Which social media platforms are best for author promotion?

With so many social media outlets, authors and publishers may have a hard time finding the right platform for promotion.

Promotion is huge part of the game, regardless if you have taken the self-publishing or traditional route. It’s important to connect and engage readers. Creating bonds with readers could potentially lead to more sales and create readers of your books for life.

What are the options and how do you choose?

If you use any platforms, let us know what works best for you in the comments.

Twitter: People either love or hate Twitter. It scrolls quickly (depending on how many accounts you follow) and often your words can get lost in the shuffle. However, Twitter allows your information to be brief – and your account isn’t parsed to the few followers it thinks wants to read your information. If someone follows you on Twitter, they will see your posts.

Facebook: It’s becoming tougher and tougher to get information out on Facebook. The company consistently changes its algorithms, and even if people follow an author page, there is no guarantee that the followers will see it. That’s where Facebook ads come in. Authors have had success with promoting ads for new releases, and should be something to consider and include in your advertising budget.

Tumblr: Tumblr is a mix of Facebook and Twitter. People follow different accounts, but there isn’t much room for direct interaction as there is on Facebook and Twitter. However, Tumblr seems to allow for greater creativity with pictures, GIFs, drawings or whatever is on your mind that day.

Goodreads: This is where the readers are. You can post your books, add blogs and do giveaways on a site dedicated to reading. Since Amazon has taken over Goodreads, there haven’t been many drastic changes to the site. However, trolls seem to enjoy lurking on Goodreads. So, you need a thick skin to work here. However, it could be one of the best places to connect with readers.

LinkedIn: While this social media site is considered more for business professionals, it’s certainly a great place to meet other authors and publishers. You can find great tips and information in groups.

Google+: This is a tricky one. I’m not sure we have found the answer to Google+ yet. I read new articles every week talking about the benefits of the social media platform, but I just haven’t seen it yet. If Twitter is one long promotion, Google+ just seems to be a massive billboard in cyberspace. However, since it is a Google tool, it would be a wise place to link any blog posts or information here. Apparently, it may help with Google rankings.

Blogging: No, a blog is a not a social media platform in the technical aspect, but it’s the best place to engage an audience. You control the message of your blog and get all the information to your readers in a timely manner. Plus, you can take all of your blog posts and throw them on all the above sites.