Writers: How To Get More Fans And Followers With Less Effort (UPDATED 2024)

by | Build Friends, Fans, And Followers, Social Networking For Writers | 1 comment

Get more fans

Writers, let’s face it: Building your fan base requires a great deal of time and energy—resources you’d probably rather devote to your writing. But if you want to successfully promote yourself and your work, it’s essential that you increase your audience. Fortunately, building your following doesn’t have to be a time-consuming, mind-boggling task. Here are some easy steps you can take to get more fans with less effort.

5 Easy Steps To Getting More Followers and Fans

Step One: Automate. Your social media platforms can help drive traffic to your author website and build up your following. The more you tweet, post, blog, and interact with potential readers and other writers, the wider your network will become. But since most of us have day jobs (and lives!), we can’t spend every minute updating our social media accounts.

This is where automating can be a big time-saver. Using a free promotional tool like SocialOomph, you can schedule your tweets ahead of time—even days in advance. And if you have an Author Page on Facebook, you can also schedule posts to go up at a later time or date.

Plus, you can connect Facebook and Twitter to automatically interact with each other. Set up your Twitter profile to automatically post to Facebook as well. Or you can use a Facebook app to post your Facebook activity onto your Twitter feed. By taking these simple steps, you can invest your time in one social network but reap the benefits of two!

Step Two: Enlist help. Multiply your marketing efforts by forming a Promo Team. Find authors, industry professionals, and even complementary businesses or organizations willing to help promote your new book, your blog, your book signings, your speaking engagements, and other events. This is an effective cross-promotion strategy that can introduce you and your work to new audiences.

Step Three: Share viral content. We’ve all seen YouTube cat videos that have gone viral on social media. But you don’t need a house full of frolicking kittens to take advantage of this strategy for getting others to share your content for you.

Here’s what to do: Post already-viral material that will grab your fans’ attention—they’ll soon be retweeting and sharing your engaging content with all of their friends. Trending news, catchy sound bites, fun infographics, and industry-influencer name-dropping are some of the elements that are common to all widely shared content. And sharing popular posts is an easy way to attract new fans!

Step Four: Advertise. Since Facebook changed the way it serves content to users, organic reach may no longer be enough to ensure that people are seeing and interacting with your posts.

If you aren’t satisfied with your current reach, consider paying to advertise on Facebook. Promoting and boosting your posts will increase your potential audience and allow you to target certain demographics—such as fans of other authors whose writing is similar to yours.

And Twitter Ads can also help you connect with the most receptive users at just the right time. It’s easy to promote tweets, and as is the case with Facebook, you can set your own budget.

Step Five: Offer a freebie. Who doesn’t love getting something for free? It’s easy to create cheap digital goodies to give away. This is a great way to generate good feelings between you and your fans, but it’s also a powerful strategy for attracting new fans. Build your author mailing list by asking people to subscribe in order to get their free swag, “secret” chapter, or other goodies.

These easy, almost effortless, steps will strengthen your existing promotional strategies and boost your following—without adding unduly to your workload. And remember to keep your author platform updated and well-integrated so that all of your new fans will visit often!

If you’re feeling like you don’t have the time or energy to take even these simple steps, you might be suffering from social media burnout.

Not only do we offer assistance with web design, but we’ve been providing traditional publishing and self-publishing options for writers since 1994, and we invite you to call or email us with your questions.

QUESTION: What has been your most successful strategy for building your following?

1 Comment

  1. Yeshi Gemaneh

    I said it in the past, and I will repeat it again – I am not a sophisticated poet. The main purpose for my writing is to rally a certain message to the readers. The initiated prize if I won is okay, however, that would or never change my life. What is changing is my perspective positive outlook of myself. Though, thank you for the opportunity, but I keep on travelling.

    Reply

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

GET YOUR FREE 4-PART REPUTATION-BUILDING GUIDE!

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

FIND AN ARTICLE

RECENT ARTICLES

Reviews

If you need help nailing your brand, you’ve come to the right place. The designers know what questions to ask, what imagery translates best to the screen, and how to make your original idea come to life on your webpage. Conventional or quirky, your idea is in good hands with the Web Design Relief team.

—Darlene Eliot, Writer
Read more reviews!

Working with the Web Design Relief team was a total pleasure. They made the process easy, in-depth, professional, and lyrical. I wanted a site that leaned toward the bohemian and yet held an edge of minimalist sophistication. I couldn’t be happier with my very inviting and creative site! We should win awards with this one!

—King Grossman, Writer
Read more reviews!

I cannot possibly detail how professional and helpful Web Design Relief has been in helping me launch my collection of short stories—there are just too many things they have done! They’ve been there for me all along the way, guiding me in developing my book and into the 21st century of web design and social media platforms. It could have been a bewildering journey; Instead it was one that was organized and so pleasant. Truly, Web Design Relief has blown me away by what they have created. The first time I watched my book trailer (who knew there were book trailers?), I cried. That team perfectly imaged what my book is about. I want to thank the whole team for their skill and creativity. I appreciate it so much.

—Cyndy Muscatel, Writer
Read more reviews!

I’m pleased with the look of my website. The team at Web Design Relief listened to my suggestions and added a few of their own to make my website look exactly how I envisioned it. I would definitely recommend using Web Design Relief if you are looking to create a website.

—Marion Hill, Writer
Read more reviews!

Sign up to receive our FREE four-part series, The Writer’s Essential Guide To Reputation-Building In A Digital World—the ultimate resource for building your online author platform.
YES! Send Me My FREE Guide!
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

close-link

Pin It on Pinterest

Shares
Share This