If your desire is to be a published author, I’m sure you’ve heard how important it is to have a platform.
What is a platform? It’s a number, and a bit more. A platform tells prospective agents and editors how large your reach is into the big, wide world. How do I do it? Where do I begin?
1. Start with a bit of brainstorming. What is unique about you? Or what is unique about your book? What is a good hook to draw people to your platform?
2. Keep your online presence simple at first.
Linda Yezak loves coffee, so every day she posts a meme about coffee on social media. Simple. Easy.
You can share photos of sunsets with a Bible verse for the day. Or your breakfast plate. Or your dog sleeping while you exercise. Anything – as long as it is genuinely you.
3. Relate your social media posts to your book in some way – even if, or especially if you aren’t published yet. My next book is a cozy mystery that takes place at a Bed and Breakfast in the Black Hills. Tourists are a big part of the stories in the series, so starting this week, I’m not only posting pictures of our area, but news about what to do when you visit as a tourist.
4. Be consistent. Make a plan and write it down. For example – commit to posting a meme on social media every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. And then don’t forget to do it!
5. Give shout-outs to others. Not only is it great for your friends and favorite authors when you talk about their new book, they will remember you and return the favor when your book comes out. Platform-building and marketing doesn’t need to be all about you.
6. Decide how much of you and your life you will share and draw a firm line. We all know that we only catch a glimpse of a person’s life on social media, and that’s how it should be. We need privacy and other people deserve it. I have decided to share very little about my family on line (although the dogs are on Instagram a lot!) but you might decide to make your children’s smiling faces part of your platform. No problem. The point is to decide and then stick with your decision.
What about a website? Or a blog? Or a newsletter? I thought I needed those.
Yes, you will need a website, but maybe not right now. Think of it as the place where your readers will land. How to build an author website is a huge subject – definitely too much for this post. For now, a great place to find information is Thomas Umstattd’s Author Media (link here.)
And a blog? Mine is connected to my website, and I post at least once a month. My goal was once a week, but life has gotten in the way this summer!
And a newsletter? Yes. It’s a great idea to have one. I've committed to sending out my short and simple newsletter once a month.
Again, the key is consistency. If you can’t be consistent, then don’t promise you will be. But it’s a good idea to make time in your schedule for at least a once-a-month website update and/or newsletter mailing.
Also, remember that not everyone is on social media. If you rely only on Facebook or Instagram for your marketing, you’ll be missing a lot of potential readers.
So spread yourself out - but not too thin. I'm on MeWe, Facebook, and Instagram. I keep my website updated and post regularly on my blog. I catch a varied audience because my outlets are varied.
Are you working on building your platform? Tell us how you're doing it!
Good morning, Seekerville!
ReplyDeleteThe coffee is on, the tea pot is filled with Earl Grey, and we have calorie-free-no-guilt sticky cinnamon buns on the buffet!
What works for you in your platform building?
Morning, Jan! These are really great, succinct, practical tips. "Platform-building" sounds like a really hard thing to do, but you've broken it down beautifully. I have a website and a facebook page, but consistency is key. I'm not good at it, so that's a goal for me.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy this beautiful morning in the Black Hills!
Good morning, Glynis! It is a lovely morning, isn't it? I'm just about to take Sam out for his morning walk. :-)
DeleteConsistency is the key. When you add in things like Facebook algorithms, you start seeing just how important it is.
My problem with consistency is that I start out with a great plan, but then I let life get in the way. I've had success with putting platform building tasks on my calendar, though. That way I don't forget about them (as easily!)
Great advice, Jan. Platform can be daunting, particularly for new authors. I mean, you're busy trying to write/sell a book and then you have to build a platform, too? It can be mind-boggling, for sure. So the way you've broken it down is very helpful. And mot only for new authors. ;)
ReplyDeleteYou're so right about platform being daunting - especially defining it.
DeleteWhen I was a newbie writer, I shied away from platform building. I'm such an introvert that the idea of contacting people gives me the heebedee-jeebedies. But then I realized that I'm not knocking on people's doors, or even making phone calls. I'm sitting at my computer, trying to give people something of value. That took a LOT of the pressure off!
Thanks for the post, Jan. Platform building sound scary to me, but these ideas are helpful.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome!
DeleteThanks for the wonderful ideas. Building a platform intimidates me but I won't let Satan win!
ReplyDeleteThe two key things that keep me going in building my platform are 1) I know I can share things of value - Philippians 4:8, and 2) do what I can to build up other authors - Philippians 2:3.
DeleteIt doesn't have to be intimidating!
Thanks for stopping by, Pat. :-)
Jan, thanks for those two key things. I wrote them down and put them on my desk. One day, you will see how you have encouraged me :)))
DeleteI am so in on the idea of platform building... it's a help, for sure as long as we remember that the biggest platform is a growing body of work.
ReplyDeleteJan, this was a year (year and a half, so far) that challenged as life got in the way... someone made that comment to me this past year, as I was juggling 5th grade three days a week, the shutdowns, the oddness surrounding us, the sadness of losing a person so dear to me and this person said "Gosh, don't we just hate it when life gets in the way of writing!" And it was in that snarky tone that said so much more than the snippy words.
I kept my mouth shut... but then after prayer and thought and more prayer... and a firm look at my capabilities as an author... I made some big decisions because when the world turns topsy turvy for everyone, I actually expect people to be nice. Especially industry people who expect niceness from us.
Life does interrupt sometimes. For me it's rare because of my body of work, but those interruptions are part of things. The platform is a great idea... and to keep writing. Like a NYT bestselling author told me years ago "Every book you finish will become money in the bank"... and with the exception of a few early works that we shall not discuss here (laughing!) she was right.
We keep working. We build a platform... and we move forward. Great advice, Jan!
That growing body of work! That is key, isn't it? We do need something to offer people once they notice our platform!
DeleteAnd I can't imagine you ever letting life get in the way. It might try, and you've had some whoppers of road blocks over the past year, but you're like the willow tree that bends with the wind - and makes her own way through the storm. You always find a way to incorporate life into your work, rather than letting life stop you in your tracks.
I'm thinking that your schooling at home experience from last year is going to make it into a book one of these days!
And you need to own your name online. I owned maryconnealy.com for years, and just had a simple...oh...call it a business card up on the site. Why? For fear someone else would create maryconnealy.com and then when I needed it I'd have to pick another name. I know two authors, admittedly with more common names than mine, who had to add .net or an underscore or a middle name because their name was taken.
ReplyDeleteI have to laugh because I thought my name is so unique that I'd never have that problem, but a few years ago a friend sent an email to a different person whose name is exactly the same as mine. She lives in the UK and let her know that if she wanted glynisbecker.com she was too late :)
DeletePlatform is such an amorphous mystical sounding thing when you first look at it...but when you boil it down, it's just making connections and friendship with people. My tip is to find your people and then grow the relationship. Your idea about touristy things to do in the Black Hills will capture the attention of those who love to travel, who love historical sites, who like American West/Native American history, mystery lovers, animal lovers...you're creating a broad group of people who have what you like to do in common.
ReplyDeleteBuilding a platform is best done gradually, rather than in big chunks, because if you gain tons of followers through a giveaway or a promotion, you often lose many of them once the first newsletter comes out after the sign up.