You’ve picked your platform, done your research, and are ready to use social media to its fullest. But what do you actually post? The key here is not to overthink it. Yes, some authors have an extensive marketing plan with scheduled posts and content planned out weeks in advance. If that’s not you, don’t worry. Social media was created to be fun and enjoyable, so you shouldn’t panic if this approach feels inauthentic to you. Here are 12 social media post ideas you can use to get started.

1. Giveaways

Everyone loves free stuff! Run a giveaway for your book around its launch, publication anniversary, or just because you feel like it! Instruct people to follow your account and leave a comment to enter, which will help the algorithm promote your post to more people. Be sure to include details about the giveaway, including dates, eligibility, and how winners will be notified.

2. Cover Reveal

Share your excitement with your followers when you have a new book coming out by revealing the cover on social media. Readers love cover design, so this is an excellent opportunity to tap into the visual aesthetics of platforms like Instagram.

3. Unboxing Videos

When you receive a shipment of physical books (either from your publisher or a distributor like Amazon or Ingram if you’re self-published), film yourself opening the box and seeing the hard copies for the first time. Unboxing videos are popular on social media because readers love experiencing the emotion with the author.

4. Get Personal

Remember, using social media is about more than just selling your book. Readers want to get to know the authors they love on a personal level. What are your hobbies and interests outside of books? Share that content! It will help deepen the connection between you and your followers. Social media is all about relatability.

5. Day in the Life

Readers are curious about what goes on behind the scenes in a writer’s world. Share a picture of your writing space, your favorite notebook full of scribbles, your collage of plotting Post-its, or anything that goes into the writing process. Give readers an update on where you are in the journey and invite them to follow along.

6. Pictures of Author Events

If you have a book signing, reading, or any other event, snap pictures to share with your followers. Did you meet readers at an event? Share and tag them—they’ll likely share your post, which means more eyes on your book!

7. Promote Preorders

Many books go up for preorder before their release date, allowing readers to place an order in advance. Preorders are essential for authors and publishers and can help online sellers like Amazon bump your title up in the rankings. Therefore, social media is a great place to promote a preorder book. Ask your followers to preorder and give them the direct link.

8. Share Writing Tips

Chances are your followers will be a mix of readers and other writers. The author community is supportive, and perhaps someone out there is just starting their writing journey. Post a list of your top tips for writers, or talk about what you wish you had known earlier. Honesty and transparency are what make social media worthwhile.

9. Share Book Quotes

Everyone loves a good quote, whether from a classic or contemporary book. Share quotes that mean something to you. Or even one from your book! Services like Canva are handy for creating images and quote cards. These posts can be great “filler” content when you have nothing else to post.

10. Cross-promote with Other Authors

Part of being an author on social media is being a good literary citizen. It means supporting other authors through reviews, sharing, and cross-promoting. It works very much in a “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” sort of way. If a fellow author has a new release, post about it! Join together with other authors for giveaways or newsletter swaps. It is a great way to make connections in the industry and elevate new voices.

11. Go Live

It might seem scary at first, but talking live to your followers isn’t as bad as it sounds. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok allow you to film videos you can save and post and “go live,” speaking directly to your followers in real time. You can collaborate with other authors to discuss your books or other industry topics. Or simply check in with readers with your updates.

12. Involve Your Readers

Social media is all about engagement—the more people interact with your posts, the more algorithm love you’ll get. Take advantage of features such as polls and questions where readers can leave their own opinions. Ask them for their opinion on book content as you’re writing, let them name a character, or have them choose between two covers for your book. It lets readers feel invested in you and your process and, therefore, more connected and likely to buy.

Four Social Platforms for Authors

There are so many ways authors can engage with readers online. However, the four most common social media platforms for writers are:

1. Facebook

Facebook, the original social media platform, is the most widely used and contains the most diverse demographics. So, chances are high that you can find your readership here, even if you write in a niche category. Create an Author Page separate from your personal account for the most professional approach. You can post book updates, events, or anything your followers would find fascinating here.

2. Instagram

Dubbed “the visual platform,” Instagram is a feed of highly-curated images. It isn’t the place for linked articles or overly wordy posts. Its focus is on aesthetics, where pictures and videos reign supreme. A pocket of this social platform is known as Bookstagram, where users post book-related content such as reviews, covers, book stacks, and virtually anything related to reading and publishing. Use the hashtag #bookstagram to search for reviewers you can pitch or simply to help your posts gain traction. Experiment with Reels, which are Instagram’s built-in videos (similar to TikTok).

