Okay, so you’ve started building your online presence. You’ve got an author page on Facebook, you’ve got a Twitter account, you’ve posted the covers of your books onto Pinterest, you’ve got an Instagram where you post pictures of your cat. You’ve even got a website, and you’re updating your blog a couple of times a month. Sounds like you’re off to a pretty good start. But wait, it turns out that building your online presence is about more than just being present. It’s about cultivating an online identity that reflects who you are, what you do, and what you want your readers to see.
Chances are you’ve stumbled across blogs in your travels across the Internet that seem to have no focus, no sense of the identity of the person maintaining them. Blogs that just feel like a bunch of random stuff, often culled from other sites, not held together by any personality. Or worse yet, blogs that literally are just copy/pasted from other sources. Chances are you weren’t very impressed with them, were you? If you don’t want your blog to be one of those, then you need to make sure that it reflects your personality and your message.
Updating regularly and reliably is an important part of building an online presence, but it’s just the first step. You also need to have a plan. Try building a content calendar and planning updates in advance. Pick a day of the week when you update your blog, and try to stick to it. Tie in social media activities to highlight announcements and other news.
When building your plan and creating content, remember that the ultimate goal of your online presence is to engage readers. You didn’t build that website and start all those social media accounts just because that’s what you do these days; you did it because you wanted a way to connect with your readers, and for them to feel connected to you. When you’re building your online presence, make sure that your content reflects your values, your voice, and your “brand” or identity. Many times, your online presence may be your first real point of contact with readers, so make sure that your best foot is forward.
At Clockpunk Studios, we can help you with the website end of that equation. We don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach to website design; instead, we work with all our clients to make sure that their website reflects their work and who they are. A generic Geocities page may have cut the mustard back in the 90s, but today authors need websites that reflect their voice and values, that showcase their work in an engaging manner, and that give readers an opportunity for interaction, and a convenient point of sale. Clockpunk Studios has helped dozens of authors, editors, publishers, and small businesses begin building their online presence—starting with a beautiful and user-friendly website—and we can help you! Contact us today to get started!