Hello! Annie here. Before we jump into what Emilie has to share with us, let me introduce her to you from my perspective a bit. I was first introduced to Emilie through her blog. I love her perspective and the variation she provides, mostly book related, but many times provide inspiration and encouragement as well. Her writing makes me smile and her instagram feed makes me drool. You can say I was a little fan girl of hers. Then when I met her in person, she is one of the sweetest people you'll ever meet. Her smile brightens the room, and her talent speaks for itself. She has high klout in the world of bookish marketing and her merchandise shop is a bookish fan favorite. Nowadays, I'm happy to introduce her as a wonderful friend.
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| Image Credit: Emily Hendryx @createexploreread |
I started my Instagram page, CreateExploreRead, in 2016. I
had also started a Society6 shop (an online platform that allows designers to
upload their art and sell items printed with it). It was an exciting time and I
started crafting images of books and my art on items such as mugs, totes, and
pillowcases.
The more I dipped my toes into the world of Instagram and
books (aka: #bookstagram), the more I started to shift what I wanted my page to
represent. As we see in all forms of art, writing included, you grow as your
knowledge grows.
I started creating more ‘artsy’ photos, included more books,
and started only using my Nikon camera to take pictures (instead of my iPhone)
all in an effort to create quality content. The main goal? Grow a platform of
followers that not only wanted to purchase from my Society6 and Etsy shops, but
also an audience that would one day support me by buying a published book.
While I’m still working on the book aspect (as I’m out on
submission right now) I have found a way to build a solid platform without having a book (as of yet)! We
know that, in today’s publishing world, platform is paramount, so I’d like to
give you eight tips: 4 dos and 4 don’ts, when it comes to marketing your book
on Instagram.
4 Things NOT to do on Instagram
Don’t…
- Only post about your book – It can be tempting to want to market your work all the time, but I’d suggest finding a balance. Talk about your books, but maybe only post photos of them every 3-5 images. You can still talk about your writing process in your captions, but use that time to post about books you love and help support other writers.
- Ghost your followers – What I mean by this is don’t start an Instagram page hoping to gain followers and then never post! It’s a missed opportunity for (free) marketing. I know it can take a lot of time to create images, think of captions, and engage, but I truly believe Instagram is one of the best marketing platforms for books.
- Be selfish – Sounds a little harsh, but I have seen many accounts where the author is only posting because of what they can get out of Instagram. That’s not how it works. Instagram works best when you interact with other readers. It takes time, but it’s worthwhile.
- Leave creativity out of it – I realize not everyone is a professional photographer, but there are some tricks to taking good photos. One thing I can recommend is using a filter (you can use one in Instagram or another app) but find one that you like and apply it to all of your photos. You may need to adjust brightness levels or contrast, but this will give your photos an extra touch of professionalism and continuity that gives your account a more curated feel.
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| Image Credit: Emily Hendryx @createexploreread |
4 Things TO do on
Instagram
Do…
- Post about your book – While this may seem in direct contrast to my previous point, I think some readers-turned-authors forget that their Instagram is a platform for promoting their own work too. We get so excited about the books we’re reading it can be hard to post about our own work, but that’s important as well. As I said above: it’s about balance.
- Give helpful content in your captions – Captions are becoming more and more important to those on Instagram. When you write something, consider its value. A lot of the time people will save an image (using the flag under the bottom right of the image) because of the content you’ve put in the caption. This helps you in the algorithm and raises the value of your page. If you’re published, you already have tips that aspiring writers want to know. Consider sharing them in your captions!
- Post about books! – It may seem silly, and I’m not saying your whole account must be books, but readers love seeing images of books. Trust me, it’s a thing! It’s also a good way to support fellow authors.
- Be genuine – I say this every time I talk, but it is crucial that you be genuine in your captions, interactions, and direct messages with readers. Their interactions with you will translate to how they support you and your books.
Treat your followers as friends while writing amazing books
and they’ll spread your stories far and wide. I can’t think of better marketing
than that!
_________________
Emilie is a freelance writer, photographer, and graphic
designer living in Northern California. She’s a member of ACFW and writes Young
Adult fiction. She’s got a soft spot in her heart for animals and a love for
the mountains of the Pacific Northwest. In her spare time, you can find her
designing fun, bookish items for her Etsy and Society6 shops all while drinking
too much coffee.
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/eahendryx
Instagram: www.instagram.com/createexploreread
Hey, Emilie, welcome to Seekerville! So nice to have you here... and it's fun to see your thoughts on Instagram since I am not savvy on that medium. You've opened my eyes... and I appreciate it! Annie, thanks for inviting Emilie to be with us today. And I'm in love with the setting she's created for her pic....
ReplyDeleteOh mylanta, that's an attention grabber right there!
Totally agree, Ruthy! Her library is hitting all the right notes with this book lover! Lol.
DeleteEmilie, this is very interesting and one of the forms of Social Media I haven't tried yet. And I love your do's and don'ts, which can apply to all forms of Social. Or should, anyway.
ReplyDeleteI will get one of my Young Adult Daughters to set me up.
I have a Pinterest account but never use it. Would like to set up some boards for my Western Dreams characters.
