Writers and creatives know we need to be present on social media – and it's no surprise that many of us are introverts.
So, how do we reconcile being introverted and being active on social media? In today's article, Ella Barnard gives us some tips.
First, keep in mind that while extroverts like attention, introverts can be amazing at engaging with people on social media, especially when they have the right mindset and tools. Introverts are great listeners, they think before they speak, they are great observers, and they are compassionate leaders.
As an introvert on social media, you can bring all those qualities to your interactions with people. You will stay on the right topic which is the books and readers. You can be genuine, thoughtful, curious, and caring. You just need to know how to express it.
Why is it so important to be engaged with people on social media? Because it’s a key part of building your indie author platform. You don’t have a huge marketing team putting your book all over the internet.
But that’s okay because there are benefits to having direct access to your potential readers on social media. It’s where your readers:
- spend time
- chat about what they are reading
- go to get recommendations
And it’s where you get to interact with them for free! In one friendly interaction, people can go from stranger to friend, or from random customer to your customer.
But knowing all that doesn’t do any good if engaging with strangers is a challenge for you. And if you’re an introvert, you know how difficult it can be to put yourself out there.
First, take some of the pressure off.
You don’t have to BFF everyone on the internet. It’s okay to start with baby steps. Make one comment. Meet one new reader friend. Celebrate and acknowledge your progress.
Here are some ways that introverts can easily start interacting and building relationships with their ideal readers and fellow authors on social media:
Where to Start
1. Join genre-themed Facebook groups. Groups are hot right now. They get a lot of engagement and have a lot of people interacting with each other.
They’re great for introverts because, unlike a Facebook Page, the pressure of producing content doesn’t fall solely on you. They’re a great place to lurk and see what’s happening with the fans of your genre.
2. Show up as a person. A big resistance for many indie authors is they don’t want to come across on social media as salesy or sleazy. Which makes sense.
For introverts and extroverts alike, being too salesy feels gross. That’s why when it’s time to interact with readers online, put your “sales” hat away and show up in the groups as a regular person, or better yet, as a fellow fan of the genre.
3. Uplevel your “Like,” by leaving a short comment. Instead of clicking “thumbs up,” “heart” or “wow” emojis, uplevel your response and leave a short comment.
It can be something as simple as “This is great!” or “I love this,” or actually typing out, “Wow!” The couple of seconds it takes to actually type a response pay back dividends over time.
I have a friend who leaves simple comments like, “Thanks!” and “You too!” and he gets exponentially more engagement on his posts because people know that he cares enough to type a real response. This is great for introverts because you don’t actually have to come up with interesting comments. You just have to type out the words instead of clicking and emoji.
4. Comment with a gif. People LOVE gifs! Again, instead of just clicking the “like” button, take a few seconds to choose a pertinent (or funny) gif.
For introverts, this is awesome because you don’t even really have to say anything. Just post a gif as a comment.
What to Post
These are the most effective strategies and they’re great for introverts because they put the focus where it should be, on the readers. It’s not about you or your book. It’s about the other people in the group–your potential readers.
Here are some simple ways to give amazing value without giving too much of yourself:
1. Recommend books (not your own). Readers love book recommendations. They’re always looking for new authors and good stories. So help them out with a simple recommendation.
I’m not talking about lengthy, in-depth reviews here. A screenshot or image of the book cover and some brief text is enough, “Hey! I just read this book and loved it. It has dragons!”
This is great for introverts because the bulk of the process is reading the book! Yes! Another excuse to buy and read more books, “I needed it for my social media!”
2. Post subject- or genre-related games and memes. You know those predictive text posts? They’re super fun, but minimal effort to find and post.
Go to Pinterest and search for “Facebook games” or “reading memes.” That’s right. You don’t have to make them up yourself. You can post someone else’s game, easy peasy. Just make sure they are related to books, reading, or your genre.
3. Start conversations with a question. Don’t want to talk about yourself? Great! Be interested in everyone else.
In Facebook groups dedicated to your genre, ask simple open-ended questions. My favorite conversation starter is “What is your favorite [your genre] book?”
Asking questions works well for introverts because you don’t have to talk about yourself. Instead, you create a space for your potential readers to talk about themselves.
