When it comes to social media, there isn't one single outlet that works for every single author. There are actually a few things that you need to think about when you're considering where you need to be online. So in this episode, we're going to discuss some key questions that you should ask yourself when you're considering where you should be online.
So the first thing that you need to do when considering where you want to be on social media is to identify your ideal reader. I always come back to this because everything with your social media and your marketing centers on your ideal reader. I always tell authors that if you're trying to market your book to everyone, you're marketing it to no one. And when you have an ideal reader, it's not that that's the only person that you're going to be reaching. It's really a mental adjustment that you as an author need to make in speaking to a specific person. When you know exactly who you're talking to, you're going to know what topics they're interested in and what you should be talking about. And it will ultimately also tell you where you need to hang out online.
And that leads us to the second step. You should really understand what each outlet offers and which demographic is most active on each social media outlet. So, for example, if you write business books or if you have a lot of business connections, I would recommend focusing on LinkedIn. But if you are trying to reach a much younger audience and they are reading young adult fiction or other younger books, I would focus on TikTok. So it's really understanding which outlet focuses on which demographic the most.
You can do just a regular Google search, you can do "Instagram demographics," and these details will show up in the search. And so you can understand which demographics hang out where and to really see what kind of content works best on each social media outlet. So if you aren't really into doing video, you might want to stay away from TikTok. If you're interested in more current events or more cultural information. Twitter is a great outlet for you to focus on. So it's looking at each outlet critically and thinking about who is hanging out there and what they're discussing and the medium that they use - whether it's video or text - that really jives with what you are trying to convey within your content as well as who you want to connect with.
And then third, you really want to consider where you like to hang out. Listen: social media can be a drag if it's something that you just dread and that you don't look forward to. But if you actually enjoy the process and if you enjoy connecting with people on a certain outlet, that just makes it all the more enjoyable for you. But it's also going to make you more active on that outlet. So really consider where do you enjoy spending your time online? Is it on Instagram looking at pictures and watching videos and looking at stories, or is it TikTok where you enjoy watching funny videos and really quick video clips that keep you engaged and active on that outlet?
So you want to be mindful of is the intersection between where you enjoy hanging out and where your ideal reader is already online. There really is a connection between you and your readers. And in my experience, I've noticed that many authors and readers enjoy hanging out at the same place. And so if you really enjoy Instagram chances are that your ideal reader will also enjoy Instagram.
So if you're wondering where you should even start and you don't really want to dabble in all of the social media outlets, I would encourage you to start with Instagram, mainly because there is a variety of features on Instagram that aren't available in other places. For example, stories are a great way to deepen those connections that you already have. Reels are a fantastic way to grow your audience, and it really gives you that practice that you need to dig into. Short form video as well as long form video. And once you get used to these features and you get comfortable creating this content, you can use it on other outlets like TikTok or Facebook. It's really about honing in on one social media outlet at a time. So if you want to really dig into Instagram and to really get your feet wet there and to get comfortable with growing your audience, then you can expand out from there. So focus on one outlet at a time.
So again, the three tips are to identify your ideal reader that is going to show you where you need to be online. Then second, really understand what each outlet offers and figure out if that's where your ideal reader is hanging out. And third, be sure to take into consideration where you enjoy being on social media.
And if you're wondering, "What do I even post on social media?" I've got you covered. If you're going to be getting started with Instagram specifically, I have my Instagram Ideas Bundle. It helps you with your captioning, it has content ideas and it has various tips and guides that's going to help you to really dig into Instagram to see the biggest results. So click the link in the show notes to get access to that.
All in all, have fun with social media. You are connecting with readers that you want to connect with, and you're providing information that people want to hear. So don't look at this as really a waste of time or as something that you have to do. This is actually something that you get to do.
