Debbie Ridpath Ohi FAQ > Social Media Tips For Authors and Illustrators > I have a book coming out! What social media platforms should I join?
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This is a list of questions I am frequently asked. Here's a list of links to my more popular pages. Thanks for visiting! -- Debbie
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Q. I have a book coming out! What social media platforms should I join?
There is no one right way to use social media so in the end, you need to find the way that works for you.
Before joining ALL the social media platforms, do consider:
- How much time you have to spend updating your social media. It's much better to have one active social media platform than 50 stale accounts where you rarely post.
- Who is your target audience? If they're not on social media, how can you reach them through social media? As a picture book author/illustrator, for example, I know that very few picture book age children are using social media on their own. However, grown-ups who do buy / borrow / read / promote picture books ARE on social media. What about teens? In early 2017, Snapchat, Facebook and Instagram were the most popular among teens and young adults in the U.S. But just creating a Snapchat account doesn't mean you're reaching teen readers. In the end, I strongly advise choosing 1-2 platforms that you enjoy using, and focus on those.
- Not everyone will agree with me and this also contradicts something I said above, but you might consider at least creating a placeholder account with your name on popular social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram. That way when people tag you, they're tagging the right person and their followers will be able to find out more about you if they click through the tag to view your profile. An illustrator friend of mine recently found out that when the author announced a cover reveal of their upcoming new book, she tagged the wrong account on Twitter. The illustrator actually wasn't ON Twitter, but someone else had an account with the same name, and the userpic and profile were blank...there was nothing to indicate that this account WASN'T the right one. Be proactive and create an account with your profile and a link to your website. You can warn people in your profile or a post that it's a placeholder account and that you aren't going to be posting much.
Last updated on March 14, 2018 by Debbie Ohi