Social Media And Author Platform: Required Or Not? An Analysis.
Must we have social media, writer friends? Let's discuss...
As a longtime fan of
’s blog and newsletter, I read her latest article with interest: Author Platform Is Not a Requirement to Sell Your Novel or Children’s Book | Jane Friedman“Authors most likely to report their income decreasing over the last five years? Traditionally published authors and those age 65 and up, which isn’t all that surprising if they’re producing fewer works or coasting on backlist.
And who is most likely to report their income increasing? Authors publishing serializations and authors 25–44 years old. Overall, self-published authors were slightly more likely to report increased rather than decreased earnings; they were also far more likely to have published a book in the last year.
And this points to a very important dynamic for every author’s income and whether you can make a living from book sales alone: It matters how much you write and publish, not least what category or genre you’re publishing into. It does not matter how much you use TikTok. Publishers and literary agents know this, even if they pretend otherwise to conveniently reject you and your work.”
So this begs the question I hear almost daily from writers: Do I have to be on social media? Does it depend on my genre? Do I need a web presence?
Let’s review.
Do I Have To Be On Social Media To Sell Books?
No, you don’t have to do anything. Well, let’s break this down. “Do I have to” implies you will be FORCED TO do something you have no desire to do. So, simple answer - no, you don’t have to be on socials to sell books.
Let’s back up even further. Does social media sell books? It depends on your following, content, and, let’s face it, talent. It’s not that simple, is it? (We could get into the weeds about conversion rates for each social media platform, but those are general numbers, not specific to authors and books.)
Social media is but one part of your author platform which ALSO includes:
A well-written, professionally edited, formatted book with a great cover
A backlist (if you have it)
An optimized website (your ‘home’ on the internet of things)
Optimized blog posts and/or newsletter
Reviews
Awards
Distribution
Word of mouth
PR
Guest articles
Advertising
and yes, socials.
I agree with Jane, that having social media is your choice. What we need to closely examine here is why you want people to read your words. Most readers are on socials to learn about great books and to connect with their favorite writers.
If someone recommends your book and nobody can find you anywhere online, that’s a missed opportunity. If you’re not there (wherever ‘there’ is), does that matter to you?
Socials Generate Word Of Mouth, But Do Something Even More Important
Socials help you build relationships with readers. “What if I’m not funny or clever, or I don’t do silly dances?” I bet you are, and you don’t have to.
If this is your concern, focus on your personal topics of interest (e.g., cookie baking, writing memoir, cats) to connect with others who also have those interests.
When we’re truly interested in a topic, we’re authentically animated and pretty happy not to shut up about it.
What does cookie baking have to do with readers buying your book? Maybe nothing, but that’s a connection point. Build from there.
Not To Mention SEO
Every time you post on any social media, but particularly X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube, Google and other search engines index the most updated post or video. Social media is a ranking factor for your website and your overall ‘name recognition.’
More on that here:
Does It Depend On My Genre
It can. As Jane mentioned above, novelists and children’s book authors may need to connect with readers in other ways outside traditional social media norms.
But let’s go deeper. Genre is, of course, a strategic point, yet so is demographic. If you’re an eighty-year-old woman looking to sell your first cookbook with zero internet presence, could TikTok help? (I am talking about my mom here - okay, she’s 83.) In The Kitchen With Linda coming soon!
Maybe, but she has no interest in doing anything beyond her personal Facebook to chat with family, and that makes sense for her demographically (plus, I’m helping her with the rest).
So yes, genre can help you decide where to spend your time, but also look at your ideal reader. Where do they hang out?
In the case of my mom’s upcoming cookbook, there’s plenty of data that shows that not only is Meta’s Facebook still the most widely used social platform worldwide, but it’s also used more frequently by older adults (Source: BusinessNewsDaily), the exact demo we want to build with.
Many marketers say Facebook is the most valuable platform for reaching an older demographic. According to Senior Living, roughly half of the older adults in the U.S. are active Facebook users.
Bottom line: go where you’re comfortable, particularly if, like me, you’re over the age of fifty. I used to love Twitter - but now I’m spending way less time there (now called X) due to the lack of reader visibility and interaction, not to mention the absolute glut of misinformation.*
*The main reason I’m still on Twitter is my communities, whom I adore. And that pesky SEO advantage X has with Google.
What’s The Easy Answer?
Oh, my dear writer friends - is there an easy button to all this? No. And here’s the true why of it: publishing books is only one step of the process in the business of writing.
What if you just want to write as a hobby? Go for it. Start a Substack (need help? Give me a shout!) or hire a company like Authorbytes to create a one-page website for you - go to authorbytes.com and mention me for a 20% discount!
Is A Web Presence Required?
In this day and age, yes, you need to be findable in the digital landscape.
Whether that’s via a dedicated author website, blog, newsletter, video channel, socials, or some combo thereof, you do need something. Not sure where to start? Take a look here at my past newsletters (free to subscribe), or take a look at my books just for writers.
I’ll dig way deeper into this topic in the coming weeks.
You don’t need to be on TikTok doing silly dances if you don’t want to. I’m not!
Want to talk about how I can help craft your social media presence? Let’s book a call!
Miscellaneous
• This month’s #BookMarketingChat space was great! Hannah from Book Award Pro was my guest - a much-needed affordable service for writers. If you attended the live, you might have won some amazing free gifts! Click here to listen to the reply anytime.
• Services: If you’re in need of any kind of book marketing help, connect with me! I offer all kinds of packages for all budgets. Specialties include author branding, book marketing, social media, and blogging/newsletter/website.
Mention this newsletter and receive 20% off any services or consulting. More at badredheadmedia.com.
Something new:
New monthly audiospace (open to all) at 2 pm PST on the last Tuesday of each month: Want specific advice on your current web presence (website, blog, socials, newsletter)?
Join me as my guest for host Vennie Kocsis’ audiospace on XSpaces where we discuss and review!
Free to attend. Click here now to set a reminder. Follow me @BadRedheadMedia and @VennieKocsis on X(formerly Twitter).
Sponsor:
💜 Thank you, Booklinker, my exclusive advertising sponsor for 2024! Free universal book links for all authors. Super easy to use. And they have a fantastic blog here.💜
See you next week!
Read your piece on Author Platform and wondered if you'd be interested in writing for our WriterCon Magazine. 1000-2000 words is fine, you'll get lost of credit, and since we're both on Substack, we can cross-promote. Let me know what you think. willbern@gmail.com