9 Social Media Tips For Writers Who Want To Be Noticed

Don’t be afraid to put your work out there

As writers, we want people to read what we have written.

We want more comments, shares, likes and clicks. We want to read our stats on medium and be proud of the hard work we have put in.

However, are we ready to go the extra mile to make that visibility happen?

No one wants their work to be hidden.

For most writers, the use of social media has become so necessary that we cannot avoid it.

The ability to use a social platform successfully could give you more influence as a writer.

Apart from thriving online, sustenance is a key ingredient for noticeability. This is because although a lot of writers are on social media platforms, many are not exactly sure of how to handle their social media presence.

The level of exposure that comes with online writing is something we shouldn’t take for granted if we want more recognition.

Social media presence.

As a writer, whether you are a newbie or have been writing for long, now is the perfect time to ask yourself these questions:

1. Am I using social media to the best of my ability?
2. Am I doing the best I can with social media engagement?

Here’s why you need social media:

There is only one answer: You need social media so you can be seen.

The truth is, no one will contact you if they don’t know what you do or how well you write.

Maintaining an online presence helps people notice you quickly, even without actively searching.

The power of visibility can never be underrated- Margaret Cho.

If you also wish to get more writing gigs, you need to put yourself out there. Devise a strategy and go where you will be noticed.

To gain more online visibility, here are some creative tips for writers who desire quick and easy identification on social media:

1. Stick to the rules of each social media platform

Every social media platform has its rules.

If you want to thrive in a particular online forum, it’s always helpful to adhere to its best practices.

If you belong to different online communities, you can set the ball rolling by doing a little research on the dynamics of each platform.

Then, focus on the following:

1. The manner of presentation adopted by other writers on the platform and the methods of capturing the readers’ attention.
2. The required length for each post, if any.
3. The manner of engagement amongst users of the platform.
4. Then, look for other written and unwritten rules.

Remember, understanding the form and manner of engagement is very essential.

For instance, while twitter relies heavily on the use of hashtags to increase chances of engagement, this isn’t the same for facebook which is largely dependent on pictures and texts. Pinterest on the other hand relies on image pins, while linkedin mostly uses pictures and hashtags.

2. Check your grammar

Truthfully speaking, excellent grammar is one of the hallmarks of good writing.

It plays a pivotal role in attracting people to what you have written.

Although we may think that social media is a less formal media, in these streets, your grammar counts!

A distinctive style of writing will keep your audience coming back for more.

If people like your use of diction and overall writing style, they may be more open to having a deeper level of communication with you. In line with the above, Mary Walton of Post Planner opines that using an active voice while writing also guarantees better interaction between the writer and the reader.

3. Promote your Work (Social Media Marketing)

Social Media Marketing refers to the use of social media platforms to connect with one’s audience while building a brand.

In recent times, it has become increasingly popular for a lot of writers to promote and share their work by themselves.

The process of sharing content on social media gives writers a chance to increase traffic to their profile, websites and blogs.

Not only can we now write on wider platforms, we can easily engage our audience by deploying social marketing tactics.

As Prior Kalas of Dream Grow notes, “the hours you put into content creation have to bring results. If you can’t engage, you won’t get shares and your traffic will stay flat.” It is equally important to know that the decision to promote your work does not stop at advertising to a larger audience, it also comes with the use of visually appealing images, videos or graphics where necessary.

4. Engage your readers

Social media is all about connecting with people!

Now more than ever, your audience can reach you faster and directly. They can make their complaints, observations and commendations whenever they feel a need to.

Good Conversation will drive traffic — Kat Chow

Indeed, a large part of content marketing success is ascribed to how your audience perceives your work. If you wish to have more engagement, you should have ready answers to the following:

1. What are your goals as a writer? 2. Who are your target audience? 3. What tactics are you adopting towards getting more people notice your work?

Other methods of observing reader- engagement are to :

Observe how readers react to your post. Are they happy with what you are writing? Do they reflect this in their manner of engagement?

Social Media is at its best when people engage each other- Robert Lee Brewer

Writers should also make an effort to reciprocate social media gestures too!

Whenever you see a great post that is of interest to you, be ready to make comments and engage the writer.

Network with other writers.

As Amy Jo Martin the founder of Digital Royalty alludes, “Networking is a dialogue, not a monologue and some people don’t understand that social media is more like a telephone than a television.”

Real engagement and networking are great ways to build bigger connections and foster relationships.

5. Know how to respond to feedback, especially the negative ones

As writers, our work won’t always be perfect.

Just as social media is a fertile ground for easy projection and exposure, it also has its risks as an outlet for criticism

Instead of ignoring criticism or making apologies, see it as an opportunity to improve.

Whether it’s constructive criticism or otherwise, devise a response that’s best for you and the reader.

To this extent, a twitter research showed that customers who got a quicker response on social media were willing to spend more money and were most likely to tell their friends about the experience.

Not every critic is trying to make your work look bad.

Some people may just be giving their honest opinion.

6. Avoid spreading across random social media platforms, just for the sake of visibility

Posting on various social media platforms could be exhausting and overwhelming, especially if you are one who struggles to keep up with frequent online presence.

Creating numerous pages on social media without actually using them purposefully may not be helpful.

Resist the temptation to adopt the bandwagon approach of hopping on all social media pages when you really don’t need to.

From linking up on linkedIn to socializing on facebook to tweet wars on twitter and later visualizing on instagram; all could work if you are consistent enough to follow up.

However, it’s preferable to pick the best option that works for you.

Beyond these, it’s advisable to optimize the use of any platform as much as you can, provided there is on-going active engagement.

7. Devise a method of coping with social media distractions

This starts with putting your writing first. If at any time, you notice that social media is distracting you from meeting your writing goals, take a step back.

It’s important to set guidelines and put yourself in check.

Remember, you can’t have readers or followers if there is nothing for them to read.

No one will buy a book you didn’t write.

8. Make your social media profile easily accessible

Is your page private?

Then you may be missing out on a lot of things! One way to get visibility is to make your page, profile or website accessible to the public so people can easily have access to your work.

“Accessibility is not a feature, it’s a social trend.”- Antonio Santos

With a public profile, you can be rest assured of better visibility.

Apart from noticeability, it is very important to be careful with what you share online. If you are not willing to share anything personal, you can use a business profile.

Remember, only share information that you are comfortable with.

9. Treat your brand seriously

Use your creativity to stand out from other writers.

If you have an active profile on a website which gives room for self- introduction, let the first few words dazzle whoever has come seeking information on your page.

Let your bio be so attractive that no one can just flip through your page without stopping to know more.

Even if it’s just a paragraph, let it immediately define your essence and purpose as a writer.

Let your bio speak for itself.

At a glance, let people know who you are and what you do. A unique authorial voice and writing style will take you far.

You may be limiting yourself if you do not put yourself out there.

Add catchy phrases like ‘freelance writer’, ‘author’, or ‘writer’ to your profile. This allows for quick visibility in search results.

You can also include your occupation, if you wish. Next, include a beautiful photograph of yourself so prospective clients can know who they are dealing with.

Remember, only post relevant content

Rule No 1 is if it’s not good, don’t share it- Christin Kardos

Final Thoughts

Whether we admit it or not, social media has come to stay.

Connectivity, networking, content creation and promotion are very important aspects of social media.

As times and seasons are changing, writers need to be involved in the latest trends.

Remember, all it takes is a click, like or share to get you to the right places and people.