Why Building on Multiple Social Platforms is Crucial to an Author’s Career
Building a consistent social media presence across numerous platforms is how authors build an audience
Too many authors aren’t aware of how effective building a social media presence can be, which often leads them to have little to no social media presence at all.
But, this is a sign that authors are:
Comparing their own success to others in terms of social media.
Looking at starting every social media platform at once.
When authors do this, they are already setting themselves up for failure. Because your day one is someone else’s day 100. And starting out on every social media platform at once is overwhelming and will underperform for you in the long run.
So, if starting on every social media platform at once is too much, how do authors succeed in the realm of social media?
The key is to start small.
In the beginning, authors should choose one social media platform to begin with. This means researching and testing platforms to determine which fits you best.
When deciding on a platform, authors should consider the following:
What content are you comfortable creating (Photos, text posts, videos, and such)
How often are you willing to post (Many platforms suggest four times a day to remain in users' timeline scroll)
Will you be able to remain consistent in creating content and engaging with other users' posts on this platform?
After you have decided on the platform you are the most comfortable using, you can begin making a name for yourself.
Once authors feel comfortable using their chosen platform and have begun to gather a following there, is when they can consider branching to the next platform.
A suggestion made by some of the best social media users is that once you gain 5k followers is when it’s best to consider branching out to another platform.
However, my suggestion is that once you feel comfortable with your first chosen platform, have been consistently posting content, and have a banner and profile image for your brand; you are able to branch out. I suggest this because, once you can achieve these things, you have proven you are sufficient to do so.
Before you announce the new platform you are on, be sure to:
Create a link tree to place in your bios for each platform you use (This link tree will have your author's website and any other social media platforms they can find you on)
Use the same photo and banner for each social media platform
Be sure that you are willing to post on more than one social media platform consistently or your following will never grow
By keeping these suggestions in mind, your profiles will do well over time.
As authors begin to create a social media presence, it’s important to remember that building it takes time.
By creating content and posting consistently, you show your followers they can expect more from you. By engaging with others' posts, you show that you care about other users on the platform and are there for more than just you. And by creating a consistent and professional presence on your profile, you show users that you are bringing your A-game.
Remain consistent and you will do just fine.