Note: Sorry this post is late today. It’s been one of those weeks!
The old saying is cliche, but it’s true. One of the biggest mistakes some make is putting all their social media eggs in one basket. Let’s take a look at why this is a bad idea.
- When you limit your options, you limit your audience. Every site is a unique entity with its own membership and style. By sticking to only one site, you’re missing a vast number of people who prefer other networks. You also limit your ability to get your message out, because a post on FB is hard to share on Twitter, Pinterest, or other sites.
- You risk losing a lot. Technology and the internet can be fickle. How many remember using MySpace? Do you know what Hello is? What about LiveJournal? Sites rise and fall in popularity fast, with some fading away completely. If you have spent all your time building up only one platform, what would you do if that platform was no longer there? Most likely, you’d need to start from scratch and who wants to do that?
- Different sites appeal to different audiences. Are you a YA or New Adult author? Well, if you are you might want to be on Instagram or snapchat. It’s where a lot of younger readers who would be interested in your book hang out. Facebook is considered a site for slightly older audiences, while Pinterest appears to be most popular amongst women. You never know what direction the muse will take you and a lot of genres cross age and gender lines, so it can’t hurt to build a wide cross-section of readers.
The most important thing to remember when building a network is to be authentic. Don’t hide your personality behind a persona you develop for the internet or spend a lot of time on a network that isn’t working for you. As with all the advice out there, try things out and stick with what feels right. You don’t have to be on every network to build a name, but having some variety can make a huge difference.
