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Why Most Authors Don’t Need Social Media in 2022
Novel Marketing by Thomas Umstattd Jr.
When authors think about promoting their book, their minds usually go directly to one method of promotion: social media.
But social media networks change so quickly. The advice you received at a writers conference in 2019 doesn’t necessarily work in 2022. Even the best social media methods of 2021 may not work in 2022. Therein lies the challenge for authors.
I’ve been helping companies, politicians, nonprofits, and authors use social media since 2007. I’ve managed hundreds of thousands of dollars in ad spend and innovative techniques that have swayed elections and influenced policy. Last year I released a history of Facebook for authors. A lot has changed for social media, and this article will address many of those changes.
Whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction, whether you’re traditionally or independently published, you need to be aware of the changes and costs of social media.
Opportunity Cost One of the most unhelpful questions authors ask is, “Will doing X help me sell more books?”
It’s a useless question because the answer is almost always “yes.”
“Will standing on a street corner waving my book help me sell books?” Probably. People get money panhandling, so you could likely sell a book from a street corner.
The better question is, “How does this promotional activity compare to my next best alternative?”
To make an accurate comparison, you need to know what your alternatives are. The more alternatives you know about, the better decision you can make about your next best alternative.
There are many social networks, and we’re going to explore the strengths and weaknesses of quite a few of them. But please note, the one sure path to failure is to try to be everywhere for everyone all the time. And contrary to what you might have heard, social media isn’t a requirement for authors.
You Don’t Even Need to Be on Social Media to Be a Successful Author
As I work with bestselling authors, I have noticed that the more successful an author is, the less time they tend to spend on social media.
What makes you a successful writer is… wait for it, your writing!
You can’t Facebook or TikTok your way to publishing success without first being a good writer.
In terms of opportunity cost, the next best alternative for many successful authors is letting go of social media altogether.
While many unpublished authors spend lots of time sharing advice with each other on social media, bestselling authors spend that time writing.
Avoid any literary agent or publisher who pressures you to do social media. Such pressure is a red flag that they are either an imposter or a bozo. An imposter is trying to deceive you. A bozo simply doesn’t know that he doesn’t know and confidently gives bad advice.
It often takes an author years to realize their agent is a bozo, so this litmus test is a great shortcut. There are many people in publishing who don’t know that they don’t know what they are talking about when it comes to marketing. But who knows, you might be a good fit for social media, so let’s talk about the different social networks…keep reading
Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/novel-marketing/id721122555?i=1000547639203