It’s round three of my exploration of five major types of platform content authors need to create, which includeS an author blog, a newsletter, and this week’s tool: social media marketing.
Depending on your familiarity with social media, this one can feel either really intimidating or seem like a breeze, but don’t worry! I’m going to provide a few tips that will help you knock your social media game out of the park regardless if you’re a rookie or hall-of-famer.
Here are three things you need to keep in mind as you begin social media marketing.
You’re an author.
Or, perhaps, I should say "you’re an author, so write like one!"
Yes, accidents happen, but there’s nothing more damaging to the brand you're building than posting that your friends should “by” your book. Read carefully and make sure your posts are as sound as they can be, grammatically. Of course, posting on Facebook or writing a blog comes with a different level of content expectation than writing a novel, but you still want to show your followers that you’re capable of writing at a high level. Don’t use semicolons and footnotes in a Tweet, but do put your best foot forward. At least proofread.
Pro tip: download Grammarly for an extra set of eyes on your work. No, the application won’t make your writing perfect, but it’s usually a lot better than standard word processors--even the free version.
Leave no platforms behind.
There are a lot of platforms, so which should you pick?
This is where it gets intimidating…
The correct answer, in many circumstances, is “all of them.” While it might seem like a lot to tackle if you’re going to take on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, etc, remember that each social media platform represents the opportunity to tap into a new market of users.
At least, do as many as you can. I know somebody will probably blow the whistle on me, so I’ll just say it: I don’t use social media as a “good” author should. I make a living using social media for other people, so I usually struggle to find the willpower to post on my own. Is that an excuse? Not a good one. But I never miss sharing a MAJOR announcement, so at least strive to do that.
You can make your job a lot easier with the right tool.
If posting on all the platforms seems like too much to handle, breathe a sigh of relief…
There’s a tool for that!
Actually, there are several, and they are called social media managers. Here’s a list of the top 10, but not that the list is provided by eClincher, who ranks #1 on the list (sneaky, sneaky).
But, to be fair, I’d rank e-clincher as #1, too. It’s my go-to for all my social media management needs for both myself and my company, Content Ninja. Using the platform couldn’t be easier: you write your post, modify it a bit for all your channels in accordance to their requirements (shorten for Twitter, etc), and then with a press on one button, you can send the same message out on every platform.
Now that makes social media feel much easier!
Let’s social-ize.
Ready to start to expand your social media reach? Now’s the time. Be sure to subscribe to my mail list for more helpful tips and reach out on Twitter at @realjessehaynes with any questions. As always, I’m here to help.
Good luck and happy writing!
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