3. TikTok

One of the newer socials, TikTok is known mainly as the preferred platform for Gen Z—but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t explore here too. Short, catchy, and entertaining videos dominate it. Like Instagram, one division of this growing platform is dedicated to book content—welcome to BookTok! Search the hashtag to discover everything from reviews to rants and raves from readers. Authors can connect with content creators on BookTok who have massive followings. Maybe your book will be the next viral video!

4. Twitter

Authors enjoy Twitter because of the extensive community of writers who use the platform. It’s a great way to connect, stay plugged into the latest industry news, and promote your author brand. The short character limit means that your posts must be concise and to the point, a great way to practice your book’s elevator pitch.

Social Media Tips for Authors

Now that you know a bit about each popular social media platform, you might be ready to jump in head first. But wait—before you start, there are a few important things to remember to tackle social media effectively and strategically.

• Optimize your posts. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) improves the quality of search results, which means you want to use the best wording in your posts to increase your likelihood of discoverability. What are people looking for? What are key buzzwords? Use these in your captions and as hashtags.
• Choose the right platform. Being active and engaging on all social media platforms is a good way to spread yourself too thin. Instead, select two (primary and secondary) where you will direct your effort. How to choose? Think about where your ideal readers hang out. Are they 40+? They’ll likely be on Facebook. Are they teens and twenty-somethings? They’re definitely on TikTok. Make the most of your social media strategy by starting narrow and growing over time.
• Experiment with ads. Warning: Ads are not for the faint of heart. They can be money and time suckers, leaving you more frustrated than anything. However, they can also be highly successful at selling books. The key is to do your research in advance. Watch webinars and instructional videos. Take a free course. Learn all you can about implementing an advertising strategy before you dump money into social ads.
• Use the 80/20 rule. It’s tempting to dive into social and sell, sell, sell. But that’s a surefire way to turn off your followers. They don’t want your product shoved down their throats. Instead, focus most of your posts on things like education, entertainment, or something you find fun. The other (much smaller) percentage of posts can be promotions for your book.

Here’s why:

Traditional publishing works under the idea that authors first secure a literary agent, who then pitches the book to publishing houses. The process is slow and uncertain. If your book is sold, the publisher typically pays you an advance (meaning a lump sum of money upfront). This sounds great, right? But wait. Your literary agent will take a cut of that advance (usually 15%), and then you have to earn out your advance in order to receive any royalties on sales. A well-known fact in the publishing industry is that most books do NOT earn out their advance. So that means you won’t see any money from sales.

On the other end of the spectrum is self-publishing (or “indie” publishing), where the author publishes their book without a publisher. Self-publishing is growing in popularity. However, there are pros and cons to consider, primarily the cost. Creating and distributing a professional, high-quality book that can compete with its traditionally-published counterparts isn’t cheap. In this model, authors pay out of pocket for services like editing, formatting, cover design, eBook creation, and audiobook creation, not to mention the critical aspect of marketing. All of this can add up FAST, plus be a headache if you’re not equipped with the skill or time to do so.

Then there’s the middle ground, and that’s where we live. As a hybrid publisher, we share the investment with our authors, finding a mutually beneficial balance. Under our royalty structure, you earn 100% of the profits made by your book until you have earned your entire investment back. Read that again: 100%! But isn’t that the same as self-publishing? Yes, however, we do all the prep work to make your book stand out and be positioned in the market to maximize sales. You won’t have to worry about hiring freelancers or surprise costs popping up. The one-time fee package means that everything is taken care of, so you can enjoy the parts of publishing you love: the writing and the rewards.

Even after you have earned your investment back, Page Publishing is only entitled to 20 cents per book sold. Depending on your book’s price point, your share of a physical book sale (paperback or hardcover) could earn you between $3-$4 per book sold. While eBook sales are often higher due to the low production cost, which means you’ll make even more. Score! You are entitled to 100% of these earnings under our agreement. Those “no-cost” publishing contracts will give you 15-20% or less. The big question becomes: Why provide a publisher with such a big slice of the pie for YOUR work?

Let’s circle back to the important first step of choosing a publishing path. Now that you understand the differences, as well as some of the advantages and disadvantages, you can make an objective choice. It’s tempting to go for what’s perceived as the “no-cost” option, but the truth is there’s no such thing. As the old saying goes, nothing in life is free. At some point along the way, there will be costs associated with every publishing choice—some may be more immediate than others, but they’re there all the same. If you compare two similar books—one that went traditional, the other hybrid—the ins and outs of money might look different, but in many cases, end up equaling out. The difference is in the details.

