The new way to Market!
As an author, consider if your target market uses Instagram. If you are going for young readers (teen-30s). I think the answer is a huge yes!
Next consider your publishing group. When a group wants to interact together and draw a following, they need to pick a hash tag (#) which will brand them, but also inspire others to add to the “conversation.” Check with your publisher about what hash tag they want you to include on every post. Some ideas might be #fantasyfanatics or #bookstokeepyouawake. The idea is to find a handle others will be attracted to, and that might go viral.
You do not need to post that often; several times a week, not several times a day. But post more when you are engaged in something interesting, especially if it relates to writing. Post at lunch, evenings and the weekends when people can actually take the time to “play” on their computers.
Here are a few posting ideas to get you started, but remember this is your account, so be creative, informative, funny and engaging.
- Use the good graphics we have for the information page (you can take pictures of computer screens).
- Authors and staff take pictures of themselves or others reading their books or kindles or writing in the usual, or the unusual places- retreats, waiting for dinner at a known restaurant etc.
- Editors post as they look at layouts.
- Graphic designers working on the images.
- Post Images from scenes of you stories or books—or that look somewhat like a scene from the book.
- Any picture you snap from conference or retreats. Both your team and others attending the convention. Great costumes, famous people, interesting comments!
- Picture from Personal appearances- signings
These last five ideas I found on a great blog: How to Make Money on Instagram: 30 Proven Tips By Kristi Hines
- Screenshot your five-star reviews and share a snippet of them with a link to your book. It allows you to brag about your book using someone else’s words. Create images with quotes from the book, or share images directly from the book. Go with the parts that will get potential readers most interested in buying.
- Create images with questions that can be answered by parts of the book. Include a page number as an additional bonus to get people excited about buying and finding the answer.
- Share a screenshot of any special sales or discounts for your book as they happen.
- Get a video from your book signings to boost credibility and authority for yourself as an author. Remember you only have 15 seconds for each video!
- Use your cell phone to take a video of the video you publisher makes. Pick 15 seconds and upload it.
The X is delighted to welcome Diane Lee Jortner onto The X Marketing Team. She fell in love with the media as a high school newspaper editor. With BA in Journalism/Public Relations from Bowling Green State University and a MALS in English from Valparaiso University, she brings her fifteen years’ experience teaching English Composition and her extensive personal social networking experience to The X Team.
In the past year, Diane launched Kids #5 and #6 who graduated from college, #6, the youngest from high school, written a YA mystery novel, and started to blog. In her free time, besides reading almost all types of fiction, she likes to travel with her husband and children.
