Social Media and Book Marketing

by Larry B. Gildersleeve

The biggest marketing challenge virtually every author faces is achieving visibility and discoverability. In this regard, it’s been my experience that common ground exists between genuine marketing experts, and the countless charlatans that prey on vulnerable authors, in that both encourage an active social media presence. I believe a strong word of caution is appropriate.

These “experts” address to a greater or lesser extents the basics, the mechanics, but I have been unable to find a shred of empirical data to support cause-effect relationships between doing this and achieving that. Just once I’d like to read an author relate that he or she did this on social media, spent this amount of money, in this way, and achieved these measurable results. And that the success achieved can be replicated by other unknown, non-celebrity authors.

The Reality Behind Traditional Publishing Expectations

Any self-published author, as I was for almost a decade, knows or will learn that the successful pursuit of an agent or a mainstream publisher may have more to do with their documented social media “following” than any other factor. Agents and publishers want to know at the outset the size and make-up of an author’s database of loyal followers because unless we’re a marquis celebrity or franchise author, most of the marketing will fall on our shoulders.

Amazon has fifty million books available; a bricks-and-mortar bookstore may have fifty thousand on their shelves. Ninety percent will sell less than 2,000 copies; ninety-six percent sell less than a thousand copies. Only thirty-five percent of traditionally published books are profitable (i.e. earning out the author advance, and both hard and soft costs). It’s no wonder publishing houses want authors with massive followings to reduce risk to their marketing dollars, but is social media the answer?

Why I Don’t Believe Social Media is the Answer

In going against conventional wisdom, here are five reasons why I don’t believe it is. First, for many or most authors, fiction or non-fiction, regular posting on social media platforms is outside their comfort zone and interest. That’s certainly true with me. Second, these platforms (Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram et al) wax and wane in popularity. Third, the search engines tied to these platforms constantly tweak their secret algorithms at-will, so there’s really no way to master them. Fourth, all of these platforms have a voracious appetite for content that must be fed constantly or the author looses all the ground that might have be gained in garnering followers (unless they’ve been converted to a proprietary email database). Fifth, and what I found most compelling when I made my walk-away decision, is that there is, at best, a one-percent conversion rate of an author’s social media followers to an actual book purchase. Anyone can do the discouraging math.

I believe for most of us success will be determined largely by what we choose not to do in terms of investing time, effort and money. And I’ve never forgotten one of my foremost business mentors told me a key to success is the ruthless elimination of marginal opportunities. These two perspectives are the reason as an author I’m not active on social media. If I’m wrong, I’m wrong, and I welcome being shown how and where.

What I’m Doing Instead

So, it begs the question, what am I doing that I believe is worth sharing? First and foremost, for my fourth novel I searched for and found a hybrid publisher with access to a proven global book distribution resource. The hybrid approach left me in control of my intellectual property, as well as final say on the editors recommendations and the book’s cover. My first novel in this new environment, Blue by You, will be released for distribution by Simon & Schuster on May 5th and is currently available domestically and internationally on major platforms such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

I focus marketing time and effort building a proprietary opt-in/out email database that I own and control. In truth, it’s a slow process, but a rewarding one. I write a weekly blog and a monthly newsletter. I write short stories and essays and look for placement opportunities both online and in traditional print media. I seek professional reviews and enter as many relevant and legitimate writing contests as possible. I look for opportunities to be a guest contributor to the blogs of others who have large followings. I seek as many ways as possible to leverage my God-given writing talent to achieve greater visibility and discoverability among readers in my genre. Not where I want to be, but I’m working hard to get there.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

After retiring from the C-suite and entrepreneurship, Larry B. Gildersleeve embarked on a writing career as a novelist and poet. He has received international award-winning recognition for both. Blue by You, is his fourth novel.

He blogs weekly as The Author Guy at www.larrygildersleeve.com. He lives, writes and enjoys life in Bowling Green, Kentucky.  

BLUE BY YOU

When cancer claimed Daniel’s young wife, a woman he’d known since they were children, he fled the nation’s capital for the remoteness of the Colorado mountains, leaving behind his law practice and everything else that held meaning. He convinced himself there were no do-overs in life, no second chances masquerading as firsts. Nothing left worth living for except Blue, his dog.

Then Paula swept into his mountain exile for seven extraordinary days and left him a changed man. Decades later and a thousand miles away, a chance encounter reunited them, yet she had no memory of him or their time together. Life had given Daniel a do-over. A second chance for a first time.