How can we use social media to successfully promote our book? originally appeared on Quora, the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus.

While I strongly believe in the utility of social media to promote books and other writing projects, it’s important to understand that most social media is not the place for a hard sell. Rather, social media is a place to be who you are in a compelling, public way that makes people interested in what you do.

If I tweeted “buy my book” all the time on Twitter, no one would follow me. But my tweeting about politics, my cats, my struggles with writing, my life in NYC, and my war against the squirrels that predate my garden, people feel connected to me and then hopefully also become interested in my books. This formula is to also try for Facebook, Instagram, and Tumblr, although each platform has its own style and tone.

Social media is also a good way to connect with other writers and publishing industry professionals. This can lead not just to writing opportunities, but also to mutual support.

As a general rule 70–80% of your social media feed should just be about whatever you want to talk about. The remaining 20 - 30% can be promotional, but should be varied and include support and promotion of works by other writers you enjoy. A good rule of thumb on Twitter is to RT or otherwise promote three books you have no involvement with every day. Then you can promote your own stuff. Help others, and others will want to help you.

Finally, a word of caution against automatic posting. Scheduling posts in advance can seem like a great convenience, but can also provide awkward and insensitive moments if significant/tragic world events strike. I personally recommend that you avoid scheduling posts in advance and remember that a successful social media platform is about responding to others and the world around you.

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