By Ellie Tiemens
It’s no secret that our world today is heavily reliant on digital media. Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter… platforms like these basically run our lives.
So, it should also be no secret that in order to become more successful at whatever it is you’re doing, you need to leverage social media for your own benefit.
It might seem daunting if you’re technologically-challenged or if you have an extreme hatred for social media in general.
But I promise that just a few minutes a day, or even a week, spent investing in your online presence will majorly boost your author platform! Here’s some goals to get you started:
1. Follow
Following accounts is one of the quickest ways to make connections. You literally just have to click one button and BAM you’re networking. Apps like Instagram and Twitter even suggest people you should follow. However, you should still be intentional about who you want to connect with. Search for authors you love, people who write similar genres to you, people who write different genres than you, big publishing houses, small literary agencies…
Find accounts that inspire you and follow them. It’s that easy. Make it a goal to follow at least five new people every week. You might even be surprised how quickly your own follower count goes up.
2. Like & Repost
Another super easy way to stay active on social media and keep up appearances is to like and repost. Liking someone else’s post shows that you care about content others are creating. On Facebook and Twitter posts you like even show up in the feeds of people who are following you. By only tapping a heart button you automatically generate content in your own feed.
If you want to go a step further, repost content from people you follow. If your favorite author just announced on Instagram that she’s releasing a new book, repost that! If a friend writes an article that you really enjoyed, repost that! Get into a good habit of liking and reposting a few times a day.
3. Create
This is the most time consuming out of these 3 tips, but creating new content to post is something you’ll need to do eventually. You don’t have to be super creative or artsy to post something cool. Take a picture of a quote you underlined in a book and explain in the caption why you liked it. Go to author events or writer’s conferences and post pictures of who you were with and who was speaking. Write a Tweet about something funny that happened that day or brag about yourself when you get a piece published somewhere. People can’t like and repost your content if you aren’t creating any!
If you’re intimidated by this, start slowly by posting once a week on each platform you are a part of. As you get more comfortable, post more often.
With just a few clicks of a button, you can create a platform for yourself to promote your work, make connections, and maybe even make some friends!
Cover Photo credit: @Dole777 from Unsplash
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