When I first joined the Florida Writers Association this year, I spent a few weeks connecting with as many other members as I could on social media. One thing I noticed is how nearly everyone had Facebook pages, but only a handful were on Instagram.
With over 1 billion users every month, now’s the time to get started on Instagram. It’s currently the second most downloaded app after YouTube and while it’s true Instagram usage skews younger, 60% of users said they’ve discovered new products or services while scrolling through their feed.
Instagram is fun, creative and far more laid-back than the politics and angry memes of Facebook. You may question the benefits of spending your time on a visual medium like Instagram versus text-based apps like Twitter or blogs, but there are fun and engaging things you can do on Instagram to network and advertise your writing to new audiences.
Extend Your Facebook Advertising
Are you currently paying to boost Facebook posts or setting up ad campaigns? Here’s some good news: you can extend those ads to appear on Instagram in seconds, and if you’ve ever dabbled in social media advertising you know it’s cheap and has an impressive return on investment.
Ever since Facebook acquired Instagram in 2012 it’s been easier to share content and advertise between the two apps. Once you open your Instagram account, it’s as easy as connecting it to Facebook and checking the box in Facebook Ad Manager to make the ad appear in both places.
When creating an Instagram account, you choose between one that is public or private, or you have the option of creating a business account. This is the best option for writers and doesn’t cost a thing.
Business accounts allow you to set a link in your profile (the URL to your Amazon page or author website, for example) and gives you access to a ton of analytics such as reach, engagement and audience demographics. This is data you can use to plan future content.
What Should I Post on Instagram?
The question of what to post can be stressful for the uninitiated. Luckily, the analytics available in your business account will show you what’s working and what’s not. Everything is trial and error. After a while you’ll develop a feel for your audience.
Always add hashtags to your Instagram posts, but not too many. Hashtags aren’t big on Facebook, but on Instagram they can put your posts in front of hundreds or thousands of new eyes. Keep your hashtags relevant to what you’re posting. Use popular ones like #WritersCommunity, #AMWriting or #Bookstagram to connect with people who share your interests.
Here are some ideas for posts to get you started:
- Pictures of your book at different locations.
- Quotes from famous authors, classic books, or your own writing (use free design software like Adobe Spark or Canva to make it visually appealing).
- Pictures from your life (vacations, unique aspects of your day job, when you attend a book fair or conference, when you see your book at the library or when you do a reading).
- Share posts from authors, celebrities or organizations who share your interests.
- Any posts featuring a cup of coffee or a dog.
- Check out this article about posting to Instagram from BookBub.
There are only two things to remember about using Instagram: post the best quality pictures/graphics possible and have fun!
Be yourself and meet as many new people as possible. Many of these new friends may share content about your book or even order a copy through your business account.
