growing your platform as an author

Growing Your Platform Using Blogging & Content Marketing

Carrie MorganCMO, Digital Strategy & Services

Rock The Status Quo We Make Brands More Visible & Vibrant Online

TodayBeing an authordemands stronger Marketing & PR skills….

constantly learning…

… and using time and resources

more effectively

Ack!

The pressure to learn new skills &

compete in your genre for visibility

is strong. garbage from

gold.Those who don’t CLOSE THE DOOR to their own book sales.

But it doesn’t haveto be overwhelming.

Empower Yourself.Teeny publisher budgets or self-publishing = you do it all

BECOME YOUR OWN ONLINEMARKETING GENIUS IF YOU WANTSALES.

Get found.Be heard.

You… the learners… are the ones who

create new best practices & sell

more books.

KUDOS!

Drop media dependency.You choose what & where to publish, how to amplify and where conversations happen.

Enter content marketing & blogging

book review bloggerssocial proof

industry media/blogs Connecting with potential readers

What is Content Marketing?Valuable, NON-PROMOTIONAL information that helps you attract targeted customers/readers.

What is Content Marketing?

Visual + written micro-stories.Blogging. Articles & Guest Posts. Video. Podcasts. Images.

Who is better at creatingstories than an author?

1. Bring Fiction to Life2. Showcase Expertise 3. Help Them Find You

Today.TAKE TIME TO BRAINSTORM.

Write down your ideas.(wine helps)

Fiction authors.WHERE ARE YOUR READERS? WHAT IS YOUR GOAL?Facebook page for a character or place?Free e-book or slideshare content?Interact with fans on GoodReads?A “behind the scenes” blog?Book review campaign?Share sneak previews?Pinterest boards?

Nonfiction authors.WHERE ARE YOUR READERS? WHAT IS YOUR GOAL?Guest posts on industry blogs & ezines?LinkedIn groups & showcase pages?Blogging on your own website?Sharing relevant articles?Free e-book prequel?Public speaking?Instagram?

It’s enough to make your head explode.

KISS.

Keep it simple!

5-STEP PLAN

1. Understand your reader.2. Pick 2-3 tactics.3. Write down your plan.4. Do those 2-3 things well.

Really, REALLY well. 5. Measure and tweak along

the way.garbage from gold.

1YOUR READER.

Does age matter?Where are they online?What are they passionate about?

HOW CAN YOU TAP INTO THAT?If you don’t know, ASK THEM.Give them a chance to know you.Build a community!

Understand

YOUR READER.

If you are published, give your fans something to be passionate about (and share).

If you are unpublished, help them find YOU.

Understanding

IS YOUR BFF.

Google

2TO JUST 2-3 TACTICS.

What is realistic? Achievable?How much time can you invest?

Don’t bite off more than you can consistentlychew, and realize it is a long-term game, not a short-term sprint.

Narrow it down

WITH YOUR TACTICS

S… SpecificM… MeasurableA… AccountableR… RealisticT… Time-Sensitive

Be Smart

3YOUR PLAN.

Where are they online?What are they passionate about?How can you tap into that?

If you don’t know, ASK THEM.Give them a chance to know you.Build a community!

Write down

4REALLY WELL.

Quality and consistency matter.Blogging? Write 1-2 posts per week.Social media? Learn best practices.Book reviews? Identify the right ones.

Help your readers fall in love.

Do The 2-3 Things

5One needs the other.

To measure something, you must first have a goal.

Measure&Tweak

& Tweak.

(Tweak, not twerk.)

1. Define a goal for each of the 2-3 things you are focusing on.

2. Define how you can measure progress against that goal.

3. If it isn’t working, review best practices before changing tactics.

Measure

Don’t worry.

Just start again.If you stay on-plan, do your best and are consistent, you are ahead of the game.

IF YOU SLIP

Want free help? Subscribe to my blog. Send me your questions.I’ll help you rock the status quo.

RockTheStatusQuo.com

Questions?

morgan@rockthestatusquo.comrockthestatusquo.com

CC © aurimas adomavicius

Fiction authors.WHERE ARE YOUR READERS? WHAT IS YOUR GOAL?Facebook page for a character or place?Free e-book or slideshare content?Interact with fans on GoodReads?A “behind the scenes” blog?Book review campaign?Share sneak previews?Pinterest boards?

Nonfiction authors.WHERE ARE YOUR READERS? WHAT IS YOUR GOAL?Guest posts on industry blogs & ezines?LinkedIn groups & showcase pages?Blogging on your own website?Sharing relevant articles?Free e-book prequel?Public speaking?Instagram?