News for Authors

How to Increase Social Media Engagement for Short-Form Video Content

by Jacky Bethea|March, 2024

Between Reels, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts, short-form video content is on a major hot streak. These platforms can offer the opportunity for instant virality, so creating content for them can be an attractive way to promote your book and connect with readers. If you have scrolled through these platforms, you may have encountered a video that had an interesting topic, but something about it wasn’t right. Maybe the audio sounded weird or you could barely make out words on the screen. Most viewers will scroll right past. It’s easy to overlook the technical aspects of making short-form videos, which can absolutely affect how your content performs in the algorithm. Here are some tips to help you compose your videos for ultimate success.

Read more

An Introduction to Threads

by Jacky Bethea and Andrew Taets|January, 2024

In light of ongoing controversy and rapid changes at X (formerly Twitter), there has been a race in the social media market for the next big text-based platform. Threads appears to be Meta’s answer to the call. Launched in July of last year, the app has accumulated more than 100 million users. Since it is so new, there are a lot of questions around the app, how to use it, and what kind of content can be found there. Our friends at Meta have offered some of the first available pointers on how an author can optimize their experience on the app. Read on to learn more!

Read more

Am I Shadowbanned? A Guide to Post Ranking on Instagram

by Jacky Bethea|December, 2023

Creating content for Instagram can be time-consuming, so you’ll want to make sure your content gets in front of as many viewers as possible. Instagram’s algorithms can seem a bit unpredictable, but there are ways to improve your experience.  Read on to learn more about Instagram’s post ranking system.

Read more

Prep for Success with Facebook and Instagram Reels

by Jacky Bethea|November, 2022

Short-form video is growing more popular by the minute. Social media apps like Instagram and Facebook have made updates to prioritize this type of content. Here are five steps to help you master Reels.

Read more

Here’s What’s New on Instagram

by Jacky Bethea|July, 2022

Instagram is always rolling out new features to improve their app and help creators optimize their experience. Sometimes it can be hard to keep up! Here are some recent updates to the platform that you may not know about.

Read more

How to Protect Your Safety and Security on Facebook and Instagram

by Jacky Bethea|November, 2021

Navigating Facebook and Instagram can be a challenge when you’re in the public eye. With negative comments, sneaky impersonators, or even potential account compromise, there can be a lot to worry about. Bad actors can sometimes slip under the radar. We sat in on Facebook’s Safety School for Authors and learned six easy tips for authors who want to proactively put their online safety first.

Read more

Meet the PRH Employee Ambassadors

by Kelsey Manning|October, 2021

In January 2019, our Consumer Marketing and Corporate Communications teams partnered to launch the Penguin Random House Employee Ambassador Program, with the goals of highlighting the voices and creativity of our talented employees, giving readers a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to work in publishing, and creating authentic content that promotes our wonderful books. Read more

Engaging and Collaborating with Influencers

by Neda Dallal|August, 2021

Influencers and “Bookstagrammers” in the online community can be some of the most vocal and passionate advocates for your books. Read on for ways to engage with these influencers and give your book some extra visibility! Read more

What’s New on Instagram and Twitter

by Phil Stamper-Halpin|December, 2020

If you haven’t been on social media in a while, you might be surprised to see some big changes from a couple of the major sites. From Fleets to Reels, here’s everything you need to know about what’s new on Instagram and Twitter. Read more

How to Use Live Social Video to Reach Your Readers

by Richard Wylde|April, 2020

The live video feature on social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube can be a powerful and unique way to connect with your audience in this unusual time in our industry. In this article, we share three steps to create a great live social video and a few platform-specific tech tips. Read more