Introduction to On Social Media
If you’re like most people, you spend most of your time on a single social media channel. But that was before you started turning your book into a thriving business as more than just an author. Now, you’re an entrepreneur who must be wherever your fans are on social media.
Your Fans
Your fans are all over the place, but each one is likely on only one or two social media sites. After all, some folks think the entire internet consists of Facebook.
You need to be where your fans are because you’re a business. There are not enough fans to support your business on any one channel. Like being only a YouTuber, that site-specific creator needs to diversify.
Having all your eggs in one basket is a risky business plan. And like that creator who is only on YouTube, it can be hard to make enough money there to quit their day job.
![1-on-social-media Spread the Love Marketing [On Social Media]](https://yourauthorplatform.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/1-on-social-media.jpg)
Survey Says!
But where should you go to find fans? It’s a chicken-and-egg problem. Get a few fans, then ask which social media sites they prefer.
But first, you need a few fans. Where did they come from? That’s where you start.
Eventually, you’ll need to give new fans a path to getting on your email list. However, that route requires a signup form on your website, which can be a big step for authors. Once you’ve established certain specific steps, the easiest way to know is to ask them.
Send them a survey. Make this survey part of your fan onboarding process. Send every one of them a survey as one of the first things you do after they sign up for your email list.
![2-on-social-media Ask Your Fans Directly [On Social Media]](https://yourauthorplatform.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2-on-social-media.jpg)
Your Website and More
At another time, I’ll explain how you can get yourself a website. I’ll also later explain the essential tools you’ll need, like website vendors for
- creating surveys
- signup forms
- privacy policy and terms of service legal documents
- email list service
Don’t worry! It only seems more complicated than it is. However, having a website is necessary because having fans means having a place to put their information.
Think of it this way: If you sell your book on Amazon, that book distributor keeps the fan’s personal information, not you. Their info becomes Amazon’s business asset.
But when you get your fan’s contact info, it becomes your business asset – a very valuable business asset indeed, worth about $100 each if done right.
I don’t recommend selling your email list. But my prior business’s 10,000 emails would be worth one hundred times that, or $1M. You now see the need for the above legal documents explaining the conditions under which a fan’s email address could be sold.
![3-on-social-media Thinking Through Website Essentials [On Social Media]](https://yourauthorplatform.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/3-on-social-media.jpg)
Which Social Media Sites?
So, you create an email list and survey your fans to find out where they spend their time. What if they predominately say, X, formerly known as Twitter, and you’re personally not a fan? Oh, no!
Your personal preferences are of minor consequence. It’s your fans’ choice that matters most. But don’t worry too much, as there is likely a strong correlation between what you like and what they prefer.
However, it can get complicated. For example, X changed so much once under new ownership. And something similar may happen to Facebook due to Mark Zuckerberg’s business decision to drop fact-checking from Facebook.
Such changes can occur at any point in your business. And new, popular, and appealing social media sites can appear, like Bluesky. After all, hundreds of social media sites are out there trying to become the next big thing.
Your job will become to find your fan’s favorite social media sites and set up a presence there. Finding which site may take time, but there’s no reason to wait. Sign up for many now to lock in a business account with your business or brand name.
Later, once you know where your fans are, you can invest more time into making yourself available there. For now, reserve your username. The rest will come later.
![4-on-social-media Making a Connection Through Social Media [On Social Media]](https://yourauthorplatform.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/4-on-social-media.jpg)
Summary of On Social Media
Most people spend their time on a single social media channel. Don’t you, too? However, entrepreneurs must be wherever their fans are on social media.