Publishing Secrets

Revive Your Book Sales Part 4: How to Use Social Media to Promote Your Book

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Episode notes

In this episode, you’ll also hear:

The mindset you need to have to promote without turning off your followers
How to use social media to engage potential readers
What kinds of content attract more attention and engagement
How to leverage Facebook groups effectively
When not to purchase ads promoting your work

You probably already know that social media provides a powerful platform for promoting your work. But here's a word of caution: It's also extremely easy to slip into a pattern of constant self-promotion that can turn off your followers and damage your brand.

So let's talk about some strategies for how to use social media to create buzz around your work while also bringing value to your followers.

Develop a Mindset to Start with Value

One of the biggest mistakes that Christian authors make when they haven’t learned how to use social media effectively is to flood their feeds with constant promotion and updates about their book. This alienates your followers and sends them running for the hills! People who genuinely have a need and interest in what you have to say will literally be turned off, because they’ll see you as someone who is only out for yourself.

Instead, focus on creating content that provides value to your audience. That means sharing content that will genuinely put a smile on their face that day, make a difference in their lives, encourage them to keep going, or help them see things in a new way.

This could be an inspirational quote, a piece of advice, or even industry news — something that shows you have a genuine interest in their success. By offering something of value, you'll keep your followers engaged and, even more importantly, build a sense of community around your brand.

Focus on Engagement

Before you get too caught up in promoting your book, the first order of business should be to focus on building an engaged community around your brand. This means learning how to use social media in such a way that people see you as a person who makes a positive difference in their lives.

As you can see, this ties in with the first point about starting with value. If you develop the mindset to think about ways you can bless others with everything you do, you will start to draw people to you. Why? Because that’s how you genuinely demonstrate the love of Christ through your work.

So how can you focus on engagement? Here are a couple of strategies.

Invite Feedback & Interaction

In addition to providing value, actively invite your audience to participate in discussion. You could do this by posting questions that allow your audience to share their thoughts on a topic related to what you talk about in your book, but not directly about your book.

For example, in the Christian Authors Network, every Wednesday we throw out a writing prompt for our Christian authors to get them thinking about things in different ways. This keeps them in the habit of writing. We know how easy it is to get so caught up in the day-to-day of life and put your writing on the backburner, so this is our way of helping them stay committed to their goals — but it also keeps them engaged with us and with others in the community.

Respond Promptly to Comments & Messages

Responding promptly to people’s comments and messages establishes you as someone who genuinely cares about your community. It also helps establish you as a thought leader or expert in your field. And it helps you earn the trust and respect of your followers. This is invaluable, because when you have their trust and respect, they will be so much more receptive to the content you put out later down the line.

Leverage Visual Content

We are in a fast-paced digital landscape, and attention spans are shorter than ever. One way to cut through the noise is to leverage visual content — such as images and videos — to capture your audience's attention and hold their interest.

It's proven in the stats: words by themselves are not as attention-grabbing. But if you have a really cool picture, or something that gets them to stop scrolling through their feed — even if it's just something that makes them laugh or smile — it's an opportunity to open the door for them to learn more about what you have to say.

Or, if you have a short video on a topic they're struggling with, that’s a great way for them to literally see you in action, hear your voice, and pick up on your sincerity and passion about this topic. And that can make all the difference! So as you’re learning how to use social media to grab people’s attention, don’t ignore the importance of visuals.

Posts that include high-quality visuals are more likely not only to be taken in by the person who sees it initially, but also to be shared. This helps you spread your message to more people, and it also helps you humanize your brand and connect with your followers on an emotional level.

Don’t Forget the Power of Facebook Groups

While learning how to use social media for promotion, you’ve probably heard people talk about leveraging Facebook groups. And with good reason! But it’s important to do this in the right way.

This isn't so much about promoting yourself to other Christian authors — this is about connecting with your target audience. So you need to join and participate in a group that your target audience has already joined. By becoming an asset in that group, you can establish yourself as an authority in your field, build relationships with potential readers, and promote your book in a way that feels natural and authentic.

Once you have truly connected with the audience and have a good grasp of their needs, you can start your own Facebook group of ideal followers. Not only will you have a platform to connect with readers and potential readers, but this will give you a platform to empower your audience by allowing them to connect with each other as well.

So dive into some Facebook groups that have your target audience already in them, and start building those relationships! There are readers waiting for you in those groups.

Hold Off on Social Media Ads

Paid advertising is a powerful tool for authors who want to reach a wider audience and boost their book sales. However, it is imperative to approach ads strategically to ensure you make a successful investment.

Facebook, Instagram, and Google may seem like the go-to platforms, but they may not be the most cost-effective way to reach target readers who are actively searching for books in your niche. So you need to do some homework before you just put money out there and boost the post or set up an ad campaign. You need to understand not just how to use social media ads, but also when and where to use them.

First of all, make sure you’re buying ads on the right platforms to reach your audience. Try thinking a little bit outside of the box, too, because other platforms like BookBub offer a great return on investment and an engaged audience who are actively seeking books in your preferred genre.

Think about this way: Facebook, Instagram, and Google are much more generic. These are platforms where people are looking at funny pictures and catching up on what's going on with their friends and family. They're not necessarily on the platform to learn about books. But BookBub is a platform specifically for book lovers.

Investing in the right platform and creating an effective ad campaign can make the difference in maximizing your return on investment and reaching more readers. So hold off on ads, and focus on learning how to use social media organically first, like building your community, joining Facebook groups, and putting visual content out there. Use this as an opportunity to really learn what resonates with your readers and maximize your opportunities. Then determine if social media is your best platform for ads, or if you need to look elsewhere.

Value First

Social media can be a powerful tool for driving book sales. But you need to understand how to use social media in the right way — and how not to use it. By offering value, focusing on engagement, leveraging visual content, and tapping into the power of Facebook groups, you can create buzz around your book without turning off your followers.

Remember, social media should be a two-way conversation, not a one-way sales pitch. Keep your followers at the center of your strategy, and you'll be well on your way to building a successful brand that resonates with your target audience.

Now, this may sound like a lot of work. And if that's how you're feeling, you’re not alone. Social media is powerful, but it can be very time-consuming, especially if you are a team of one. So if you’re looking to get farther faster, there is another way.

Nate Hambrick, our friend from selfpublishing.com, is the perfect person for you to connect with. He knows platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and also BookBub, inside and out. So he can walk you through the necessary steps to maximize your return on investment, so you can consistently reach more readers and ultimately see greater results. And the best part is that you can learn more for free!

Check out Nate's free training about how to get your book to #1 on Amazon. It takes you behind the scenes, so you can start attracting new readers today.

BIO:

My name is Tamara "Coach Tam" Jackson and I am a published author, Facebook© Certified Digital Marketer, host of the Top 100 Publishing Secrets podcast, and founder of The Christian Authors Network (C.A.N.) Facebook© community. I specialize in helping mission-driven authors, coaches, and entrepreneurs increase their exposure, impact, and income through strategic self-publishing and digital media appearances. Just say yes and we will work together to attract a tribe of loyal followers that 1) "get you", 2) love what you do, and 3) are happy to invest in your book, business, cause, or movement. Plus, we will accomplish all of this without fake, salesy, sleazy, or manipulative tactics. Yes you CAN write, publish, and profit in a way that honors God; join the community today at https://christianauthors.net/fbgroup.

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