Social Media Strategy for Self-Publishing (and Self-Marketing) Writers

Over the past few years, I have read many articles about self-publishing and the accompanying workload around self-marketing that comes with this decision. One the one hand, a self-published author reaps most of the sales profit. On the other, without a publishing company marketing a self-published author, no will find their books. So, to seek a publisher, or to self-publish…I still choose the latter.

These helpful resources I’ve reviewed—mostly articles, blog posts, and the occasional podcast from successful self-published authors—strongly encourage us self-publishing types to figure out their self-marketing (platform) quickly and accurately.

Self-published authors have to self-market their work because no one will do it for them, except in perhaps rare and amazing circumstances.

StrategySocial Media Strategy

So after listening to the multiple voices repeatedly tell me to get my strategy together, I tinkered for months through trial and error to find the perfect social media marketing platform (if there is such a thing). I tried this and I tried that; I started here and started there…and each failure brought me closer to discovering improved auto-distribution. Now, I have successfully cultivated efficiencies in social media (thanks to some amazing technologies out there) that save me time and slowly expand my reach across the internet. One day, these efforts will generate a readership, and hopefully, a fan-base.

I didn’t think much about my strategy (except that I thought it was damn good) until a fellow self-published writer, Chase Potter (definitely check out his books) reached out and asked for my input about creating a successful and strong platform for self-marketing. Once I wrote it all up for him, I realized I had the seeds of a strong blog post/article. (You’re reading it now.) So enjoy, fellow indie authors, and let me know your thoughts in the comments below. I can’t wait to see what other efficiencies can be gained.

How it Works

I built in thoughtful and time-saving efficiencies that make sense to me so that I only need to post to four originating sources – however it’s very clear to me WHAT is posted to a particular source for automatic distribution to various destinations.

BASICALLY, IF THIS:

  • Yes I want to self-market and self-publish
  • Yes I want to manage my own social media (SM)
  • Yes I want to be smart and efficient about it all
  • Yes I want to write way more than I want to do the above three things

AND THIS:

  • My two PRIMARY platforms are: WordPress and Facebook (Author Page). This means the larger time investment for the majority of my posts/thoughts/whatever go into one of these two places, then auto-distribute as indicated.
  • My two SECONDARY platforms are Instagram and Pinterest. This means the smaller time investment for that random one-offs or supporting content goes here , and much more sporadically. Note: no author I have found yet does the Pinterest thing, so, I like to think it’s my own thing!

THEN THIS:

  • WordPress posts will distribute across my SM network as I want and can choose per post. (to generate interest, comments, and followers)
  • Facebook Author Page (FBAP) will automatically post to Twitter with an image (if appropriate) and a link back to FBAP. (to generate followers)
  • Instagram will automatically post photos with specific hostages to FBAP and Twitter with an image (if appropriate), text and a link back to FBAP. (to generate followers)
  • Pinterest will automatically post photos from specific Boards to FBAP and Twitter with an image, text, and a link back to the Board. (to generate interest)
  • It looks like i’m doing it all, but I’m efficient. On an epic level of gaygeek.

BUT NOT THIS. I DO NOT:

  • Post to Twitter (as an originating source) any longer in terms of writing/authoring. It’s the void and it’s not worth my time. Sure, I’ll check someone out there, but… blah.
  • Post to Tumbler. If Twitter is the void, then Tumbler is the double void. I see no reason to waste time here.
  • Youtube: I don’t have time for it. Depending on what level you want to take it to, you must have lots of time to edit lots of outtakes and b-roll/footage.
    • You have to be patient, and you have to cultivate your on-camera persona so you don’t come across as awkward or uncomfortable. The most popular YouTubers out there are confident, they be themselves to best we can tell, and they are comfortable behind and in front of the camera.
    • If you want amazingness, you need to invest in some lighting and a really good camera—unless you regularly want to use your HD smartphone – which means you’ll need external and backup drives etc because raw HD video footage generate humongous files and will kill your smartphone’s free-space quickly, and then your computer’s hard drive is next. And you’ll also need a Mac computer with iMovie, or a PC with similar video editing software.
    • And let’s think about time again: I already have a hard time with regular posting on my blog, so I know that I will encounter significant time challenges.
    • And second last – Content. There are so many stunts and antics out there to generate fans. You have to decided what content you will offer your audience and how much time you really want to invest in doing stilly stunts, book review, or anything else you can imagine.
    • And finally – What do you really want to do? Write, or edit video. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying don’t, or do…I’d LOVE to have a YouTube channel…but I have a husband, a home, a dog, family and friends, a job, and oh yeah – lot of writing to do. It’s simply a decision of time management for me.

So the starting point for you, is the culmination of trial, error, and current perfection.Reap the benefits, and reap them well. And…write something amazing today!

Social Media Map Strategy

Social Media Strategy Map June 2015