Instagram for Fiction Authors: How to Find Readers, Build Community, and Sell More Books by Sandvig Hanna R

Author:Sandvig, Hanna R. [Sandvig, Hanna R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Published: 2020-11-17T16:00:00+00:00

13

Building Community

My favorite thing about Instagram is the friends I’ve made there, both with readers and other authors. That sounds cheesy, but it’s true. Let’s chat about the author community first.

One day on Facebook (am I allowed to talk about Facebook in this book? I promise it’s just for a minute) in a big author group, someone posted a thread asking if anyone wanted to be in an Instagram comment pod (more on comment pods in Chapter 15). The idea was that we would all like and comment on each other’s posts to try and boost our posts up a bit in the algorithm.

So, we did. We got to know each other through our regular posts and did what we could to promote each other’s books.

Later on, that group combined with another author pod (I think they were both Kay L Moody’s fault) and we formed a Facebook group with the most active members to chat about author stuff. That group has now evolved into Queens of the Quill, a mastermind group with twelve engaged members, a Slack chat, a weekly zoom meeting, and soon a podcast. Eight of us have an anthology together as a result of our joint write-to-market exercises.

We help each other with blurbs, pimp each other’s books, and generally support each other. I love these ladies, and I don’t know what I’d do without them. And I owe it all to the relationships we started on Instagram.

I also got plugged into a great author community, met my editor, gained illustration clients, and have had chats with authors well above my level, just by interacting and being friendly.

In real life, I’m an introvert. It’s sometimes easier online. What have you got to lose?

So how do you meet these authors? Like I did, you can find threads on Facebook, if you’re already plugged in there. Or start one yourself.

You can search author related hashtags like #amwriting, #indieauthorsunite, or #indieauthorsofInstagram. You can also search for monthly photo challenges for authors, or just start looking for your favorite authors and follow them!

Just be friendly, comment on people’s posts and Stories. Be genuine and you’ll be able to make real connections over time.

Making reader connections is, of course, very valuable as well.

I view Instagram as one of the few places where I can interact with readers at the beginning of the buyer’s journey. Top of the funnel. Cold. Whatever they are in marketing jargon.

What I’m trying to say is, Instagram can introduce people who have never heard of your books to you and they can slowly (or quickly) evolve into your readers, and from there to your superfans.

Because people are already on Instagram as part of the bookstagram community to learn about books, it’s a ready-made audience. Many readers find all their books based on the recommendations from bookstagrammers.

That’s the power of the bookstagram community. By interacting with bookish accounts and posting about your book in your feed, you’ll become a part of this community and help people become aware of you and your Stories.

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