Starting Social Media As A Writer.

I’ll admit it: after more than a year of creating content, I’m still working on the whole “promoting” part. If you’re an introvert or someone who finds the idea of social media daunting, you’re not alone. Writing often feels like a solitary pursuit, but the reality is, building a social media presence is crucial—especially in the publishing industry.

For me, this journey has been about starting small, setting realistic goals, and making peace with the process. Here are some tips and strategies I’ve learned over the past year, highlighting what I’ve done well and where I know I need to improve, to help you if you are also facing the same challenges.

TIPS & STRATEGIES FOR BUILDING A SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE:

1. Set Goals and Celebrate Small Wins

Instead of aiming for perfection, focus on progress. Start by setting achievable goals, like posting once a week or writing your first social media caption. I’ve found it helpful to track my consistency and celebrate the small wins—like committing to writing a blog every two weeks. Even if no one reads it, I’m developing my skills and building confidence. What’s a small, manageable goal you could set for yourself?

2. Meet Your Audience Where They Are

Most readers won’t stumble across your blog on your website through Google, which has been my strategy so far. People consume content on social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, so think about which platform is most suited to your style. For example, Instagram is a visual platform and images and soundbites of insights and statistics work best, while short snappy videos perform really well on TikTok.

If you are already creating content and find social media overwhelming, you can start small by repurposing your blog by breaking it up into bite-sized insights or sharing a powerful quote from your writing. The key is to meet your audience where they’re already spending time, and you don’t have to tackle every platform at once—choose one that feels right for you.

3. Post Regularly and Consistently

Consistency matters more than frequency when you’re starting. Maybe you can only manage one post a week, and that’s fine—it’s better than trying to do too much and burning out. Personally, every two weeks feels manageable for me. But to build a stronger presence, I know more frequent content is ideal. A way round this is to complement your blog with regular social content, taking key tips, insights and creating three to five social media posts per week around it. In the beginning, it might take a bit of time to get into a rhythm but once you’re in the flow, if you keep it simple, it’s achievable.

4. Engage with Other Writers

I’ll be honest, even after recently finishing a writing course and connecting with other writers in our own WhatsApp group chat, I’ve not had the time to engage the way others have. But connecting with other writers is one of the most effective ways to build your presence. So I’m going to start setting aside just 10 minutes every day, to engage with writers by liking their posts, leaving thoughtful comments, and sharing their work when it resonates.

To Recap

Building an online presence takes time, and it’s easy to feel discouraged, but starting with small, realistic goals and celebrating the small wins is crucial. By being consistent, you’ll build confidence and momentum over time.

In my next post, I’ll focus on ways that technology and software can help you streamline content creation. There’s many options out there, that will make your life much easier because social media doesn’t have to take over your life.

Until then, love the journey and enjoy the ride.

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