Technology is in constant flux, with certain platforms staying in the spotlight while others fall off the face of the planet. No matter how technology changes, however, authors must fully utilize all available technology resources to achieve the highest success rate for publications.
How Technology Helps Authors
In today’s world, merely sending a book to print isn't enough. Authors' relationships with their readers shouldn’t end once a book is purchased. When authors fail to utilize technology to augment, repurpose, and support their printed content, they are losing potential revenue sources, book sales, and are not engaging effectively with their audience.
With the right technological platforms, there are several ways authors can nurture a continued relationship with readers.
Why Building an Online Presence is Crucial for Authors
In 2017, Bowker reported that 1 million books independently published in the USA, which means that you are competing with hundreds of thousands of authors for reader attention. You may get some sales, but as soon as the reader finishes your book, they will forget about you. That will happen unless you build an online presence.
You want to become a fixture in readers’ lives. By doing so, you create a connection with your audience and build a loyal fan base in and day out on social media, advertising, online communities, and creating digital content that amplifies your brand, brings in new revenue, and deepens your connection with readers.
What Mediums Readers Use to Access Content
Let's be real for a moment; almost everyone is attached to their technology nearly 24/7. As you are reading this, you are on a computer, tablet, or phone, for example. Plus, active readers usually have an e-reader ready to go for any dull moment that arises. With the myriad of ways to access content online, there are dozens of apps and technology platforms connecting you to the vast online world. Connection is at the heart of reader loyalty and engagement, and you want them to connect with you.
The Top Online Platforms for Authors to Increase Engagement and Revenue
With the vast array of available technology, authors must develop an active strategy to utilize online tools and platforms to increase engagement and revenue. Depending on the type of content you write, you will have better success with some platforms than others.
The most important aspect to remember is to get started NOW! Whether you have finished your masterpiece or not, beginning now will help you build an audience before you even publish. Here are the top online platforms you should consider working into your marketing strategy:
Facebook:
Almost everyone and their mother has Facebook, as it lets you easily connect with loved ones, businesses, and influencers around the world. By building a Facebook page and/or a Facebook group and utilizing Facebook ads, you can quickly expand your audience. Groups are a great way to build a community dedicated to your topic, message, vision, and/or brand. Members of groups see every post you put in their group in their personal feed, as well, so they are a great way to stay in front of readers.
Instagram:
As a platform with one of the highest engagement rates, you can build a steady base of like-minded followers, especially if you use appropriate hashtags like #bookstagram and others. Instagram is a visually based platform, so it’s important to have beautiful images and a posting strategy centered around optics, including videos and Instagram stories.
Twitter:
Twitter is an excellent platform for readers to get a bite-size look at your day-to-day life and learn about upcoming information regarding your work. Twitter is good for frequent engagement and communicating reciprocally with readers.
Pinterest:
Pinterest is a platform where slow and steady wins the race. You don't have to inform readers of what you made for breakfast, but instead create pins that will gain views over time. Those pins can stay popular long after you created them, and they can connect directly to your product. Pins are typically shared frequently, too, so it’s good for expanding your audience and followers.
LinkedIn:
If you are publishing content that is industry-specific or teaching a skillset, LinkedIn is a great way to reach out to like-minded professionals in the field.
YouTube:
Video content is extremely popular. If you don't mind getting in front of the camera, YouTube is priceless to interact with your audience and possibly gain another revenue stream. On your channel, you can do everything from Q&As to book trailers to interviews with other authors!
GoodReads:
If you have published a book, you are going to end up on GoodReads eventually. Readers flock to GoodReads for new books to read, sharing opinions, and to keep track of what they have already read. They can share their favorites with friends, which is excellent exposure for you.
Medium:
Medium is a blogging platform that you can use independently or in tandem with a self-hosted blog. Here you can share more in-depth information in the shorter, more accessible form of blog articles. Combine this with proper SEO utilization, and you can drive more traffic towards yourself.
How eLearning Helps Authors Build Revenue and Engage with Readers
Today’s authors who write with the intention of informing or educating their readers – educators, instructors, and non-fiction and self-help authors in particular - face challenges that previous generations of content creators never imagined; the prospect of keeping their readers engaged with the subject matter.
As the digital divide between print and online content widens, readers are looking to be more engaged with content. In other words, they are looking for an experience as well as knowledge.
Unfortunately, eBooks have never lived up to the expectations that were set for them when they were first introduced. All they do is provide a more convenient (in some cases) way of carrying a book around. In most cases, the experience of reading from a printed book or from a screen is not enough to hold the current generation of readers interest.
We have moved beyond print and eBooks to create an engaging and empowering way for readers to interact with the content that these authors provide.
We develop eLearning courses to complement both print and eBooks. These courses let the author and reader interact to ensure that the knowledge the author has created is understood and retained. It also allows an exchange of thoughts between the author and their community and increases the awareness of what is important to the community so that the author can expand their content in subsequent books.
Want to learn more? Schedule a free consultation with us to tell us more about your needs and we can help!
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