Common Mistakes Authors Make on Social Media and How to Avoid Them

One of the foremost ways you can market your book is through social media.

Social media can be a fantastic way to connect with others, but did you know that social media can also be a handy marketing tool?

While most authors understand that they need to have a social media platform, many do not know how to sell more books and build better connections with readers. 

How are you using your social media platforms?

Here are some of the most common mistakes authors can make:

Inconsistent Branding  

If you are a romance author, do you write Regency romance that deals with the ruling class's affairs or a contemporary romance that is quirkier and more fun?

Does your science fiction book appeal to the casual reader or the technologically minded?

You need to understand what your readers like about your books, from the content to the book cover design. Even if your book is in a specific genre or subgenre, some aspects may appeal to one demographic over the other. Likewise, for you as an author.

If you post information about your books one second and then go on a political rant the next, you might hurt your brand and lose much-needed followers. 

First and foremost, your social media needs to reflect who you are and what you offer without coming off too abrasive or oversharing with your readers.

Second, you must provide a consistent message that never waivers from the primary goal of presenting books to your audience. If the message is inconsistent, then followers will become confused.

Readers that do not connect with your brand will not buy your books.

Give them a reason!  

Information Overload  

Information overload occurs in two different ways, sometimes simultaneously – you either post too often or post too much text at once. It is essential to spread out your posts and plan them accordingly. A good rule is to post at least once per day for each social site, up to two times per day if you have under 10,000 followers. Anything after that, and you risk coming off as "spammy." This is especially true if you are doing a book promotion.

An excellent rule is to keep your promo to 1/5 posts.

That means for every post that is only about your newest book, you should have four that are not. That does not mean these other posts shouldn't mention your book or be related somehow, but the content should rely on other interests your readers would find engaging. 

Also, it would help if you did not overshare when it comes to social media. I often see this problem with Facebook and LinkedIn especially. You do not need to meet the maximum word count, and often, offering too much information can be convoluted and overwhelming.

You can share information about your life and viewpoints, of course, but remember this should not come off as preachy or rude.

Share the bad, but also remember to share the good. 

Too Much Reliance on Automation  

One of the beauties of technology is that it creates convenience, even when it comes to social media. Post schedulers like Hootsuite and Later will automatically post content, such as blog posts when you schedule it. 

While these are not necessarily bad things, you can run the risk of information overload if you frequently create then execute without paying attention to the volume you are posting. For instance, I never share a blog post straight after writing it. I am strategic about that, so I prefer to write a post and then later decide which posts I will share for the month. This is extremely helpful when I later plan out how to spend advertising dollars. 

Do you also know that some social media sites, such as Facebook, have algorithms that will showcase content created manually before automated content?

There are also famous "follow builder" apps that use AI chatbots to engage. This is not good and I have seen accounts banned for using autobots to follow, like, and engage. 

Treating All Social Media Sites Equally 

This is one of the biggest mistakes I have seen authors make.

Just because a social media platform has a similar goal (connecting you with others) does not mean it operates the same. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen the same image plastered across seven different social media sites. This is especially true when it comes to a book promo image.

Often, an author will use the same image without resizing it for different places. 

Of course, this is done to save time, but consider how your audience feels.

Why should they follow you on Twitter, for instance, if they will see the same image posted on Facebook?

Even if you alter the content slightly, treating each social media site independently is essential. For instance, Instagram is an excellent site for behind-the-scenes or staged photos. This is a perfect place for audiences to get to know you, the author.

Twitter (X?) is helpful for you to share your thoughts and opinions on varied subjects.

Facebook is the go-to place to find out about book events, promotions, and general book-related matters.

You can promo across all these sites but keep the platform in mind.  

Focusing on Quantity Over Quality  

How many social media sites do you have?

How many followers?

Another huge mistake is to let both overwhelm you. For instance, often, an author will feel the need to be on every social media site.

Consider, for instance, that most of your audience are older adults, around 55+ years.

Would it make sense for you to have a Snapchat or TikTok?

It might, but perhaps you want to consider Facebook instead.

Similarly, if you focus solely on your follower count, this can lead you to counterproductive practices.

For example, too often, authors will follow back thousands of people they hope will return the favor. This may fluff up your count, but these followers will not be engaged.

As a result, your content is on the back burner for the rest of your audience.

That is how most social media algorithms work now.

Not Engaging with Your Followers 

Do you monitor your Facebook comments?

What about paying attention to any @ you get?

Furthermore, do you respond negatively to any criticism you get?

Authors will often react negatively to poor comments or outright delete them. Other times, they will fail to respond at all. 

Treat your audience how you would treat them if you were face-to-face at a book signing. With respect and a smile! (Even if it is a virtual one). This bolsters your brand and helps with creating lifelong, engaging readers.

Following this steps will not gaurantee you will increase your following, but it will certainly help!

MORE WRITING ARTICLES YOU MIGHT FIND INTERESTING