How to Build Your Author Platform

There is more to becoming a successful author than merely being a talented writer.

Writing a book may be your passion, but it takes some wise decisions to be genuinely profitable off it. With undeniable skills and a genuine love for this career, you may think that you no longer need anything else. But you’re mistaken.

The world is filled with many individuals who are as talented as you. The goal is to stand out from the rest, but it is no cakewalk.

There was a time when excellent writing skills was the only thing you needed to get a publishing contract.

But times have changed quite considerably. For prospective authors like you, there is a need to adapt to those changes. You must commit to doing things that you usually despise or hate doing, all for the sake of success.

The first thing on your list is that of building an author platform.

The Perks of Creating an Author Platform

An author platform may be the last thing on your mind as you are writing your book, but you never should underestimate its importance.

Without it, there is no way you can effectively spread the word about your work.

The benefits of building this platform include:

• It paves the way for your target audience to know about your book
• It is a cost-effective way of attracting people who might be interested in your work
• It breeds and promotes engagement among your followers, thereby keeping them interested in what you might offer in the future
• It is one way of boosting your credibility and reputation as an author
• You get to sell more of your books

The concept of building an author platform these days relies heavily on establishing an online presence. You have no choice but to focus your efforts on creating relationships with your audience over the web to help your book get noticed.

The Ways to Build an Author Platform

Like any other author, I’ve struggled to write and get my books out there. It took me awhile to establish my reputation.

While there is no universal approach in achieving success as an author, I believe that we all must start somewhere. The first step in your road to success in writing a book is by building the author platform. I will let you in on how I did it.

Understand Your Target Audience

You cannot go any further in your career as an author if you undermine the significance of knowing your audience.

You never will effectively forecast your book’s chances of selling if you do not know your audience and you do not understand their interests. Understanding the audience means learning which areas to focus on.

Unlike several decades back, you now have the luxury of the web to search for your prospective audience and niche.

Define Your Brand

Just like when you are selling a product or offering a service to your intended audience, you need to define and establish your brand as an up-and-coming author.

Defining your brand means helping your audience recognize your name. People will identify your brand by way of your personality, value, and the way you write.

When it comes to defining your brand, you first must do these:

• Do you wish to use your real name or opt for a pen name? Your choice does not matter; what matters more is using the same name consistently.
• Pick some words or catchphrase that you will use throughout your communications with your audience.
• Do not forget to use a professional headshot in all your dealings because it helps you in being recognized right away.

Create a Professional Website

One of those changes requires you to create a professional website. The site serves as your online portal. It is the place where you showcase your brand to a potential audience who chooses to use the web to scour for authors and books they might like.

Do not just create a website using a popular template. What you want is something unique to your personality.

Aside from a modern look, be sure that it is functional. It does not need to be overly fancy, but it sure must be filled up with information. Simply put, create a professional website that will pique the interest of your audience.

Start a Blog

Every aspiring author must put in considerable effort and time to start a blog.

While some accomplished authors think it is a waste of time, blogging remains a relevant component of building a platform. A potential reader of your book is more likely to chance upon you on a blog than your book since the former is a public avenue.

I believe that there is no shame for any author, regardless of experience, to write a blog. It is part of the transition to the digital age. Even some bestselling authors hire a ghostwriter to maintain a blog on their behalf.

Maintain an Email List

It is defined as the list of people who agreed to have you send them emails regularly.

They did so after signing up on your website. Although an email list may not be a priority for a busy author like you who is preoccupied with writing, know that it is an essential part of your author platform.

Email lists are a critical part of any marketing strategy, and it has been that way for a long time. So, if you want to extend your reach, then putting some effort in email lists makes sense.

Start by creating a “sign up” form on your website. You can use affordable email service providers like Mailchimp which has a freemium model. No other targeted marketing strategy is more efficient than email lists because you can directly reach out to your target audience.

Social Media

The last part of building your author platform has got to be the most tedious, but it is an investment that is worth all your while.

Build a presence on social media because that is where everyone is right now.

The reality is that more than half of your potential readers are only going to know of your existence through social media. It means that you have no choice but to be active on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter if you want to build your platform as an author successfully.