Keeping your social media profiles true to yourself while also representing your brand and/or book is a difficult balance to strike. Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and TikTok are full to the brim with people and businesses, most delivering daily doses of self-promotion to the masses. So how can you differentiate yourself from the thousands of other voices in this online cacophony? How can you build trust and loyalty with your followers that results in them purchasing your book? The answer is deceptively simple: be authentic.

Building your social media network requires time, attention, and effort, but doing it authentically makes it fun for you and your audience alike. “Social” is the key word in social media—these platforms are designed to connect people. And your audience craves authentic connection. Getting in front of your ideal followers and retaining their interest requires striking the right balance of educating your audience, promoting yourself, and (you guessed it) socializing. In this article, we’ll go through each of these elements and how you can approach them authentically.

Educating Your Audience

You wrote a book because you are an expert, whether that’s in business, science, arts, your own unique journey, or writing itself. Your audience will want to know what makes you an expert, and rightly so! When promoting your business or product, you should be following the 80/20 rule. Eighty percent of your content should be about adding value to your followers' lives and 20% should be about promotion of your brand or book.

Adding value can be done in many ways. You can share posts and videos that explain how your business is run, describe services you offer, give information on the best practices in your field, celebrate newly completed projects, or simply provide your audience with tips and resources. And all of this can be done in a fun and engaging way that entertains, educates, and drives loyalty.

Do you provide a specific service to your clients? Record a video explaining its value in a way that doesn’t sound like a sales pitch but instead shows your personal passion for the service. Or ask a recent client to give you a statement on their experience.

Does your brand work in a way that’s largely invisible to your audience? Collect photos or videos to create a “day in the life” post that gives your audience a behind-the-scenes look at the heart and soul that goes into your products or services.

Big event coming up? Maybe a book launch party? Post a little teaser or sneak peak leading up to it and share your excitement about what’s to come. Consider posting photos or live videos from the event as well.

An informed audience that feels included in your journey is an engaged audience.

Promote Yourself

Taking your book, business, and brand out of the equation for a moment, consider who you follow on social media and why. Is it because you’re interested in their expertise? Where they travel? Their specific style and aesthetic? If any of these ring true, it’s for the same reason: you want to know more about them.

Don’t shy away from sharing yourself with your audience in the same way! When promoting your book, consider sharing some aspects of your personal life and your publishing journey. Of course, only share what you are comfortable with. Being open shows there is more than one side to you; it shows your audience the real person behind your incredible work. Some sure-fire ways to make sure your followers know the real you (without giving too much of your time or yourself away) are sharing behind-the-scenes photos and videos of your everyday life, sharing short videos where you talk about the process of writing your book, and sharing articles and posts that interest you. These simple steps will show the real you and let your audience know what matters most to you.

Did you have lunch with a friend or a mentor central to your journey recently? Share a picture, your story, and thank them in your caption.

Excited about an event you’re attending soon? Snap a photo on the way to tell your followers where you’re headed and what you’ll get out of it. If the event is educational, share any insights gleaned.

Reached a personal milestone, like completing a marathon you’ve been training for? Post that photo of you crossing the finish line!

And hands off that edit button! The more edited your photos and videos are, the less your audience is likely to believe you’re being “real.” It’s alright if your hair is a little out of place or your complexion isn’t perfect that day. Your audience wants to feel as if they’re on your journey with you, and adding filters or doing heavy edits on your content puts an additional barrier between you and the people you are inviting to get to know you. Nobody is truly perfect, and humans connect with humanity.

Socializing

Another great way to connect with your audience is to speak with them directly. Your community enjoys being heard as much as you do, so indulge them! Respond to questions and positive comments on your pages with answers and thank-yous. Ask your audience a question in your post and converse with them in the comment section. Don’t be shy about celebrating new connections and telling your audience how much you appreciate their attention and support. After all, their engagement is what gives you a boost in the algorithms! Dedicate about 20% of your online presence to interacting with your audience then watch your followers turn into readers, reviewers, clients, and fellow promoters.

Nearly every platform has added the ability to “go live.” During these livestreams, the comment section is active in real-time. Choose a time you won’t be disturbed, decide on a topic, and let your followers know ahead of time when you’ll go live and what you’ll discuss during that stream. Your topics can range from answering questions about your book or business, talking about your personal journey, offering advice for those with questions, or simply chatting to your followers in real-time about anything and everything. All that matters is that your audience feels like you hear and understand them, and that they understand you. This connection builds trust in you, your brand, and the information you share.

These are just some of the ways to help your audience get to know you and feel valued by you. Keep it authentic, and you’ll see your social media efforts pay off.

Using social media can open doors to a variety of opportunities for your book and your brand. If you are interested in learning more, Greenleaf Book Group offers social media strategy and coaching services. Contact us to learn more.