At its core, businesses are built on the foundation of relationships. This is especially true in the Self-Publishing world, where authors do not always have access to the exposure traditionally published authors receive.
When it comes to social media, it’s about being social and making connections with others, so it’s okay to talk about things outside of your books. It helps people get to know you on a deeper level and feel comfortable shopping with you.
Some basics to start with is sharing a little about you and maybe throwing in your thoughts on current events.
What are some things you like to do when you are not writing? What’s your favorite color? What are you passionate about in life? What do you think about the Covid-19 pandemic and the vax/non vax wars? What about what’s going on in Haiti? When is your birthday? What exciting things did you get into this weekend?
And so on…
I’m going to make this short because the message is pretty straightforward. No one wants to be inundated with “Buy My Book” messages all day, not on social media and not in their inboxes. I know it sounds kinda funny, but people only care about how what you are saying is relatable to their lives. You really do have to care about people, which sometimes means stepping outside your comfort zone and opening up a little about other things that may have nothing to do with your books. The great thing about this is you can still come back around and tie it into your brand.
The PBS Blog 
I couldn’t agree with you more.
I don’t follow people back if the only things they discuss online are their books. It’s so much more interesting to get a well-rounded look at who someone is.
I mean, it’s totally okay to keep certain things private. I don’t expect authors to share everything that ever happens to them. Opening up to your audience a little is good, though!
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Absolutely! It helps people feel more connected to you as a real person. And I was going to add that last part too so I’m glad you brought it up. It’s definitely not necessary (or wise) to let everyone have a seat at the table of your life. There’s a way to be open and relatable without sharing every little detail.
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This is absolutely true. I don’t mention my books unless there’s something specific, like a special offer, cover reveal or new release.
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I don’t think mentioning the book is a bad thing. People have to know it exist to support it, but balancing that with other things going on in life builds stronger relationships since we tend to buy from people we know and trust.
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