Posted on August 15, 2018 by mascotproducts By: Emily Evans-Miller Contributing Writer: Mariya Khan
Managing social media accounts for your newly published book may seem daunting, but have no fear! Mascot Books is here to help you develop a successful author platform so your book can reach thousands of potential readers all over the world.
Create Your Brand and Know Your Audience
Knowing your brand and audience will make it easier to figure out what you want to share on social media. Maybe you want to be known as a vegan chef whose cookbook and social media posts speak to vegan millenials and their families. Or maybe you’re publishing a financial book and know your material is geared toward recently graduated college students and young families—those would be the individuals you’d want to target on social media. Whatever you decide, make sure your social media content attracts people who will enjoy and appreciate your book and its message.
Diversify Your Content
It’s important to post updates and information pertaining to your book and related events, but you do want to have a more well-rounded profile. Look up articles or videos that relate to your book and brand. If you’re open to it, you can post some personal life updates or behind-the-scenes pictures and videos that apply to your book. Share posts from other companies (like Mascot Books!) that mention your book or post content relating to your subject matter. Your goal? To create engaging platforms that connect with your readers and allow them to understand the context of your book and see the person behind the pages.
Include Photos, Videos, or Graphics in Your Posts
This may seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how often visual content can slip the minds of authors! Draw people to your account by featuring your book cover along with photos or illustrations from your book. You caneven hold an Author Q&A on Facebook or Instagram Live to interact with your readers. Give them something visual so your followers don’t think a robot runs your social media accounts.
Use Strategic Hashtags
Don’t go #overboard with hashtags, but also don’t go hashtag free. Instead, think of popular or fun hashtags that relate to your book. You can hashtag the title each time so you can track your posts’ reach. Also, consider joining trending hashtags that relate to your book to connect with more people. Overall, you want people who are interested in related content to find your book when they search for keywords. #BonusPoints if you integrate hashtags in the post instead of just listing them off in a cluttered bunch under your message. Some fun publishing hashtags to think about including are #amwriting, #amreading, #booksofinstagram, and #authorsofinstagram.
Tag People
If you’ve ever been confused about tagging people in posts, have no fear! Tagging other accounts involves mentioning or identifying a specific person or company featured in your post. When you tag others in posts, those posts reach a wider audience (especially on Facebook) because they are, in turn, shared with the followers of those you tagged. This is really useful when you go to radio or TV stations or a book signing to promote your book. Who knows, tagging could eventually reach a future fans who will share your book and social media accounts with people in their circles. And always be sure to tag us at @MascotBooks! We love to see what everyone is up to.
Use Emojis
At first it may seem silly to put emojis in a social media post. But if you want to connect with a younger audience and make your posts more entertaining, include some emojis. Of course, don’t go crazy and list ten in a row. Limited and strategic emoji use may lead to great results!
Ad Spend
Sometimes you have to spend a little money to make some money. And that might mean buying an ad on Facebook or Instagram. Ads help your posts reach a wider audience, and it makes analytics available to you so you can keep track of the post’s reach and engagement. You don’t have to break the bank in order to get ads on social media. Most advertising services allow you to customize your plan and post within your budget. Successful platforms are crucial for author success. Although there are many ways to build your presence online, try these simple tricks and see your reach grow!