All this to say that publishing choices shouldn’t be made looking through rose-colored glasses. Things at first glance may seem superior, but when you break it all down, you’ll see that there is a massive benefit to choosing a hybrid publisher like Page Publishing, who will bring your book to market in an efficient, qualified way. At the end of the day, there’s always a cost—you just need to decide whether it’s worth it. In our proven publishing model, the answer is yes.

Once you have completed your writing, you may face a big question: How do I reach my readers? The answer comes down to knowing who your readers are, where they hang out, and how to market to them effectively. It’s no surprise that knowing your readers will increase sales, but knowing your readers AND employing effective marketing will make those sales even bigger. So let’s take a look at strategies for establishing your target audience.

1. Identify your ideal reader.

Who is the person you’re writing for? If you could conjure an ideal reader, what would they look like? Think of demographics, psychographics, interests, buying habits, and more. The goal is to speak directly to this reader group through your writing and branding. Building a platform for people who aren’t interested in your book doesn’t make sense. You want to provide value to the people who want it. Once you have this profile in mind, you can better search for this reader in real life.

2. Determine a primary and secondary audience.

Every book has a primary and secondary audience, meaning your core group of readers, followed by readers who might pick up your book for a change of pace. These secondary readers may receive a copy of your book from a friend, which is an excellent opportunity to turn them into primary readers! Secondary markets might not be as obvious, but they’re equally important. Try to come up with one primary audience and several secondary ones.

3. Identify comp titles.

Comparative (“comp”) titles are books similar to yours in topic, writing style, theme, or genre. A list of comp titles is a great way to identify your audience. Chances are, people who read (and enjoy) those books will feel the same about yours. Start by doing some basic research to compile a list. Then, take it further by checking where those authors have an online presence, where and how they market their books, and the conversation surrounding them. You can tap into this by saying, “If you liked that book, try mine!”

4. Search social media.

Social media is a great place to find readers. Why? Because readers love to talk (and post) about books! A simple hashtag search can bring up tons of results for specific books, authors, or even just genres. For instance, you could search #suspensebooks (genre), #FriendsToLovers (trope), or even #mentalhealth (topic)—the more narrow your search, the more exact the results. Then, check out the profiles and start engaging with people of similar interests to your book.

5. Find online communities.

The beauty of the internet is there are opportunities to “meet” people worldwide right from the comfort of your home. These online communities are great places to discover readers and start conversations. Try doing a Google search for blogs and forums related to your topic or genre. There are tons! Read what people are talking about and what they like, then tailor some of your comments/posts to that. Introduce yourself and your book—you can’t expect people to find you if you don’t put yourself out there. Other online places to consider are Facebook groups and Goodreads, where readers gather to discuss books.

6. Do some keyword research.

It might sound scary, but keyword research doesn’t have to make you break into a sweat. Really what it comes down to is understanding the search terms people use most frequently for an item. Regarding books, you’d be interested to know how readers search for particular genres. There are tools you can use (such as KDP Rocket and many others) that will give you a list of keywords based on your book details. Use these keywords when marketing and selling your book to target the ideal reader.

7. Try paid advertising.

Ads can be overwhelming, but done well, and they are a great way to reach the right readers. That said, advertising comes with a cost and is something you’ll want to budget for. Depending on your goals, there are different types of ads (targeted, sponsored, etc.). Ultimately, ads are designed to show up near similar items, enticing readers to try your book. From there, you have a good chance of hooking a new reader for your primary audience.

8. Build a newsletter.

One way to get readers is to have them come to you. Designing a newsletter and building your list of subscribers creates a built-in readership base. These people are there because they want to be—which is the best type of reader. They’re invested in you and your work and may be the first to spread the news about your new releases to friends. Try putting a sign-up form on your website and sharing the link on your social media platforms to collect email addresses. Then, send out periodic newsletters with updates, giveaways, and behind-the-scenes info about your writing life.

9. Read your reviews (with caution).

The best way to understand what people think of your book is to read reviews—gulp! It is typically a big, fat no-no for authors. Why? Because one bad review can send you into a spiral of self-doubt. But chances are, for every low review, there are ten glowing reviews that you want to target. See what people are saying, what they love, then do more of it in your next project. You can find reviews in many places, including Amazon, Goodreads, Bookbub, and Bookstagram influencers.

The Takeaway

Finding your ideal reader takes a little bit of thought but shouldn’t send you into a panic. Don’t be afraid to experiment to see where you land. Eventually, a solid audience will emerge.