A popular feature of the Author Portal is our Connect with Readers section. Here, we’ve been gathering tips from Penguin Random House and external experts about how to connect with fans and market your titles. Now, take a whirlwind tour around the best content that Connect with Readers has to offer.
Social Media
One of the strengths of Connect with Readers is our coverage of social media—from tips on managing your time to step-by-steps on using scheduling tools like Hootsuite.
For Facebook, our content includes:
- A presentation covering the basic information you need
- Deeper dives into Facebook author Q&As and analytics
- An update on how Facebook is currently prioritizing video posts
For Twitter, our content includes:
- A presentation introducing Twitter
- This recent video by one of our community-manager experts on the latest Twitter updates
- Information on Twitter analytics and simple do’s and don’ts
We also cover smaller platforms that may have just the audience you are looking for:
- Tumblr is a great platform for many YA authors
- Medium can be useful for strong longer-form opinion pieces
- Linkedin is a powerful platform in the business and self-improvement space
- Instagram is ideal for authors or illustrators who have either a strong personal following or visual elements to their work
- Pinterest can be fun for authors whose work has a curation aspect or want to create inspiration boards
- Authors have had success appearing in Ask the Authors on book-community platform Goodreads
Websites, Video, and Email
Some of our most popular articles have been about author websites. Check out our simple tips for an effective website. In February, one of our imprint marketing directors shared some of her favorite author websites and explained what makes them stand out. Also, did you know that referrals from search engines usually make up 50 to 60 percent of traffic to any website? Sue Wiker, Fodors’ SEO marketing manager, shared this, together with tips for getting more traffic from search engines.
Creating video often seems intimidating for authors, but it doesn’t have to be. One of our most popular recorded webinars is on video–what to film, how to film it, and how to make the most of your edited creation. Or if you’re short on time, we also have a good article on making videos. If audio-only is more your style, the Beaks and Geeks crew talk about what it takes to start a regular podcast.
Email is still one of the most effective marketing communication tools on offer–91% of active Internet users check email at least once daily. We have some great email marketing tips from one of our in-house experts in this video and article, including how to ensure emails look good on mobile devices and don’t get marked as spam.
The Personal Touch
If you have the opportunity to get out and about to promote your book, we can help with ideas for your next bookstore visit. If you have a media appearance lined up, you might like to review these tips on how to ace your interview, including how to use your social media strategically before and after the interview.
For some authors, interacting with readers in person or online comes naturally, but for others it’s more difficult to find a way of speaking that is both natural and a good fit for them as writers. We enlisted content expert Dan Blank for tips on how to develop your author voice. We also have a great video from one of our imprint marketing directors on how to create content that really resonates with fans.
Please check out the great resources available in Connect with Readers and, as always, let us know what you think!
Sophie McNeill is part of the Digital Marketing and Channel Development team.