4. Keep asking questions. Be curious. When someone comments on your post or replies to your comment, ask a follow-up question. Let the focus stay on them.
All you have to do is be interested in who they are. That should be natural; you’re writers. Observing and learning people is a big part of what you do. If you are engaging back and forth, and run out of questions, fall back on some of the tips from above, leave a short comment or a gif.
Like anything, engaging with readers on social media gets easier with practice. The more you do it, the more natural it will feel. Especially as strangers turn into friends, readers, and fans. It takes time, but not as much time as you think.
Keep in mind, they’re probably introverts too. And you already know you have something in common–your shared passion for books!
Are you an introvert who's active on social media? Please leave your thoughts below and join the conversation.
Ella Barnard hosts the Author Like a Boss podcast. She helps authors who are ready to jump into self-publishing so they can quit their job and make a living with their writing. It’s hard work. It isn’t sexy, but it’s doable. And it’s easier with friends.
She coaches indie authors in her Author Boss Academy. To find out more, or sign up for a free training, go to authorlikeaboss.com.
I am not an introvert and still enjoyed your post, Ella.
Great tips. Better yet, simple to follow.
Thanks Ingmar! Simple and effective is my favorite kind of tip!
I’m a complete introvert who loves people; I yearn for friends, but have trouble making them. Social media has been a huge help in this sense. Thanks for your post!
You’re welcome! I hope it helps!
This is the best advice I’ve read on interacting on social media. So concrete and doable! Thank you.
Yay! Glad it was helpful! I’m all about practical advice. Abstract is good for big picture, but ultimately knowing exactly what works is the best, IMO. 🙂
Great post, social media can either be a great tool or a huge burden for introverts it’s all about how you approach it.
Thanks Renee! I agree! Marketing with social media is mostly about mindset. When you get the right approach, it’s so much easier!
not an introvert but i agree with the post though i loved it .
Thanks David! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
This was an excellent post. As an introvert these are simple rules to follow without getting overwhelmed by the process.
I’m all about doable. It doesn’t matter how great the advice is if you can’t take action because of overwhelm.
Great ideas!! Gifs are a great idea. However, about #3: “Uplevel your ‘Like,’ by leaving a short comment,” I personally hate it when people clog up my notification list by tagging me & replying with inane comments like “thanks.” At least in other people’s groups.
That especially makes sense if you’re an introvert! 🙂 However, imagine you left a comment on your favorite author’s post, and the actually tagged you and replied. Might you be a little excited?
When you reply with more then a “like” you give your readers a chance to feel excited about getting your attention.
I am completely an introvert. I am terrible at posting on social media and am hoping your suggestions here will help. Thank You for this article.
You’re welcome Brian! I hope it helps too!
Good ideas and reminders–thanks! You are so right that everyone loves to be noticed, asked their opinions, etc. Doing so in today’s “look at me!” world is refreshing. I think of social media as a cocktail party…you don’t go into a party shoving your book in everyone’s face or mentioning you’re an author every other sentence. More of us authors need to remember this etiquette online too. 😄
I love your cocktail party analogy! I like to think of genre-related FB groups as an aisle in the book store. You and your potential reader, both standing in the Fantasy section, maybe reaching for the same book. Would you whip out a copy of your book? Or would you start a conversation and let it flow naturally? (generally speaking)
Thank you. These are all terrific ideas. So many of us authors are introverts.
You’re welcome Brigid! I hope it helps!
Thanks for the great tips! 🙂 Sharing…
Thank you Bette!
Awesome tips. Love to the post, Simple and effective. I was not an introvert but love the tips to implement in our marketing and currently, working with a leading graphic design agency in Sunshine coast to design our cover. this post really helps me to think different on marketing my book. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Daphne! I’m a huge fan of simple and effective. Why make things harder then they have to be? 🙂 Good luck with your book!
Thanks for the advice. Yes, I’m feeling tired of trying to keep up with conversations on social media too.
It’s so extremely frustrating to be an introvert in the era of social media. I feel left out and exhausted trying to figure out a way to venture into a world I don’t belong. I’m not a writer, but I learned a lot from this article. I’ll put these tips to good use from now on.