Six ways writers can organically grow their Instagram account
Today we have a guest blog from social media strategist, Nicola Washington. Nicola helps writers build community online, and her tips are a great starting point for any author feeling a little overwhelmed by social media! Take it away, Nicola…
For many writers Instagram is a daunting and overwhelming place.
You open the app and are assailed with video and music and graphics; you’re not sure whether you’re supposed to post images, reels, Stories or (horror!) go Live; you post a few times but lose momentum because what are you supposed to talk about? You don’t want to dance, lip-sync, share your most vulnerable moments or your family. You don’t want to perform.
Admittedly, parts of Instagram reek of the ‘You can’t sit with us’ vibes of a typical high school canteen. However, I’d also argue the platform has some upsides:
You can build your own community of readers, getting to know the people who then will buy and read your book.
Some of those readers will post about your book on their own Instagram account = ‘Word of Mouth’ on steroids.
You can nurture relationships with podcasters, Bookstagrammers and other writers who may help you promote your work.
If you’d like some advice on how you might harness Instagram’s power, read on…
Get clear about who your ideal reader is. Think of them as one person and think about his/her/ their life, interests, joys and challenges. Why are they going to love your book? What will they get from reading it? This is the same person you should aim to attract to your Instagram account.
Create content for your ideal reader. Writers on Instagram often fall into the trap of creating content for other writers. It’s not that you should never post about your writing life - the support of a community is essential - BUT most of your content should have your ideal reader in mind. What topics or themes are they interested in, that are explored in your book, that you could also post about on Instagram? Think of this content as doing a similar job to a trailer for a film. Share hints or highlights, abridged content or introductions to ideas, that will appeal to your ideal reader.
Add value. The typical Instagram user wants to receive something in exchange for their time, whether it’s beauty, entertainment, information, recommendations, advice, emotional resonance, inspiration or something else. Not everyone will find value in the same thing which is why it’s important to be clear about who your ideal reader is. Easy ways for writers to add value: review books in your genre or niche; offer insights, tools or tips around an area of expertise linked to your book (this works especially well for non-fiction writers); tell stories that entertain, or emotionally resonate with, your ideal reader.
Be social. You can post your content and hope people chance upon it, OR you can proactively visit the places where your ideal readers hang out. Type keywords relevant to your book into the Instagram search function and it will show you other accounts that are talking about the same things. For 10 minutes a day, engage with some of those posts, follow accounts you like, leave meaningful comments on posts you enjoy, and people will steadily discover your account.
Use content placements that make your account easier to discover. Reels are one way to get your content into the feeds of people who do not already follow your account. Another way to reach new people is to collaborate with someone whose audience overlaps with your ideal reader. Go Live with such a person in a chat about a particular topic and you will both benefit from reaching one another’s audience. Finally, create useful content and your existing community will be more likely to share it to their Stories and recommend it to their community.
Be consistent. For most people, growing an Instagram audience takes time and effort. Commit to a posting routine that is achievable for you and stick to it. Even more importantly, be consistent with the topics you post about. This will signal to the algorithm who your content is relevant to, AND it will be clear to new visitors to your account whether your content is relevant to them.
Finally, a word on how Instagram can make us feel. The writers I talk to are often embarrassed to admit the platform makes them feel a bit crap. They’re relieved when I tell them this is really, REALLY common. The platform is set up to encourage users to compare likes, views or follower counts. It often feels like a horribly confusing popularity contest. You’re not ‘weak’ or ‘shallow’ if you find this dynamic tricky to navigate.
If this applies to you, my advice would be to treat showing up as part of your job. You’re not there to be validated as a person, or even as a writer - you’re there to reach, and connect with, your readers. Seek out and be social with your ideal readers, provide them with content that is valuable, be consistent, and, steadily, your audience will grow.
Nicola is a Social Media Strategist who specialises in teaching writers how to use Instagram to reach their readers and promote their work. You can find out more @toomuch_social on Instagram, or visit toomuchsocial.com