the entertainment industry for 10 years, and in that time I’ve learned a lot of things from people smarter than me. Now, on to the questions!]
- Who are you speaking to?
This is a question with a lot of different answers, so I’m not here to tell you the “right way.” But I do want you to think about different approaches, and what their effects might be.
On Twitter, I see a lot of authors following other authors. This is great, but it isn’t the only way to use social media. Are you also following librarians? Booksellers? Teachers? If you’re following influencers, are you only following those with huge followings, or are you following people with smaller followings but who are more likely to interact with you directly? Are you looking for crumbs of validation from people you admire, or are you forming actual meaningful relationships?
Ask yourself: “who are the people most likely to buy my books?” The real answer is: people who care about me, who like what I do, and who want to support me. Is that other authors? Very possibly, yes. But there are others who are ready to become your fan, if you engage with them.
2. How often do you engage with other people’s content?
Are you commenting on other people’s posts, or are you mostly posting yourself? And when you comment, are you doing so in a way that actually forges relationships? Are you interacting with others in ways that offers something in addition to requesting something?
Be generous with people (not with money, but with your care and attention). Think of your followers like your family and friends — they’re the ones who are likely to actually buy your book when you ask it. But don’t be the friend who only ever talks about themself, be the friend who gives as well as takes. Find the people most likely to act like your exuberant aunt who comments all over Facebook about your book. Then show that person that you’re interested in what they have to say.
3. What is your goal?
You’re probably rolling your eyes right now. “My goal is to sell books!”
Is it?
Because a lot of the content I see authors make is at odds with this goal. If you aren’t speaking to people who are likely to buy your book, if you aren’t forming relationships with them, you aren’t likely to sell books (except on TikTok — more on that in a minute). People might follow you because they like your pretty photos, or they enjoy your sassy takes, but that doesn’t mean they will resonate with your fiction.
Here’s your real goal: to build a community. By building a community, you will reap so much more than just books sold. You’ll gain people’s support in a variety of ways, whether they’re requesting your library purchase a copy of your book, or leaving reviews on Amazon, or just being an ear to listen to your triumphs and frustrations.
4. What platforms are you on?
Here’s my obligatory reminder that you don’t need to be on every platform. Save your sanity. Preserve that time for actually writing books.
So what platforms should you choose? The answer is based on two things: the kinds of content you enjoy making, and where your readers are.
TikTok is particularly great for romance and YA/Adult fantasy. There are people who manage to make picture books work, but the audience for picture books on TikTok is not as ravenous as BookTok. TikTok is the rare social media platform that is less about building community and more about being the right type of book for the audience, with the right kind of hook. To be honest, TikTok also evolves so rapidly that I’m reluctant to offer any more advice on it (it’s possible my information above is already out of date). If you’re interested in TikTok, seek out groups where you can learn from those having success with it. They’re generous with their time.
It’s possible that the communities you are speaking to use a number of different platforms, so that’s where your content comes in. Photos and videos will lead you toward TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Writing will lead you toward Reddit or one of the Twitter replacements, or — hear me out — writing a newsletter. Yes, I consider having a newsletter as part of your social media strategy. Because a newsletter follows the same principles of working to build a community, and working to give as much as you take. Bet you weren’t expecting that one! (Also: podcasts fit in this category too, by the way).
Go where you are naturally inclined to go, and make what you are naturally inclined to make. If it becomes too much of a chore, you won’t invest the time needed to actually make the most out of the platform. It’ll be hard work regardless, but hopefully you’ll dread it less.
In conclusion. . .
All of the above means something that’s very important, something I hope you’ll remember even if you forget everything else: it is better to have a small but passionate following than a large but disengaged following. So don’t feel pressured about follower numbers — those won’t stop a publisher from buying your book. Form communities. And remember that those communities want to read your books.
If you find any of this useful, please consider sharing, or check out my books A Wolf for a Spell and The Song of the Swan.