I have been fairly El Producto over the pandemic, as those who see me on Facebook know. Finished the draft of a full-sized novel and finished editing a novella. My next project is to cut 11,000 words from an earlier book to see if I can catch the wave of Love Inspired Historical before the door closes again. Two cliches in one sentence, rest assured that I don't do that in my "real" writing.
My state is opening up again. Don't know how I feel about that. Sometimes I think it's too soon, mostly when I hear the reports on the nightly news. But people are chomping at the bit (HA! A third cliche) and then there's the economy. New Hampshire relies on tourists in the summer, and they won't come if we don't give them something to go to.
Libraries are scheduled to begin opening this Monday and that's a good sign, at least for me. Dave and I found an open Barnes and Noble on his vacation, and I went in and just soaked up the atmosphere.
Books.
In and out today, will try to get back later.
Kathy Bailey
Your Kaybee
Making it work in New Hampshire
Hi Kaybee! Good luck with cutting those words and getting it published through Love Inspired Historical.
DeleteSocial media is one of those things that is almost a necessity when it comes to marketing. Wish you all the best when setting them up.
My state has begun slowly reopening but my county have decided to keep this closed a bit longer with continued social distancing. We'll get there. Take care!
I loved reading this! I have been on Ig for a while with an account mostly focused on art. It was growing a lot for a ehile but when the algorithm changed it slowed considerably. Now, I'm trying to mix writing and art. I'm going to spend some time thinking through your tips & see what changes I can make. If anyone wants to follow I'm @sprinkleonglitter feel free to shoot me a dm so I'll follow back :)
ReplyDeleteTonya, I just followed you!
DeleteI know what you mean! The algorithm definitely hurt a bunch of accounts! Thank you.
DeleteThanks,Missy! I followed you back :)
DeleteJustcommonly, the algorithm put a real kink in things.
Emilie, welcome! What a great post. I'm barely on Instagram but would like to do more there if I can just get more familiar with it. Thanks for this great advice!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I should add that the reason I'm not on Instagram much is because I fear making mistakes. Everything there is so beautiful! I fear my photos won't live up to what people expect. Any advice about that? I think I got intimidated because my daughter would talk about people having a certain aesthetic. haha
DeleteHi Missy. There are some that focus on aesthetic, but there are others that focus on allowing people to get to know them. As Emilie said, you can try adding a filter, and use the same filter for all your pics so it will have the same aesthetic. =)
DeleteAnnie, my FB posts are all over the place as far as topics. I guess I figured if I put that same variety on Insta, people would think it looked bad. haha But I think I just need to be braver and jump in. I think I've only posted there about six times. :)
DeleteMissy, I read some articles at the beginning of the year saying the need to stick to an aesthetic was dreceasing. People want to see you being genuine.
DeleteGreat tips, Emilie! And love your IG account. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThanks Teresa for stopping by!
DeleteWelcome to Seekerville, Emilie! And thank you so much for this post. I need all the social media advice I can get, so I'm all over this. I love Instagram because I'm a visual person, but I'm still pretty clueless as to how best to use it. So I truly appreciate these tips. I will be referring to them often.
ReplyDeleteHi Mindy! Emilie is awesome and I just love her tips.
DeleteEmilie, this post makes my heart race a little, just because of my perfectionism and associated anxiety. I am so limited in my photography skills, but this is encouragement I need. Even if they aren't the most perfect photos I've ever seen, I really do want to get into the Instagram game, so thank you for this- it is so helpful!
ReplyDeleteIt seems like lately I'm having to bookmark all the Seekerville posts! :-)
LOL. Rachel, I know what you mean. I love Seekerville posts. Very informative, and Emilie's tips are definitely worth saving for reference. =)
DeleteEmilie, Thank you so much for this post. I love Instagram, but I'm still stuck about what to post, how often, and how to make it look nice. Thanks for the tips and I'm always looking for ideas about Instagram.
ReplyDeleteThank you Tanya for stopping by!
DeleteEmilie, such lovely photos and great tips. You make me want to join Instagram! Really! If only there were more hours in the day, right?
ReplyDeleteThanks for being with us on Seekerville! Waving to Annie too!
Debbie, I know what you mean. I gush at Emilie's photos and there really isn't enough time in the day is there?!
DeleteGreat post, Emilie. I am on Facebook and that is it. I really don't understand what Instagram, Snapchat, and all the others are really about. I am interested in Pinterest, but don't know really how to go about that either.
ReplyDeleteHi Sandy. Pinterest is pretty cool. It's a great way to group similar topics/categories. I'd say to just jump right in and play with it. You'll get the hang of it! And when in doubt, google how tos. *wink wink
DeleteLovely tips! I know I'm under-utilizing my Instagram account, and these suggestion will be so helpful! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHi Erica! Instagram is definitely a great way to market products, especially books!
DeleteThank you. I struggle (as many do) with how to best use social media. While I have an Instagram account, I haven't done much with it. This helps!
ReplyDeleteThanks Linda for stopping by! Good luck and have fun with your IG!
DeleteThanks for sharing these great tips.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lee-Ann for stopping by!
Delete