It is expected that there are going to be almost 3 billion social media users by 2020, which is almost 40% of the world’s population. It makes sense for authors to take their craft to social media and try to connect with their readers there. These platforms play a vital role in building the reputation of an author while at the same time providing a place where authors and readers can get together.

However, there are certain etiquettes of social media that authors need to be aware of. The road to success can become exceptionally easy if you manage these platforms in the best way possible, but it is also very easy to make mistakes that can cost authors a lot. Some mistakes can be covered and forgotten, but some can ruin a good social media profile very quickly.

Here are some mistakes that you need to avoid at all costs, especially if you want to make an impact on your readers.

Mistakes Most Authors Make on Social Media

Don’t try to spread yourself too thin and make it work on every social media platform. Start small, but start strong. Look for that one platform that is most suitable for you or you will feel most comfortable using. If you start using Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram altogether, you might not be able to do justice to any of these. Start, create and maintain your campaign on one platform and see how that goes. Most authors only use any of the three major platforms to avoid any hassles or mix-ups that might happen. All you have to do is remember that you don’t need to be present at all platforms at all times. Start with one and then branch out.

Don’t treat all social media platforms in the same way. Using the one-size-fits-all approach can be fatal for the author’s online presence. Every platform has its own environment and its own requirements, so following that is very important. Many authors share the same content on multiple platforms, which is great for saving time but not great for your originality. The gist of your post can remain the same, but every post should be original for every platform.

Video content has a lot of power, even if it is simple. It could be a snippet of the interview that you recently gave or you could share some snippets of the recent conference that you attended. Many authors are now diving in book trailers where they make short video trailers of their upcoming novels and put them up on their social media channels to engage even more readers.

One of the biggest mistakes that authors make is that they don’t engage their audiences enough. The basic point of having a social media presence is to connect with readers, engage with them, converse with them and have them participate. If you are not creating discussions and conversations with your audience then you are missing out on a major opportunity. It helps with building trust and loyalty among readers. You as an author are a brand that they rely on and trust, so your social media presence needs to be exceptionally strong.