This is a page just for our authors and illustrators with advice on engaging directly with their audience online, specifically via social media.
As our Author and Illustrator Handbook outlines it has never been more possible to engage directly with your buyers, readers, booksellers, the book community and beyond. Used well, social media and becoming part of the online community can greatly enhance the work we will do as your publishers to promote your book. Hopefully, the following information will answer all of your questions but if not do get in contact with your editor and they’ll put you in touch with a member of the marketing team.
Getting Started
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to social media. Think about the people you hope will be reading your book and think about how you use the internet yourself. This will help you decide on the approach that suits you best. It’s also important to find the medium you most enjoy and balance your time so that you’re not too distracted from your writing. To do this we suggest you look at the Social Media Platform Guide and FAQs below. The Social Media Platform Guide is a comprehensive look at the main social channels and is a good place to start when considering social channels.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to use social media?
It’s a good idea to, as it gives you a chance to talk directly to your readers, as well as bookshops, librarians and the book community as a whole. However, social media should be authentic and something you enjoy – so if that’s not the case then don’t force yourself.
Do I need to have a presence on every channel?
No, you don’t need to, it’s best to choose the right channel(s) for you and your readers and then invest your time in doing these well. As the Author and Illustrator Handbook touched on each social media channel is different and distinct and one piece of content can’t be used across all channel. We’d suggest you use the Social Media Platform Guide here to work out which channel you should use and what you should post on there.
Who should I follow?
Start by following your publishing team and Hachette Children’s Group’s main social channels, which you can find in the Author and Illustrator Handbook. Once you’re following your team it’s a good idea to follow your fellow authors and illustrators, as well as the key bookshops and industry bodies. A starting point for this is the relevant HCG feed as we should be following the relevant people.
We’ve also created Twitter Lists as a starting point, which can be found here. These lists are continuously updated and include Authors and Illustrators, the Picture Book community, Publishing Influencers, the Education and Librarian community, Teen and YA fans and the Middle Grade community.
What should I post?
Remember that social media is inherently conversational, so you should always be interacting with others and not just broadcasting details about your book. A good rule of thumb is the 80/20 rule: 80% of the time you show your personality, perhaps support other authors and show your personality and then for the other 20% of time shout about your book.
Should I share images/extracts from my book?
Posts that contain an image get a much better engagement than those that don’t, so it’s a good idea to include images on as many of your posts as possible. A simple, nice image of your book is more than sufficient and you can find the preferred dimensions for each channel by using Google or Canva.
Please do check with your editor before sharing any of your book, in case there’s a bigger ‘moment’ planned for a reveal.
Should I include a link to buy my book on every post? And if so which retailer should I link to?
It’s always a good idea to include a link to an online retailer when you’re promoting your book as it makes it much easier for people to find out more and, of course, buy the book! There’s no rule about which retailer you should point people too, it’s up to you. But it’s worth considering what channel readers will be most familiar with when adding your link.
It’s worthwhile to use a link tracking tool, like bit.ly, so you can see how many people click on your links and monitor what activity is the most effective at driving traffic.
Should I respond to negative reviews and comments about my book?
Everything you can see and do is visible to everyone. So it’s advisable to never respond to bad reviews or make negative comments about others in the industry, be it authors, publishers or retailers. It’s also worth being aware that people can also see what you ‘like’ or engage with.