Guest blog: 5 social media tips by Karen Duncan
Thank you to Karen Duncan for sharing her top social media tips for authors in this guest blog. Over to you Karen!
5 Things to Consider Before You Press Post on Social Media
If you’ve taken the time to write a fantastic post then you can take a little longer to make sure it’s the most effective you can make it. Here are five things to think about before you press ‘post’.
1. Who is it for?
Is this post aimed at loyal followers who are one click away from buying your book? Or new people who may not have heard of you before? Consider what these people would need to know. Maybe they haven’t realised you’re writing a book or they meant to buy and forgot the link. Give them the information they need and don’t assume that everyone has read your previous post – people are very busy.
Write different posts for different people. Some won’t appeal, but the ones that do are more likely to connect than generic ones that don’t especially excite anyone. Alternate who you’re aiming at. You may want to consider creating customer avatars so you’re writing or speaking to a specific person, rather than the whole of the internet. I find this makes it easier to get writing and be authentic – especially if you’re going for a conversational tone. See if it works for you.
2. Have you included hashtags?
Hashtags are the way new people find you. Think of hashtags as different magazines you could have your post published in – there’s a huge difference between Equestrian Monthly and I <3 Ponies. In the same way, #entrepreneur and #BossBabe are not the same – they will reach and appeal to different audiences.
You can find relevant hashtags by starting to type one – there will be suggestions of alternatives. If there are numbers next to the hashtags, these are the numbers of times the hashtag has been used. Go for ones in the middle – the huge hashtags will have too much competition and the smaller ones will be too niche.
On most platforms, a couple of hashtags can be about right. Possibly four, if relevant, but hashtags appear in blue and you don’t want an entirely blue post. Hashtags can also be distracting if you use them in the text – it’s #important to make your #text #EasyToRead. Put hashtags at the end of the post – that’s where they live.
On Instagram, you can have up to thirty. Ten to fifteen is usually fine, though. Pinterest is the only platform that doesn’t like hashtags. Everywhere else, throw in a few and see if it helps.
3. Do you have the best graphics?
Do your graphics fit with your image, brand, or idea you are trying to get across? Copyright free images can be great to create an impression – Pixabay, Pexels and Unsplash all have images you can download and use. They may look a little corporate, though. Sometimes a quick image you’ve taken yourself, even if it’s not perfect, can be more authentic.
You can also create graphics using canva.com with your logo and brand colours that talk about your book, the launch date, or any other information you will be frequently sharing.
Graphics are eye catching and can stop people scrolling, but go for something that won’t be too time consuming. If you like a selfie, go for that. Or reuse an older photo if you have lots on your phone. As long as it does what you want it to, then it works. Done is better than perfect and a picture that is nearly precisely what you imagined is better than procrastinating forever over which shade of teal to use.
4. Have you included a call to action?
If you ask people do do something – share an opinion, leave a comment, share with a friend, click on my link – they are far more likely to do so.
There’s no harm in asking, as long as you don’t use too much pressure. BUY MY BOOK NOW! NOW, NOW, NOW! is less of a call to action and more of a command. If you’re using a site that is happy with links, make sure the link is there as it can be frustrating to hunt for it, especially on mobile.
If there isn’t something specific you want people to do, always ask for feedback or input. What’s your suggestion? Which of these do you prefer? Interaction is important and they are more likely to remember you if they interact. Plus, social media is all about getting those conversations going.
5. Is this the best time to post?
Social media platforms want to know your post is interesting. Until the software develops the awareness to actually judge (and I, for one, welcome our robot overlords), it is relient on people’s reactions to judge how “good” a post is. They usually allow a fixed amount of time for you to gain some reactions – likes are “nice”, other reactions are better, comments are better still…
If you post at three in the morning, you may have no engagement at all, since people aren’t likely to see it.
Look at your past posts and see which times had the most engagement – your audience may be commuters who scroll on the tube. Or young parents who check their phones once the children are in bed and they have some quiet.
Post when your audience is looking and they’ll see what you’re saying – and it will be seen by more people because the platform will know you’re interesting and want to show your post to more people. It’s a virtuous circle that can really pay off.
Taking a little time to read over your posts, and considering them from your audience’s point of view can help you to reach the people you want to. It’s something that becomes easier with practice. If you need to, put these rules on a post-it note and stick it to your monitor so you can have a quick double check each time you post; it won’t take long before it becomes automatic. Always remember that you deserve as many people as possible to see what you have to say.
Good luck with your posting.
You can find out more about Karen Duncan and sign up for her social media courses here.
Karen Duncan is a Social Media and Creativity Trainer at PonyPonyPony, and is an expert in social media helping business owners to make the right impression online.