10 Tasks Authors Can Do Every Week To Grow Your Online Presence
We have a phrase that we say quite a bit around our house: progress, not perfection. It’s something that I have to say to myself daily. It’s the things that we work on consistently and strive for that make us better and how we see results.
One of the best things an author can do to implement that progress and see real results from their work is to have a plan. Many times when authors are just starting out or if they are looking to take things to the next level, it’s difficult to know what changes they need to make.
So I thought I would share 10 applicable and doable tasks that you can put into practice to grow your online presence and make a big impact.
1. Assess What’s Working and What’s Not
I say this all the time: you don’t have to be everywhere online to be seen. A big mistake authors make is that they spread themselves way too thin by taking on too much with their book marketing. You don’t need to be on every social media outlet, you don’t have to do a blog tour, you don’t have to be on Pinterest if your ideal reader isn’t there. Every week, check out your website analytics to see where your traffic is coming from. If you are spending a ton of time on Twitter but you’re not seeing any traffic as a result, consider trying something else. If you aren’t seeing results from the work you’re putting in, consider adjusting your plan.
2. Like and Comment on Other People’s Social Media Posts
This is, hands down, one of the best ways to grow your audience and build awareness on social media. By simply liking and commenting on posts, you will see an incredible increase in your following and engagement. It’s a task that takes 5-10 minutes a day - it’s easy to do and you see big results.
3. Put Yourself in Your Ideal Readers Shoes
It’s very easy to automatically slip back into the practice of approaching your marketing as an author trying to sell a book. But the key to effective marketing and growing your audience is to approach marketing from the perspective of your ideal reader. Putting a reminder in your calendar or on your phone every week to keep that perspective is a great practice to get into.
If you want to learn more about how to identify your ideal reader, download our free guide here.
4. Connect With at Least 10 New Readers
Do some research and find 2-3 hashtags that your ideal reader uses. Search those hashtags to find posts that fit your ideal reader and leave a comment, like their post, maybe even follow them if you like their feed. Remember, it’s not your reader’s job to find you - it’s your job to find your readers. And this is a fantastic (and easy!) way to do that.
5. Blog/Podcast/Vlog
Creating consistent content on your website is the absolute best way to get people excited about your writing, your book, your expertise, and so much more. When you can provide content that speaks to your ideal reader, it gives them a taste of what they can expect in your book and, most importantly, it drives them back to your website. This is how you build visibility online. And with evergreen content, you can share your posts over and over again.
6. Email Your Newsletter Subscribers
Your newsletter list is the most important information you own. People who sign up for your newsletter are saying, “I’m interested - tell me more!” They are an attentive audience that needs to be treated like gold. Sending them an email every week keeps them engaged, it keeps you at the top of their mind, and it builds trust.
7. Schedule Your Social Media Posts
One of the best time-saving tips I can give you is to take an hour every week to schedule your social media posts in advance. It saves you time, but it also enables you to be consistent with sharing your content. Using services like Buffer, Later, and HootSuite will save you a ton of time and help you grow your online presence as well.
8. Educate Yourself
When you stop learning, you stop growing. Taking a few minutes every day or an hour every week to read up on what’s happening in your industry, to learn something new, or stretch yourself. You never know what you’ll find!
9. Plan for the Next Week
I recently started bullet journaling (which I’ve quickly become obsessed with!) and something that it forces you to do is to plan each week in advance. When you take the time to plan ahead and think through what you want or need to accomplish, it creates order and a lot less stress. By simply thinking and planning ahead, I’ve seen incredible results.
10. Think Ahead
As an author, it’s easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day details and to-do lists that we can’t see past the end of the week. What is it that you want to accomplish? What are your goals? When you have an end goal, you’re able to make a plan on how to actually get there. Take a few minutes every week to jot your thoughts/ideas down and see how you’re progressing to get yourself to that goal. It’s a great motivator!
You may look at this list and think, “10 things to add to my to-do list?!? Ahhh!!!” Take it one step at a time and add one task a week. The great thing about this list is that each individual task doesn’t need to take much time. As you get used to one, add another. Before you know it, each task will be easily integrated into your weekly routine.
If you want to go a step further and get all of the tools, resources, and help that you need to market your book, grow on social media, and sell more books - join The Author Circle membership!
