These are my notes from the Romance Writers of Australia 2022 conference. Please be aware that this is not a transcript.
Polishing And Strategising Your Online Presence – Amanda Kendle
People are fascinated by authors because everyone think they have a book in them.
What is your online presence?
– website
– socials
– newsletter
– other?
You don’t need to do everything (and you can’t). Just do a few things well.
Website
– a must have
– it’s your home base
– you have control
– check how it looks on mobile
Blog
– content that you control
– part of a website
– great for search engine optimisation (SEO)
– it’s proof that you can write
– content you can share on socials and in newsletter
– best blog posts are 450 words
You don’t want to do the same work more than once.
Facebook Profile
– gets good reach
– only small % of posts (20% or less) are about business
– BUT privacy issues
Facebook Page
– reach is slipping
– good for older demographics
Instagram
– great for engagement
– showcase writing and personality
– engage with readers
Tiktok
– the current social darling
– younger audiences
– use your author name as a hashtag
Have a look and see what others are doing, and reserve your author name, just in case you want to be there later.
Twitter
– great for connecting with authors
– better for craft and publishing discussions than promo
LinkedIn
– business focused
Goodreads
– a reader space
Newsletters
– you can control the content
– you own the email list and visibility
– can contact fans if a social platform collapses
– it’s a reminder that you exist
Podcast
– loyal audiences
– a lot of work
– best to be a guest on one if you aren’t passionate for the format
Youtube
– ditto podcasts
What kind of content?
– behind the scenes
– inspirational quotes
– memes
– talk about your characters
– updates on your wip
– cover reveals
– good news, reviews, awards
– question and answer video
– writerly problems
– pets
– some platforms prefer video
Audience
– Ask: Who is your target?
Fun
– Pick platforms that you enjoy being on
Time
– Make time for what matters (writing)
Strategy
– consistency is best; frequent and ok beats irregular and perfect
– max of 3 platforms to focus on
– keep audience in mind
– plan content
– have fun
Renee Dahlia Social Media Links
Patreon
Twitter
Facebook
romance.com.au
Instagram
BookBub