So, you’ve set up your author social media accounts (remember: separate from your personal accounts!). Now comes the fun part: actually using them to connect with your potential readers! But, what do you post on these pages?

This is the second installment of a four-part series on social media and building an author platform. To read about the benefits of social media for authors, read the first installment.

Your social media pages are reflections of you as an author, so it’s really up to you to set your tone and voice in your accounts. Some authors skew more professional, posting writing-only business, while others are more casual, also sharing pieces of their personal life, jokes, and engaging in conversations with their community. The balance is truly up to you and what you feel comfortable with.

Remember, though, that the point of being present on social media, in addition to having additional channels through which to reach readers, is to bring you out of the faceless crowd of thousands of others and become more than just a name to your readers. In today’s crowded market (especially for indie authors), you don’t need to reach all the readers available, but you do need to build a loyal, dedicated base of fans who will be ready to buy not just this book, but the many books after that. Part of the way to keep your fanbase engaged is to check in with them in between launches and keep yourself top of mind. That way, when they’re shopping for books, your name is one of the first that comes to mind.

Showing your personality, your humor, and your goals are all great ways to build strong connections to your audience. Now, that doesn’t mean you need to share everything that’s happening in your day, but you should always be your most authentic self. Again, you are the final arbiter, so it’s up to you what networks you play on, what content you share, and how much engagement you feel comfortable with. Once you’ve defined that, it’s time to get started.

Of course, the most important thing to post about is your book (or books). You always want to make sure an interested reader has a clear way to find your book for purchase if they are interested. A good tip is to keep buy links pinned at the top of your profile. At the very least, make sure you have your website link in your profile and that you have buy links on your website, so a reader can easily find their way to your latest works.

However (and this is a big one): your social media account should not be filled with daily posts shouting about buying your book! I know this seems counterintuitive, but it’s incredibly important. Think of all the ads to buy products that you’re bombarded with on the internet, every day. It’s exhausting, isn’t it? If an account you were following only ever posted ads, you would probably stop following pretty quickly.

The same is true for readers. If they’re following you on social media, they’re most likely interested in what you have to say and in the books that you write. Of course, you want to keep yourself top of mind, but you don’t want to exhaust or annoy them. It’s the old 80/20 rule—the general recommendation is to spend about 20% of your posts talking about your book and 80% talking about other, related topics. Save the promotional posts about your book (the 20%) to big moments for a greater impact. Some good occasions include:

• Advertising an ARC (advanced reading copy) giveaway to garner reviews prior to launch
• Launching your book for pre-order
• Launching your book for purchase
• Announcing events or signings
• Running a sale on the book

Remember, social media is more of an awareness tool than it is a purchase tool. Don’t blast your readers with buy links all the time, and they’ll pay more attention when you do post one.

As a matter of social media etiquette, I also strongly discourage automated direct messages to new followers shilling your book, or replying directly to conversations with links to your book (unless someone has specifically asked for it, and even then, I’d recommend pointing them to your website). Why? Because, especially in the digital world, it’s key to respect people’s personal space. Your page is your space, and you’re allowed to post whatever you please. If people don’t like your posts, they can always mute or unfollow you (although you hope that they won’t!). But, by sending the direct message to their inbox, you’re invading their space, unasked. Think of how annoying you find the promotional emails that crowd your inbox, and how quickly you unsubscribe from emails that you didn’t sign up for. You don’t want your name, and your book, associated with that same feeling. So, when thinking of promotional posts, remember: let them come to you.

Taking into account the above advice, there’s still plenty of other ways to talk about your book than just sharing the link to buy it. Especially in the run up to launch, there are a ton of ways that you can build excitement and curiosity about your book that will have your potential readers wanting more, rather than wanting to mute you. Think of how movie trailers work with building awareness for a product and keeping it top of mind, without asking for a purchase yet.

Here are some great ways to talk about your book without becoming a sales pitch:

• Cover reveals
• Sharing positive reviews from advance readers
• Sharing quotes from the first few chapters
• Sharing character sketches or aesthetic boards

Remember the 80/20 rule? This is where the 80% comes into play. Now, I actually think for authors, the breakdown can be a little higher – 70/30 or even 60/40 – as long as the posts about your book are primarily from the above section and not just buy links. Another good rule of thumb for social media is the 5-3-2 rule, which is covered more in depth here.

If you’d like to keep your private life separate from your writing life, there are still plenty of ways to engage with the community and stay active and top of mind on social media. Some ideas include:

• Sharing relevant articles about your genre – This depends on the genre you’re in of course. If you’re a sci-fi/fantasy author, it could be an announcement of the Hugo Award winners, or perhaps a fun article about the latest Mars exploration. If you’re a romance author, perhaps it’s an article about the popularity of the romance genre in the e-book age. The choice is yours, but the main point of these articles is two-fold: 1) you’re sharing something with your audience that would be of interest to them, and 2) you’re positioning yourself as someone who is an expert in this space, someone readers can turn to for the latest news and experience.
• Sharing content from other writers or writing organizations – There’s plenty of wonderful writers out there on social media, and one of the benefits of being present on it is that you can build connections with them, as well as your readers. Did you read a great blog article by another writer? Share it! By having a strong network of other writers, you also have people who can help publicize when you need it for those big promotional events.
• Event posts – Every signing you go to, every conference you attend, every workshop you sit down in should get attention on your social media page. It lets your reader base know where you are and potentially allows them to meet you if it’s a public event like a signing. It also shows that you’re continually engaging with your craft and your community. Not to mention the additional publicity you can generate
• Blog posts – If you’re regularly blogging, linking to your posts is a great way to not only build readership but also to drive potential readers to your website and potentially to buy your books or see where you’ll be next.
• Polling readers – This can be a fun way to engage your community and help them feel a part of your creation. Stuck on a character name? Ask your followers? Wondering if the big bad should have a secret weakness? Pose a poll!
• Memes – Who doesn’t love a good book meme? This is an easy-lift post, in that the content itself is small but inherently shareable, thus likely to reach more readers who may not be following you yet.

Now, you can always fold in personal content, too. This is where my previous note about building your personality into your posts and connecting with readers comes into play. Not to say that your personality shouldn’t shine through all of your posts, but by engaging with readers on a more personal level, you can strengthen the connection. Again, it’s all about your comfort level.

• Writing Spaces – Your writing space may be sacred, but it’s also a fun way to connect with your readers and show them where the magic happens. Maybe you just got a new desk, or maybe you decided to write outside today. Share it!
• Other Hobbies – Your author social media pages don’t have to be all about writing (although again, 80/20 rule here, you don’t want to steal the show completely from your books). If you have a hobby you love, show it off! Just like making friends and connections in real life, sharing a common interest is a great way to build rapport with your readers.
• Day to Day – This isn’t for everyone, but there are some writers out there who don’t mind sharing details of their personal life every now and again. Perhaps your kid gave you a great idea for a new character, or your dog ran off with pages of your manuscript. It’s up to you how much you want to share, but again, common interests and experiences are what ties us together.

Like most aspects of your writing journey, how involved you are in social media and what you post is entirely up to you. Social media is a great awareness tool and has brought authors and readers closer together than ever before. Using it correctly can remind current readers that you exist and also reach new readers who may never have found you otherwise. So, don’t be afraid of it! Dive in and have some fun!

We’re here to help you navigate the sea of online promotion to build a cohesive, compelling platform for readers to find you on! Our new guide, Building Your Author Platform includes a discussion of the tools you need before you can build your platform, website basics, social media tips, and an overview of online retailer pages. If you’d like to learn more about building your author platform on social media and other channels, check out the guide today!