Well, you’ve written a book, and it’s out there in the world. You don’t see a need for any author platform development. It’s not even that important, is it? It definitely is.

Having an author platform is one of the most critical factors for ensuring success as an author. In this new world that’s almost completely online and digital, having an online presence is the make-or-break scenario for authors. In the world of authoring, having a platform doesn’t just refer to the place where your house everything author-related, it also means being established as a writer, networking with different audiences, and even creating your brand. If you are a new author, then building an author platform is especially important for you since this will help you get your foot through the door of the writing industry, especially when it comes to publishing.

Getting your author platform developed can be challenging because there are so many important aspects. Some of these include website development, social media presence, and reader connections, and they all play a vital role in building an effective author platform. This article will take you through everything you need to know about author platform development and will provide you with all the essential tools, tips, and tricks that you will need to grow your author presence and create your brand as an author.

Author Platform Development: Where Should You Begin?

It’s important to remember that when it comes to publishing and getting your work out there, authors who have an established platform are more likely to have their work reach the audiences they are aiming for. Having an author platform makes you look more professional, and even publishing houses are more likely to be interested in you when you have a properly developed platform. Getting your author platform set up can be a daunting process, but we’re here to help you get started.

Building Author Websites

Step one in building a strong author platform is to start building your author website. As an author, it’s important to have a professional website set up as part of your marketing strategy. It is the single most important aspect of developing your author platform, especially as a self-published author. This section will take you through the process of building author websites and will teach you everything you need to know to make your website a success.

Why Do You Need a Website?

Before you even get started on creating your website, always ensure that you know what your website is for. Remember that your website is what your readers and audience will look at the most, so ensure that you showcase all the important information about yourself and your work. Consider whether you want your website to contain blog articles, whether you want to sell books, or both. Doing this will ensure that the type of website your developer creates will meet all of your needs as an author.

Creating Your Website

Once you know what your website will contain, it’s time to pick your domain name. This name is extremely important because it will help people find your website. You will need to ensure that the name you pick is available for you to use. The name you pick needs to encompass who you are as an author. If you are an author who plans to have many books, you should probably use your actual name or pen name as your domain name. Once your domain name is chosen and available, it’s time to purchase it.

Social Media For Authors

Making use of social media is incredibly important when you’re creating your author platform. This is one of the best ways to reach your potential readers. You can use Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and even TikTok to get your book out there. So many readers make use of social media, so this is where you will find your audience. To ensure you get the best out of social media, you need to tailor your messaging to each social media platform since different types of users turn to different platforms. For example, if your book is business-related, you will find most of your target audience on LinkedIn. 

There are so many social media hacks for you to use:

• Tease readers with snippets of your writing.
• Make use of the bio sections to create fun and inspiring information about yourself and your books.
• Make use of trending hashtags that are relevant to your work.
• Join in on challenges in the social media author community.

Engaging Readers Online

Engaging your readers is an important tool that will help you to sell your books. You can use social media to communicate with your readers – it is the best way to find them. Here are a few ways to engage with your readers:

• sign up on Goodreads: There are so many readers and authors on this platform, and they connect readers and writers from across the world so that they can share their books and find the ones they are interested in.
• reach out through influencers in the writing community: Influencers can help you reach way more people than you would all by yourself because they have their own large followings. Just make sure you choose an influencer that’s relevant to your niche.
• reach out on your own social media platforms: Create fun ways to engage with your readers and followers through things like reading challenges. A great idea is to ask your readers to pick their favorite scene from your book and act it out or read it in their most entertaining voice.

Author Branding Strategies and Growing Author Presence

Your author brand is going to be a useful tool for your online marketing. It will work together with the author platform development strategies mentioned above to grow your author presence. Here’s the strategies you’ll need to implement to get started:

• create a brand identity that is unique to you: It will need to showcase your personality and the kind of author you are. This is the identity that you will use across your platform. Your brand identity will need to be used when you are creating your website as well as on your social media platforms and any other marketing material you create.
• have the right design: Ensure that you create an appealing design. This will be displayed across your entire platform, so pick it wisely. The design needs to attract and engage your audience.
• get on social media: Although this is a difficult part of building your author brand, you will need to grow your following across your social media channels. The best way to do this is by creating content that your followers find relevant and engaging and communicates your brand and what you stand for with them.
• email marketing can also be a powerful tool: It will connect you directly with your audience. If you have a website, you can create a signup form that will collect email addresses that you can use to build a newsletter-sending list. Remember that you can also leverage this on your social media platforms and ask those followers to subscribe to your newsletter as well.

Benefits of Author Platform Development

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you don’t need to have an author platform prepared. There is a whole host of reasons that you should have your author platform developed. Here’s how it will benefit you:

• contributes to awareness: Your platform is going to keep your audience updated constantly. This platform will allow you to sell your books or work to the people you’re trying to target. The platform also shows people that you exist and gives you the opportunity to showcase your work and market to them.
• adds value: A properly developed author platform has the ability to create value for your audience. Besides just making a book sale, the platform will give you, as an author, the opportunity to provide some kind of value to your audience that goes beyond just selling them your work.
• credibility: Just as it goes with anything people want to purchase, they need to ensure that they are purchasing from a credible source; it’s the same when it comes to writing. Credibility is an important factor, and if you have a properly developed author platform, your credibility can be found through your audience on social media platforms or on your website. Don’t forget that you can establish credibility in person and not just online, too! Remember, the more credibility you have, the more likely it is that people will purchase your work.
• marketing: Having an author platform means that you have a direct method of communication with your audience. It’s the quickest and easiest way to market your products directly to the people you want to reach.

These are just a few reasons that you need to get started on building your author platform development. There are many more reasons that it would be beneficial for you as an author, so make sure you get right into it as soon as you can!

In Summary

Building your author platform is an essential process for authors who are trying to establish a meaningful online presence. By creating a compelling and consistent brand identity you will develop an author platform that will connect with your audience and promote your work, as well as build a community that engages with your writing. Always remember to be authentic, and don’t forget that if you need a helping hand, The Urban Writers and Dibbly are here to give you the best tips and tricks to set you up for success!