Let me start by saying I am not an expert at marketing. And yes, that did make me reconsider giving marketing tips. But you know what? Even people who aren’t experts in marketing have to market. At least if you’re an author. Which brings me to my next point: I am an expert on marketing while being an introverted author. I’m not comfortable in social spaces; that includes social media, where many, many books are marketed and sold. Despite this, I’ve managed to build a community (however small) that I can market to. So, instead of paying attention to all the marketing tips coming your way, pay attention to this:
My top marketing tip for introverted authors is to pick a social media platform to thrive on.
You’ve probably noticed one of the most frequent tips we’re given as authors is to be on social media. It’s understandable. Social media is a space where you interact with readers. It’s where you build a brand (more on this in a later post), where you engage, where you tell people about your books. But the idea of being present on all social media platforms can be overwhelming. It’s a learning curve to understand social media. And there always seems to be new ones popping up. If you’re like me and the idea intimidates you, do what I did.
Find a social media platform for you.
I naturally gravitated toward Twitter. I could be authentic there, snarky, cute, or simply make observations about romance novels. The community I have there is wonderful, and I’ve curated it to ensure I enjoy being in that space. That might be a different platform for you. You might prefer Instagram, which many introverted authors do. You only have to take pictures and write captions (the captions aren’t even necessary!), which might be easier for you than saying something in 280 characters. It could be that you prefer Facebook, where there’s more space to write, and you find writing more natural. There are other platforms, too, so finding one you like might be easier than you expect.
That’s not to say you should only be on one.
As your brand grows and more people read your books, they’ll look for you on their preferred platform. You have to at least exist there so readers can find you. Don’t panic; you don’t have to put in as much effort there. As long as you have the most important information – about your books, your career, or simply directing them to where they can find you – you’ll be okay. Readers want to know you, the real you. Chances are, the real you will only come out when you’re comfortable. There’s nothing wrong with finding the place that you are.
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