After you write and publish your book, the next step is to promote it. This requires a platform.
However, don’t build your platform around a social media site. You can’t control that. Overnight they could change the rules, limit your reach, make you pay to be seen, or even summarily turn off your account. Then, you’ve lost the platform you worked hard to build.
Instead, make your website the home base for your platform, a website you control and own. Then use social media as a tool to point people to your site.
So, the first step in building your platform is to have a website—or fix your existing one. Do this before you spend another moment on social media or even think about growing your platform or reach.
On your website:
- Make your site responsive to mobile devices.
- Remove the clutter.
- Delete slow plugins.
- Fix all broken links.
- Implement SEO best practices.
- Keep your site up-to-date and regularly add new content.
- Capture visitor email addresses.
- Link to your social media sites and other online content – and link them back.
- Integrate your blog with your site, and make it your primary means to interact with followers.
Once you complete these steps, then, and only then, should you work to build out your platform.
Learn more about writing and publishing in Peter’s book: Successful Author FAQs: Discover the Art of Writing, the Business of Publishing, and the Joy of Wielding Words. Get your copy today.
Peter Lyle DeHaan is an author, blogger, and publisher with over 30 years of writing and publishing experience. Check out his book Successful Author FAQs for insider tips and insights.
4 replies on “The First Step in Building Your Platform”
I have done everything backwards, as you probably know by now. I wrote and edited my book before I knew how to…I am promoting without following the right steps. I have neglected my blog the most! Thanks for making me feel inadequate! 🙂
Yes, I’ve done things backwards as well. I started blogging way before I had a website to refer people to. Finally, I have a website I am proud of, with an integrated blog https://www.peterdehaan.com/.
For those of us with limited to no experience in building websites, where can we go for help…other than tutorials online which are challenging to understand without some basic knowledge?
I’m glad you asked!
You are actually closer to a great website than you know!
I’m a big fan of Word Press, and I see your blog is on Word Press. All you need to do is look into adding some “pages” (as opposed to “posts” that you use for blogging). Consider adding an “About” page, and then a page with your bio, published work (Such as The Transformation Project), current work, etc. Then you’ve turned your blog into a website — which is what I did to turn this blog into a website.
Word Press has a “help” option on each page, which is a great place to start. Then there are local Word Press Meet-up Groups that meet periodically to help one another with all things Word Press. And there’s an annual Word Camp event in many major cities, where you can learn a lot and meet some great people.
I wish you the best as you explore Word Press and making your website.