Victoria Hellberg

What are the top social media platforms available in India and the USA for book promotions?

The platform that will give you the easiest and biggest reach around potential readers is Instagram. With the right promotion there you can reach a lot of readers. The key is for people to see your book, not only at your profile but at others as well. Think about it – when you are at a bookstore which book do you pick up? The one that you have seen multiple times or a book that is completely new to you? It is a well known fact that we buy what we see, that’s how commercials work. The more the customer sees an item, the bigger the chances are for that customer to actually buy the thing we promote.

At what stage of my book publishing journey should I consider social media promotions? Pre publishing or post and How?

Use social media during the entire process! Give your potential readers small sneak peaks during the writing process, let them see that you are writing. Give them the opportunity to get to know you and your work in progress, make them curious about it before it’s done. I don’t mean that you should give them the whole story, just small bits and pieces here and there.

When you’re done with the book and published it’s time for the big pr! Send out copies to influencers that fit your genre, make small interviews and be an active author that shares what other people post about your work. Remember to answer comments and DM’s, make your readers feel special and seen.

What are the 5 most effective ways to promote books on social media?

1. Post pictures that show appreciation to your readers and future readers. They want to see both the book and the author!
2. Share small posts on your story, you could talk about book signings, reviews, the writing process etc. Show them a bit behind the scenes.
3. Comment on other people’s pages! This will make them look at your page and you might get a bigger variety among your followers and readers.
4. People usually share other accounts that they like. Make sure your page looks fantastic and mirrors what you are selling – you and your book.
5. Share reviews on your feed and story. Even the bad ones, be honest about the fact that your book might not be for everyone. No one wants to buy a book from an author that thinks he/she is flawless.

Bonus! Have fun, play with your feed and story to make sure that your readers get a funlooking and entertaining picture of who you are.

What are the common mistakes made by first-time authors while promoting the book on social media?

The biggest mistake is that they only post stiff pictures of their book and what it costs to buy it. Be creative, think outside the box and enjoy the process! People want pictures that catch the eye, they want variety and uniqueness. Give them what they want and more will like, comment and share your posts. That’s how you get a good spread and followers that will stay.

What kind of post engagement is received on social media while promoting books? What is the percentage of clicks, likes, and comments?

That depends on how you promote your book. If you have a stiff picture you will likely get a few likes and clicks. If you go the extra mile and do a real and creative photoshoot with your book you will get more engagement on your post. The key is to lure your followers to actually read the caption. All social media is mostly about the pictures nowadays. We quickly scroll past our feeds and like the pictures, not the captions.

How much money should I spend on social media promotions for my book and some things to keep in mind?

The budget for social media promotions depends on what you want and how much you can do by yourself. I would recommend to use the paid promotions for a week when you launch your book. You can do it again a few weeks later when the reviews are starting to reach your followers.

Most of the pr are manageable to do without the adcost. Use the tips above!

How to find the perfect hashtags and time to post my book promotions on social media?

You need to explore this over a few posts. The reach of hashtags changes from time to time. A good tip is to find a few smaller tags and not just the big ones like #bookstagram and #authorsofinstagram . Your post will be one in a million when you use them, you should definitely have them but build up your taglist with a few smaller ones. And don’t forget to use your booktitle as one!

About when to post, have in mind that time differs over the world, your followers have work, school and activities during their day. Make 2-3 posts during the day and at different times. That way you will reach as many people as possible.

What are the things an author should be cautious about before finalizing a social media handle (page) for promoting their book?

Make sure that your profile picture shows a photo of you! Your name should be in your profile. The account is not just about your book, it is about you as an author and your work. Prepare yourself to give the readers facts about you too, a glimpse into your life.

Should an author run paid ads on social media-based interests? Is it effective and what sales can I expect?

Like I said before I think you should use the paid ads, but in moderation. Nothing can guarantee you a sale, it all depends on what the ad looks like, is it drawing people’s interest or not? You need to rely on more than ads. 

Please give a bit of a background about your social media handle, its Vision & Mission, Top management, the Kind of books you promote, and your biggest strength as a book influencer, popular authors promoted so far, years of experience, any testimonials, etc.

I have worked with my Instagram for 1 year now. My main meaning with the account is to inspire others to read, to lift authors and the writing process. I love to help smaller authors reach a bigger audience. My biggest strength as an influencer is that I don’t mind being me, showing my followers small bits and pieces of my life. I mostly hear that I am super positive and that my interest in books is contagious. I love to cheer authors on and help them in all the stages of their work. I promote lots of different genres, mostly fantasy nowadays. I often go live on Instagram and talk about books, having bookclubs etc, which has shown to be a popular thing! 

At Sharing Stories, we have an ongoing campaign ‘Let’s Empower Our Kids’. Please suggest some books that you think every child should read before the age of 15 (mostly the character-defining age), teaching them life lessons. Things like empathy, sympathy, relationships, etc.

A book that everyone living on this planet should read at least once in their life is The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. It’s a book that teaches us about life and all that it contains, big and small. It is a real life lesson even for adults. I would recommend you to read it with your child, read it slowly and talk about what is happening on the pages.

Children become readers if someone introduces them to the magical world of books, it is never too late for that introduction. Enjoy the cozy bedtime story and the quality time it gives you and your child. Read fiction, books that take your imagination on a vacation. Explore this world and worlds beyond ours together. That way you can be a part of teaching them the life lessons they meet behind the pages.

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