Using Social Media to Promote Your Book

Last month on the blog, we talked about the basics of book promotion, including the three main promotional arms: publicity, self-generated promotion, and marketing. Let’s take a closer look at one very popular area of self-generated promotion: social media.

Without a doubt, social media is a powerful tool for connection. Whether you’re currently on social media for personal connection, promoting a business/service, or both, chances are you’re using at least one of the many social media platforms available today.

If you decide to use social media for book promotion, it’s important to take note of the fluctuating nature of this environment. Currently popular social media apps include (among others) TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, and X. There is no guarantee that any of these will continue to be available. These tools are constantly in flux due to external forces such as policies and regulations, decisions made by social media companies and their owners, and other factors. Additionally, social media platforms wax and wane in overall popularity, as well as popularity within particular audiences or groups.

In such a rapidly changing environment, how do you decide where to place your social media focus? Consider the following:

• Audience. As discussed last month, understanding your target audience and knowing where they go for information and entertainment is key. Carefully analyze the ways in which your ideal readers are engaging online. Where are they most likely to comment and connect with each other and with you as an author?
• Your preferences. Where do you like to connect with others? If social media feels like a chore, you will be less likely to stay engaged and active. Think about the type of content you like to read, view, and/or listen to. If you enjoy taking in a particular type of content, you’re also more likely to enjoy creating that type of content.
• Relationships. Think of social media not as a platform for endless promotion of your book, but rather as a pathway to create meaningful relationships with your audience. Where will you be able to have discussions that help your audience get to know you, and vice versa? What value can you provide to the audience that goes beyond simply asking them to buy your book?

Whatever social media platforms you decide to use, there are several key factors to consider when you post. First and foremost, be careful what you post. Provide enough personal content for your audience to get to know you, but make sure to protect your privacy by never disclosing sensitive personal information. Secondly, ensure your posts are relevant and engaging. Readers are more likely to comment on a post about your process of writing the book, for example, than one that consists only of purchase links for the book. Finally, consider engaging on more than one platform. As many TikTok users discovered recently, social media platforms can be removed (and restored) without notice. While you don’t need to overdo it, being active on more than one platform ensures that you do not put all your social media eggs in a single basket.

Social media can be a fun and useful tool for authors. If you need help ensuring your book’s content and production are top-notch before you start talking about it on social media, our team of ghostwriters, editors, and production staff can help. Please get in touch to talk with us about your book—so you can begin talking about it via social media as soon as possible!