8 Tips for Using Social Media To Promote Your Book

 By Stephanie Naman

DON’T wait till you’re published to start building your platform.

Launching your blog or getting started on Twitter right before your book is published is like sending out invitations to a party on the day of the party. Start connecting with readers BEFORE your book comes out – as soon as possible – so that you have an audience that already loves your writing.

DON’T be all about your book.

Social media isn’t all SELL, SELL, SELL. It’s more about CONNECT, CONNECT, CONNECT. Use social media to tell about your writing process, your hobbies, your characters, what you’re working on next. Let readers see you’re a person, not a product.

DON’T be a temperamental artist.

It’s tempting to think, “I’m a writer, not a Kardashian. My work should speak for itself.” The sad truth is no one can fall in love with your book if they don’t know about it. Embrace social media. Be brave.

DON’T let marketing take over your writing.

Between Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, your blog and book tour…when are you supposed to WRITE? It’s a struggle, no lie, but you have to find the balance that works for you. Remember, nothing promotes Book 1 like Book 2. Writing comes first.

DO approach social media as another form of writing.

Social media is primarily a writing exercise and guess what…you’re a writer. Instead of thinking “I’m no good at social media,” think of each tweet as a sentence, each blog post as a short story. These are things you’re good at, remember? Use the voice from your book, your strengths as a writer and you can’t go wrong.

DO think beyond Facebook and Twitter.

There are lots of fun social media platforms out there to try. Goodreads lets you connect with readers and even have book giveaways. Does your main character love to cook? Write a blog post about their favorite recipe and put it on Pinterest. Lots of real locations in your book? Snap some pics and put them on Instagram.

DO use social media to network with other writers as well as readers.

Writing isn’t a competitive sport. Promoting other writers can actually bring more readers to your work. So host writers on your blog and make guest appearances on theirs. Cross-promote. Networking with other writers really helps make marketing your book more fun.

DO embrace the platform you’re most comfortable with.

There is no magic formula for promoting books via social media. However, it just makes sense that you’ll do your best work on the platform you’re most comfortable with. Make that your “go-to” and use the other ones more sparingly. Once you’re in your groove – and you WILL get in a groove once you’ve been doing it a while – you’ll realize it’s second nature, and maybe even fun.

 

When she’s not writing mysteries under the pen name, Billie Thomas, Stephanie Naman works at an advertising agency in Birmingham – which might explain why she’s constantly thinking up ways to kill people without getting caught. MURDER ON THE FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS is her first novel. She blogs as her main character Chloe Carstairs at chloegetsaclue.com and you can follow her on Twitter at @ChloeGetsaClue. 

 

For more social media tips visit the See Jane Write Birmingham blog for a recap of our recent event I Tweet, Therefore I Am: A Social Media Panel Discussion.