You’ve probably heard that building a solid online presence is critical to an author’s success. Maybe you’re new to the social media sphere or you’re just not really sure why you even need a website or a newsletter. Here are a few important reasons why you should begin building your online presence as an author and growing your influence.
1. Covid-19
Probably the most obvious of my points, the Covid-19 virus has eliminated all large gatherings for the foreseeable future so book fairs, conferences, and book signings are all out. Authors have turned to social media to get the word out about their books and maintain a connection with their fans.
2. People buy books because of YOU
According to Ingram Spark, one of the top reasons readers buy books is because of the author themselves. Not the synopsis, not the cover but YOU as a person. So let your readers get to know who you are as an author but also as the human behind the laptop.
3. Discover a fanbase overseas
When you’re marketing your book you can spend time contacting every local bookstore, library, and media outlet, sure, that works just fine but if you ever hope to grow a fan base outside of your state and outside of your country, the fastest way to distribute information is online. Your biggest fans could be in the Czech Republic but you’ll never know until you reach them.
4. Get your readers to market your book for you
Once you have an army of readers online, they will do a majority of the advertising for you just because you ask them to. Your readers will share your teasers, your blog posts, and upcoming promotions online because they feel like they know you and they love you.
5. Virtual promotions
Promoting virtually is not only less expensive but it also guarantees that you’ll be seen by your readers. Holding virtual launch parties, Q&As, doing a blog tour or an Instagram tour are a few good ways to spread awareness about your book and ensure that everyone can attend.
If you’d like to learn more about how to grow your online presence, check out my free guide at the link below!
