Social media can feel like a full-time job when you’re an author. Between writing your next book, marketing the one you just published, and trying to keep up with the algorithms, it’s easy to spend hours creating content without knowing if any of it is actually making a difference just for the sake of posting.

I’ve been on social media for over ten years now, with four of those focused on reading and writing content. Over the years, I’ve tried plenty of different content types in the name of marketing my books. Some have helped me connect with readers and build my platform, while others have taken more time and energy than they were worth. And while I will be the first to say that every author’s experience is different, I’ve learned a few things that help make social media feel a lot more manageable.

1. Posting Every Day vs. Posting With a Purpose

What didn’t work: Posting just to stay active.

For a while, it felt like the key to social media success was posting as often as possible. If I wanted people to discover my books, I needed to keep showing up, right? The problem was that trying to post every day often meant creating content just for the sake of having something to share. When you’re constantly trying to come up with ideas, it’s easy to lose sight of what you actually want your content to accomplish. It can also take time away from the thing that matters most: writing your books.

What worked: Being more intentional about what I shared.

Instead of focusing on how often I posted, I started thinking about why I was posting. Was I trying to introduce new readers to my books? Connect with existing readers? Share something about my writing process? Build excitement around an upcoming release? All of the above?

Having a purpose behind each post made planning easier and helped me create content that felt more natural to share.

You don’t have to post every day to have a presence on social media. Start with a schedule you can realistically maintain, then focus on creating posts that serve a purpose for both you and your readers.

2. Talking Only About My Books vs. Letting Readers Get to Know Me

What didn’t work: Making every post a book promotion.

Of course I want people to buy my books. That’s the whole point of being an author on social media. But when every post is about is trying to get people to read your work, your account can start to feel more like an advertisement than a place readers enjoy scrolling through. I actually started my TikTok account before I ever published a book, and it was my favorite place to discuss all things reading. I was in the BookTok space for years before I ever published, and because of that I felt like when I switched the account over to author content, that meant that it had to be promotional 24/7, and that couldn’t be further from the truth. Sure, readers might discover me because of a book, but I wanted to give them more reasons to stick around.

What worked: Sharing more of my personality and interests.

I went back to making content that gave readers a better sense of who I am beyond my books. This means sharing what I’m reading and loving, sharing my writing routine, offering glimpses of a day in the life of an author with a full-time job, etc.

That doesn’t mean you need to share every detail of your personal life. You can decide what feels comfortable while still letting your personality come through. The goal is to create a mix of content that introduces readers to your books and gives them a reason to connect with you as the person who wrote them.

3. Chasing Trends vs. Finding What Fits My Brand

What didn’t work: Trying to recreate every viral trend.

It’s tempting to see a post take off on Instagram or TikTok and immediately try to figure out how to make it work for your own account. And sometimes, jumping on a trend can be a fun, easy way to reach new readers. But not every trend makes sense for every author. I’ve found that trying to force a trend into my content can feel awkward, especially when it doesn’t fit my personality, my books, or the kind of audience I want to reach.

What worked: Creating content that felt like me.

As a romance author who draws inspiration from classic 1990s-2000s rom-coms, I have a natural starting point for my content. I can talk about favorite movies, share tropes readers love that I often include in my stories, create mood boards inspired by my books, or connect my books to the movies that influenced them.

Trends can absolutely be worth experimenting with (especially if they’re low effort), but I’ve learned to ask myself whether a particular idea makes sense for my brand before spending time on it. If it doesn’t feel like something I would naturally share, it probably isn’t worth forcing.

4. Focusing on Follower Count vs. Paying Attention to the Right Metrics

What didn’t work: Using follower growth as my only measure of success.

It’s easy to get caught up in the numbers. A post gets fewer likes than expected, follower growth slows down, or an account with a similar number of books published seems to be growing much faster. Suddenly, it feels like you’re doing something wrong. I’ve had to remind myself that social media growth isn’t always linear, and a growing follower count doesn’t automatically translate into more book sales (but that’s an entirely different conversation for a later day).

What worked: Looking at engagement and the bigger picture.

Fortunately, with my experience in marketing, I understand that there’s so much more than just a follower number—especially with platforms like Instagram and TikTok, where one viral video can change everything. Instead of judging a post by likes alone, pay attention to other metrics that these platforms offer.

Depending on the platform and the goal of a post, that might mean looking at:

  • Reach: Are new people discovering my content?
  • Saves and shares: Is the content useful, relatable, or interesting enough for someone to revisit or send to a friend? Readers are notorious for seeing a video with a quote or book cover and then saving it to reference later when they’re searching for something to read.
  • Profile visits and link clicks: Is the content inspiring people to learn more about me or my books?
  • Book-related activity: Am I seeing more interest in my books, newsletter, or other ways to connect with readers? My books are currently on Kindle Unlimited, so page reads are one of the easiest ways for me to track the results of my marketing efforts.

Not every post needs to accomplish everything on this list. A post designed to reach new readers might perform differently from one intended to build a connection with your existing followers.

5. Treating Social Media Like a Daily To-Do vs. Planning Ahead

What didn’t work: Creating content at the last minute.

When I waited until I needed to post something to decide what to share, social media became one more thing competing for my attention. I’d scramble for ideas, throw something together, and move on to the next task. This made it much harder to stay consistent, especially when I was busy writing or working toward a deadline. It also meant I wasn’t always giving my content the time or thought it deserved.

What worked: Batching content and planning around my writing schedule.

Planning content in advance has made social media feel much more manageable. Rather than starting from scratch every day, I set aside time (usually on the weekend) to brainstorm ideas, create graphics, film videos, and schedule posts.

Batching doesn’t mean every post needs to be planned weeks in advance or that you can’t share something spontaneous. It simply gives you a starting point so you’re not constantly scrambling to figure out what to post. The more content you can keep in drafts, the less insane you’ll go when life gets busy. Take it from me. Plus, most importantly, it helps me protect my writing time, which is the thing that matters most to me.

The Biggest Lesson I’ve Learned About Author Social Media

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from experimenting with social media (as well as doing social media management for others), it’s that there isn’t one one-size-fits-all strategy—especially for authors. What works for someone writing fantasy might look completely different from what works for someone writing romance, and what works during a book launch might not make sense when you’re in between books.

You don’t need to be on every platform, follow every trend, or post around the clock to build a meaningful online presence. You need a strategy that fits your books, your audience, and the time you realistically have available. And if something isn’t working, you’re allowed to change it. Social media is basically one giant experiment. You can adjust as you go.