Market Research

With the creation of sites like Amazon and Goodreads, the job of being an author has changed. Writing is no longer about sitting in front of a typewriter or computer to enjoy the adventure of crafting a story and handing it to someone else to take over. If you write the novel and want others to read it, then you must also be an active part of marketing the book too!
Whether you are self-published or traditionally published (I’m a hybrid), marketing expectations are the same. Truth be told, most publishers only spend marketing dollars on the George R.R. Martins and Stephen Kings of the industry. Having a successful book launch is decided by the amount of work the author puts into it.
I’m not an expert at marketing by any means, but I’ve been enjoying researching and learning about it. Over the next few weeks, we will break down my research into small digestible pieces because let’s be real – marketing can be overwhelming.
Let’s dive right into social media…
Whether you’re a new author or a bestselling author it’s expected to have an author’s platform. Most traditional publishers will ask for your links and check in to see how active and how much of a following you have. This can be a lot of work for any author to keep up with, especially if you work full-time and also plan on writing.
Instagram – The great part about marketing on Instagram is the hashtags. Using the correct hashtags can help you build a following quickly. A lot of younger readers, fans of YA and romance, spend the majority of their social media time on this platform. Fan’s love to see pictures of their favorite author’s everyday life, so don’t forget to share a picture of your favorite coffee in your favorite mug!
Tumblr – This platform is a mystery since it hasn’t gone public, not a lot of stats are known. The majority of users on Tumblr are under 35 years of age, college educated, and split evenly as male and female. It hosts over 102 million blogs and I think could be a great marketing tool for authors. I have yet to master this platform, so expect a blog post later with what I find out!
Facebook – With being one of the first social media platforms to hit the public, Facebook supports a lot of older (and loyal) users. This is a great outlet for Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi, and Romance. Make sure to create an author’s page and take a minute out of your week to schedule a few posts. Unlike Instagram, the hashtag game doesn’t really work to attract followers. So, make sure your advertising your link on other social media.
Twitter – Oh boy, could I spend a whole blog post on this platform. Twitter is where the authors are at! There is a huge community of supportive writers that will help build your following quickly. Hashtags are a huge deal here. If used correctly you can jump followers in a day. Twitter is used by most age ranges and is good for all book genres. And hey – it’s fun mingling and getting to know other authors.
Snapchat – An image and video hosting app, this platform is popular with 17 to 24-year-old fans. Which is why I’ve never used snapchat. As for marketing, find your YA readers here.
YouTube – What a beautiful wonderful place to be. EVERYONE is on YouTube! From how to videos to book trailers, this platform is a marketer’s dream. The secret for a successful channel is learning how to use tag words and the title of your video. How much time do you spend on YouTube? Why not use the popularity to your advantage. That is if you have the confidence to put yourself out there.
Website – If you don’t have any other platform, I would recommend at least having an author website. You’re reading my blog post on my website. Newsletter sign-up, links to books for sale, and bio, it all screams marketing. You can spend thousands of dollars on an amazing professional website, but you really don’t need too. You can sign up for a free website and start building your own. Website hosts make it easy with fancy templets and user-friendly website builders. Don’t delay. Make an author’s website today!
What social media have you used as an author?
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