Guest Post: Do You Need a Strong Social Media Following to Get a Book Deal?

With the help of self-publishing platforms, any aspiring author can publish their book and connect with the masses quicker than ever before. They’re often attractive to authors because they pay relatively well when your book sells. But, there’s so much work that goes into self-publishing, and chances are, you didn’t become a writer to market yourself and learn the ins and outs of sales.

The alternative is a book deal — something most writers dream of.

However, no matter how great your writing is, a book deal can be elusive. Many authors wonder what else they can do to get attention. One area of interest is often social media since it’s a good way to engage with readers and build a community of followers.

But, is it a dealbreaker for literary agencies? Do you need a strong social media following to get a book deal?

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The Benefits of a Strong Social Media Presence

Some – but not all – literary agencies might want a strong social media following for authors. Why? A strong following typically means you’ll have a greater potential market for your book. Not only is that less work for an agency, but it helps to ensure they’ll be successful if they sign you.

There’s no magic number of followers you need to hit on social media to secure a book deal. But, some claim a sizable audience of 25,000+ is necessary to get the attention of an agency.

It’s not just the number of followers you have that matters. You could have 100,000 followers on Instagram, but if they aren’t regularly liking, commenting, or interacting with your content, you most likely won’t see much engagement with your book, either. Agencies will look at that and might shy away.

So, it’s not enough to have a strong social media following. Rather, you should put your focus on creating a digital presence. Engage with your followers, so you can show agencies that your fans are excited about your work and they’re ready to buy whatever you might release in the future. In addition to making it easier to attract a book deal, that kind of social media engagement can help you to:

• Build your personal brand;
• Network;
• Learn how to market yourself;
• Listen to reader feedback;
• Learn more about your target audience.

Some authors choose to avoid social media entirely, as it’s only one small piece of the puzzle when it comes to marketing your book. Ultimately, it’s your call as a writer to determine your success.

Should You Steer Clear of Social Media?

There’s no denying we live in a world that’s largely influenced by technology and the internet – including social media platforms. However, it may not be as influential as you make it out to be. Let’s say you’ve checked every last box possible before publishing your book, and you put it out there, and…nothing happens.

Obviously, working with an agency can help to prevent that, but so could a strong social media presence. So, why do some authors avoid it?

First, organic reach is falling. Unless you’re willing to invest some serious time and effort into your marketing abilities, you might not get the reach you want and need to build your audience and engage with them. For some writers, putting that kind of time in it isn’t worth it, as they would rather spend it writing.

Social media may also be the downfall of your mental health as well, as social media has often been correlated with depression and anxiety. You might spend your time online comparing yourself to other authors or trying to deal with negative feedback and criticism from fans and followers. While most people are likely to give you positive comments, there are always people online who can’t seem to do anything but criticize.

Make the Most of Marketing

If you do receive a book deal, your agency will do most of the marketing for you. Until then, if you do decide to utilize social media, it’s essential to build your brand and market yourself (and your work) as much as possible.

Start by determining who your readers are. For example, if you’re writing young adult fiction or romance novels, you might want to focus your marketing efforts on Gen Z. Today’s younger generations value different things than generations of the past. They embrace inclusivity and use social media to learn about brands and businesses. They want to form relationships with brands and build trust.

As an author, you can humanize your brand from the start. You can utilize your social media platforms to:

• Publish creative content;
• Connect with influencers and affiliates;
• Run contests and giveaways;
• Use ads;
• Maintain engagement.

No matter which audience you’re catering to, almost everyone appreciates feeling like they’re engaging with a person, rather than a business. The more you engage with your readers(and vice versa), the more attractive you’re likely to be to a literary agency.

Although the jury is still out on whether building a social media presence will lend you a book deal, it can certainly help, especially if you’re taking the time to interact with your audience.