Why Writers Need Guidance in Using Social Media

Not only is the world evolving due to the pandemic, but technology also gives life to trends that people involve themselves with. Social media is slowly wrapping itself as part of our daily lives, including our businesses and other things. Writers find themselves in competitive publishing in our era today. Building an online presence and thriving inside an online community is necessary for marketing a book advertising nowadays; it gives you an edge and a chance to connect with your readers. This article provides a complete guide on traversing social media as a writer.

1. Choosing your social media platform. The number of social media platforms can be intimidating for one person. The key to selecting your social media platform is to know your audience. We provide you with a quick list of different social media platforms and the kind of audience they cater to:

a. Facebook – nonetheless one of the most popular social media platforms globally. Most users range from different age groups, with more male users between the ages of 25 and 34. Facebook is a wise choice when you are looking to build a community and interact with a large fanbase—Facebook groups are the best way to start!

b. Twitter – the most popular authors like Rick Riordan, Margaret Atwood, and John Green have their own Twitter accounts. This social media platform’s character limit and hashtags allow you to display your wit and reach more audiences that generally cater to middle-aged people. These are some hashtags to use: #amwriting, #writingcommunity, #WIP, #writerlife

c. Instagram – visual contents engage more audience; Instagram is also a perfect place to start your online presence. Female users also take over on this platform with huge numbers. Aside from this, you can also do giveaways to allow reader interaction.

d. Pinterest – like Instagram, Pinterest also focuses on visual content and works as a search engine that increases traffic for your book every day. It is one of the best sources to drive people to your site or products page in the long run since 80% of people buy products from Pinterest.

e. Tumblr – this social media platform is famous for fanbases where many users make posts viral. Users are primarily female, ranging from 18 to 34 years old, so make sure that your posts would most likely get reblogs from this target audience. Read more on how to use Tumblr for writers.

f. Other Social Media Platforms – there are various social media platforms that authors can use. Some of these are Goodreads, YouTube, and TikTok. Take your time exploring these platforms and see for yourself if they can work for your genre.

One thing to remember in choosing a social media platform is to become a master of one. It is realistic to think that you can handle 1 to 2 social media accounts for your writing career. If you want to have more than two, it’s best to consider recruiting social media managers. You must also think about the time you need to dedicate to writing your books; you don’t want to compromise this time for marketing!

2. Content creation. Writers must also think about the content they post to reach their audience. Most of this must be based on your target audience and the genre you’re writing about. Knowing your preferred social platform and relating with your target audience are two ingredients for great content. Be consistent, and you’re sure to build a solid online presence here.

3. Maintaining your online presence. You can keep your online presence by making content calendars or assigning themes every month. You can also organize events and interact with your readers to increase their engagement with the community. Showing appreciation for your audience is also an attitude that would maintain your online presence longer, so take note of that.

These are some tips and guides to remember in building a strong social media presence, especially if you’re an independent author and lack the funds to apply to a publishing company. Social media is one of the cheapest markets to advertise your products, so don’t miss it! Find what works for you, give excellent content, and make your book easier to reach. Take this opportunity to explore some of the social media platforms and make sure to have fun!