Eureka? Not exactly your average run-of-the-mill title for an article about romance writing. Unless you visit websites with jump-up-and-slap-your-pappy treasure chests of information on how to get noticed on social media. I had waved a white flag and lo and behold, the internet came through with tips ‘n tricks like a gold nugget in a settler’s pan.
Why was I on a mission? Because my romantic comedy, Lacey’s Lessons of Love, recently placed as Amazon’s #1 best-seller both nationally and internationally. Talk about slapping your pappy, I even jumped up and decked my Uncle Chester. Then, I asked myself how would anyone find my book among the bazillion books out there for sale. Aha! Social media, that’s how. Eureka! Let’s talk about romance writers and how to get noticed on social media.
A Plan to Get Noticed on Social Media
Decide what social media platform would be most beneficial for your romance novel.
The most important factor is asking yourself how much time you can devote to any given platform. Perhaps choose one or two of the following listed platforms and only add additional media when you can post consistently on the same day of the week and at the same time of the day.
Choose a third or fourth media platform when you are ready, but only if you honestly have the time necessary to devote to this time-consuming challenge. Once you choose your medium, set realistic, measurable, and attainable goals for your posting.
Example: I will post on Instagram every Friday at 10:00 a.m. Your fans will anticipate reading your new posts, so don’t let them down.
Social Media Platforms
- Blog — Create text about any topic you desire. Blogging gives you the ability to include pictures and digital images with potential links to further information.
- Email List – Build a website and offer something of value for those who sign up to receive your emails. Make it juicy and irresistible. Begin building your email list even if you haven’t started writing your book. It’s never too soon.
- Facebook — Head over to a website like PhotoFunia and spend the evening putting together background pictures for your social media pages like Facebook and Twitter. These make for excellent advertising when you place your book cover in the background.
- Instagram — Get an account on Instagram if you do not have one. Instagram has risen near the top in popularity and Twitter appears to be circling the drain.
- Pinterest — I LOVE Pinterest. Set up pages reflecting your book with pins like pictures resembling your characters, wardrobe of the time, flora and fauna of the landscape, etc.
- TikTok — Very popular and Book Tok is racing upward in popularity.
- Video — Place video on your author website. Create a video about your book.
- YouTube — Video yourself talking about your book. The uniqueness of “you” will draw in followers/fans who will become book buyers.
Who is Your Competition?
You know the old saying: Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Be on top of what your competition is doing to get noticed on social media. Go to Amazon and enter your book genre of choice. Read the author’s name and check out her author page on Amazon and on her personal internet site. What is she up to?
The Passion behind Your Brand
On your author webpage, tell your visitors how you got started writing. The passion behind your words. The message you want to relay for your writing. The story of “you”.
Brand Specifics for Webpage
- What colors will represent your brand? I love the colors Gabriella uses; crisp and clean.
- What fonts will represent your brand? Choose a font and use it consistently.
- What is the target audience behind your brand? Who reads your books? Cater to them.
- How will you find the audience for your brand? Will they be in specific social media groups?
Post as frequently as you can but remember, start out by posting once a month, then biweekly, and only weekly if you can fulfill this on a consistent basis. It is better to post once a month than to have your reader expect to find a post and feel jilted when she doesn’t.
Writers write … and post on a consistent basis!
Tammy Lough creates women’s cozy fiction sprinkled with humor, romance, and moxie aplenty. Her romantic comedy, Lacey’s Lessons of Love, is a 2022 national and international
#1 best-seller & the first book of the For the Love of Lacey series. Available Spring 2023: Lacey’s Circle of Love & Fall 2023: Lacey’s Legacy of Love.
She is an active member of the Missouri Romance Writers of America, Romance Writers of America, Southwest Writers, Saturday Writers, and Women Writing the West. You can connect with Tammy on her website, or on Twitter and Facebook.
