I spend a lot of my time performing what many would consider a digital marketing role. I read through blogs for relevant content, I tweet and retweet regularly (always aiming for that 1:10 ratio), I network and grow my base. Heck, I do all that more than I write!
I am not a digital marketer by education, nor by trade - though that profession would be okay in my books. But in this day and age, unless you are an author represented by the biggest agents and publishers, marketing is now part of the job description. Even the most successful authors will now spend time on blogs and social media as a way to better connect with fans and to grow their reader base.
Now an actual discussion of the intricacies of digital marketing would take multiple blogs and I will not even begin to pretend that I know all that there is to know. However, here are the top three things I have learned about digital marketing (so far).
Be Consistent. Depending on your personality, this may be the toughest lesson I have learned. And when they say consistency is king, they aren’t lying. The strongest growth of my base has occurred when I have not only stayed true to my blogging schedule, but when I regularly interact with others. Whether that be through email or messaging, sharing and commenting on blogs, or just replying and sharing their social media, growth occurs when these things get done every single day. If you miss a day or have a slower day here or there, it is not the end of the world. But the more regular your presence becomes, the more people are drawn to you.
Network, Network, Network. Jumping off how important interaction with others is, networking is a crucial part to expanding your influence on social media. It can teach you best practices and give you insights you may be blind to. It makes a path that can seem very digital and isolated feel the exact opposite. You end up going on journeys with the people would connect with, and they will almost always reciprocate in kind. So while adding a bunch of indie authors does not necessarily mean I am getting fans, it is embedding me in a community and making me grow as a result.
Be Yourself. The most important lesson to keep in mind. It’s not that I was being fake or someone else when I started this journey, but I thought there was a certain air I should carry about me, certain language I should use, and certain things I should do. What has become more and more apparent (beyond just reading that you should be you) is that genuine people attract genuine followers. People can sniff out an act from a mile away and they don’t want anything to do with it. The world is filled with tens of thousands of people who might want to put up the same face in hopes of achieving something. Be unique, be yourself, and you will prove that you are more worthy of people’s time than the less-genuine masses.
This topic will appear time and time again, I can guarantee you that. And as I continue down this journey, I will continue to learn more about the marketing side of writing. I haven’t even published my book yet, so I can only imagine the whole new world I will be exposed to when it comes time to market that.
If you are a writer, I wouldn’t mind if you left a marketing lesson you have learned or heard in the comments below. If you are a reader, why not share what authors can do that really catches your eye!
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and be sure to check in next week for two new blogs… and even some bonus weekend content!