The rise of social media and the people who use it every day are unstoppable. It continues to grow and expand each year. It is the new form of mass communication and the preferred marketing tool today.

Social media is low-cost compared to traditional marketing strategies, but the audience reach is worldwide. So, how can it be used to boost book sales?

Here are a few guidelines when using social media as a marketing tool:

Make your presence felt.

Start by signing up for social media accounts such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Build a reputable and informative profile by adding photos and information about your book.

For Facebook and Twitter, decide how you want to market yourself. Do you want to create an account for yourself as a published author, or do you want an account specifically for your book? For YouTube, it’s advisable to name your channel under your published name so your audience can easily find you.

Follow the 80/20.

The main purpose of creating an online presence in social media is to gain followers. To do this effectively, you must share 80% useful information about the topics covered in your book. For example, if you are an author of a recipe book, start by posting useful cooking tips daily.

You should only advertise when you have followers and regular readers. Post advertisements about your book once or twice a day. You can do it in a subtle way, by saying, “Meals in less than 20 minutes read at – insert title of your book.” You advertised your book as a solution for your reader’s problems and needs.

Avoid directly telling your followers to buy your book. Flooding your followers with useless and annoying advertisements is a sure way to repel people from reading your posts and unfollow you.

Be the expert in your field.

Post information that markets you as an experienced author in your field. Followers or readers want useful information that they can apply in their daily lives. Your goal is to market yourself and the contents of your book in a way that caters to your reader’s needs.

Be interactive.

To be successful in social media, you need to communicate with your followers. People want a quick and interactive exchange of information. Your followers feel appreciated and heard whenever you take time to answer their questions. Expect questions about your personal life and about the topics in your book.

Use varying content.

To get your follower’s attention, use different types of media such as photos, videos and blog articles. How you present and share your message will leave an impact on your audience. If they find your material entertaining and informative, they’ll look forward to your next post.

Obtain maximum exposure.

The material and information you post in social media can easily be shared with readers all over the world. For example, you may have followers based in Asia; they are not exactly your target market, but if they share your material within their network, even people from the United States who are your target audience will be exposed to your book.

Social media, when used properly, can create awareness about your book, and increase your book sales.