What does Gen-Z want to see from authors on social media?

Hear from our Gen-Z CEO on the types of author content Gen-Zers are looking for on social media

1. Tiny Bits of Wisdom

Sprinkle your feed with posts where you showcase one or two powerful sentence(s) from your books, but also NOT from your books. By offering regular “bits of wisdom”, readers and nonreaders gain something by giving your social media a follow. And, if someone resonates with a quote post that comes from your book, they are likely to be inclined to buy the book for more.

Why post writing content that isn’t from one of your books:

Gen-Z wants to feel like you value your social media community as its own entity, not just as a vehicle to promote your books. So, by posting writing that isn’t available in your books, you demonstrate your appreciation for the platform and you give people a reason to follow you when you aren’t in the middle of launching a new book. Also, (and I will get into this in my next tip) you want to give your social media community something that they couldn’t get from your books or the internet in order to incentivize people to follow you. By offering writing and content that people cannot find anywhere else, you are giving them social media exclusive benefits.

2. An Inside Look

As I was saying before, you want to give your social media following exclusive benefits. One benefit that you can offer on social media is “backstage” content of your book development and writing process. Post a post-it note of a name that you had for a character before changing it to whatever it is in the book, post your google searches from your brainstorming process, post your trashcan full of crumpled papers..Show your social media community aspects of your book and writing process in their unpolished, in-progress stages.

3. How TF Do You Become an Author? Be A Resource For Your Followers.

As a young person, writing a book and getting it published seems impossible. On your social media, tell stories from when you were just starting your career–success stories and failures. Give advice to young aspiring authors. Hold career themed “ask me anythings” on your socials where you allow your followers to ask you these types of questions and more, and then post real-time responses on your stories. If you are a professional author, you are living many young peoples’ dreams. Give your followers opportunities to learn from you on how you got to where you are.

4. A Vote

Give your social media community a “vote” on parts of your book. Post your two final book cover options and ask your social media community to choose which they prefer. Post two topics you are considering writing about and have your social media community vote on that. Through giving your social media community a vote, you also give them a small stake or reason to invest in the final product: your book.

5. When You’re Not Writing…What Are You Doing?

We don’t just want to know about your books, we also want to know about your dog, your high school crush, are you a night owl? What’s your favorite season? Coffee or tea? Barbie or Oppenheimer?…The more people feel like they know you, the more intrigued they will be about your writing. Additionally, after finishing a book we loved or liked, young people often want to know more about the brilliant author responsible for it! Who really is the person who birthed the amazing ideas and stories we just read? By allowing your social media to be a window into not just your work, but who you are, you will have agency over the answer to that question, and also hook people to follow you in the moments where they are most inclined to follow along (like after reading a book).